# Lionel 3656 adhesive washer placement



## dad roadie (Dec 1, 2012)

Have a question on the placement of the adhesive washers on the newer style corral. If I look at the parts breakdown on the service manual they have the adhesive washers (3656-169) on both side pillars and the third one on the armature plate assembly( 3656-170) that operates the bridge assembly. On almost every corral that I have looked at shows the 2 washers on the side pillars as shown in the parts sheet and one on the metal tab that is attached to the coil bracket assembly (3656-174), which the diagram doesn’t show a washer at all. I have not been able to see if any have a washer on the armature plate.
Do I need 4 washers on the corral? I looked down in the armature plate assembly and it looks like there may have been one there at some point but I can’t be sure. I’m in the middle of restoring this with the help of many of you on the forum. Any help would be appreciated!
All the Best!
Dad Roadie


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

I posted instructions on modifying the 3656 so it works much better. It is on this forum.


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## dad roadie (Dec 1, 2012)

*thanks for the reply!*

Thanks for the reply. It really sounds like a good fix but I couldn't locate the springs. 
Has anyone else had a chance to look at their corral? My curiosity is up trying to figure this out. Has everyone else just gone with the 3 washers on top and not worried about the one on the bottom?
Dad Roadie


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

You can buy small springs from McMaster Carr.


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## Togatown (Nov 29, 2013)

On a related note, I had to remove one of the trucks off of my 3656 Cattle Car ( for the infamous knuckle spring replacement, @#$%! ) and the tray that the cattle go through the car on had to came off. 
The adhesive washers were dry rotted so now I need to replace those three. Are there any tips on upgrading this set-up?


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## TrainLarry (Jan 15, 2012)

In the future, the couplers can be repaired without taking off the trucks, especially if you have to disassemble the interior of the car to do so. At the worst, the baseplate can be removed from the trucks by carefully unbending the tabs that hold it onto the axles.

Larry


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## Togatown (Nov 29, 2013)

TrainLarry said:


> In the future, the couplers can be repaired without taking off the trucks, especially if you have to disassemble the interior of the car to do so. At the worst, the baseplate can be removed from the trucks by carefully unbending the tabs that hold it onto the axles.
> 
> Larry


I tried to do it without removing the truck but getting that knuckle spring replaced is a real bear ( at least for a novice like me). And the pick-up shoe has that contact plate with the wire on it, limiting the movements even further.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

I wrote a post on this forum about making the cattle car and cattle pen work. I have modified two cars and two pens. The cattle will move around the car and pen indefinitely without falling over unless my great-grandson kicks the track.

I bought my first cattle car and pen in 1955 for $15 and the stupid thing didn't work. It took me about 55 years to get the first one to work. It is now set for life as the rubber washers have been replaced by steel springs which never wear out or get hard. $15 was a lot of money for a kid in 1955. I was delivering papers at that time making $30 a month if everyone paid his bill.


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## TrainLarry (Jan 15, 2012)

Togatown,
You just need to carefully unsolder the wire to the sliding shoe, and the entire baseplate would be free. 
Learning how to remove and reinstall the knuckle rivet without disassembling anything is the key to efficiency. Most rivets will have enough up-down play in the knuckle to get a pair of side cutting pliers under the rivet head to snip it off, and press the remainder out.
Replace the rivet and squeeze the end just enough to keep it from coming out, leaving enough up-down play to be removed easily in the future if necessary.

Larry


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

servoguy said:


> I wrote a post on this forum about making the cattle car and cattle pen work. I have modified two cars and two pens. The cattle will move around the car and pen indefinitely without falling over unless my great-grandson kicks the track.
> 
> I bought my first cattle car and pen in 1955 for $15 and the stupid thing didn't work. It took me about 55 years to get the first one to work. It is now set for life as the rubber washers have been replaced by steel springs which never wear out or get hard. $15 was a lot of money for a kid in 1955. I was delivering papers at that time making $30 a month if everyone paid his bill.


We all appreciate your efforts with the cattle pen and many of us would like to try your repair. Bearing in mind that it only took you 55 years to accomplish it, it would be nice if you took the platform off one and posted some revealing pictures.

Most of us lack the descriptive power to describe an object with narrative alone coupled with reading comprehension difficulties pictures will present your repair in a manner that words alone cannot accomplish!


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## eskcm (Oct 7, 2014)

Servoguy, did you glue the springs to both the car frame and the alum. track that the cattle move on? ie. glue both ends of the springs?
Ace Hardware sells a .016 in. wire X .3125 in. dia. spring (item 5214580) we could cut to length and this would be close to the spring you found.
Thanks
Ken


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

I glued only the lower end of the spring so I could take things apart sometime in the future.

I think if the spring you have is close to what I used, it should work OK.


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## Togatown (Nov 29, 2013)

I realize the operation and shortcomings of the Cattle Car and platform have been discussed ad nauseum but I can't seem to find the answer to my question.
I bought replacement adhesive washers for both the car runway and the vibrating corral platform. What I don't understand is that the replacement washers only have adhesive on one side, so if they are attached to the car frame and platform, the runway and platform will just lay on top of their respective bases. What am I missing?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Don't think you're missing anything. Are you afraid the platform is going to take off?


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## carinofranco (Aug 1, 2012)

I don't think you are missing anything. the platform and track are supposed to just lay loosely on the cushion pads without being attached with adhesive.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Very clean looking cattle pen, better than any of mine.


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## Togatown (Nov 29, 2013)

Thanks for the responses, I was concerned because the Greenberg operating manual says the car runway alignment is very important, and to try not to disturb it and now it just kind of flops all around.

Thanks John, that's why I want to try to get it working. It hasn't been used in 50 years.


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## Togatown (Nov 29, 2013)

I'm getting ready to assemble and test the cattle car and corral but have another question. Does the bridge ramp lever attach to the plunger below it on the corral? Also, does one bridge ramp go under the ramp on the car and the other below it?


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