# Lionel 6-31755 Texas Special set



## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

Hanukkah Harry was good to me this year and I received a Lionel 31755 Texas Special set. The set was used but seems to run well. There are a couple flaws you would expect from a used set, one is the observation car windows are scratched. I found the parts diagram on Lionel's site, http://www.lionel.com/CustomerService/ReplacementParts/index.cfm?startRow=26&DOACTION=productPartFilter&PRODUCTID=8d1af546-f9b7-49f7-b0c8-6eed7a664b26
But the window glass is not clearly shown. Is it 6205500023	WINDOW STRIP / LH / RH HVYWGHT?

Also, if I want to open the car and replace the glass does anyone know how? I am able to remove the round end of the car but I cannot see a way to open up the car for service.

Thanks in advance, Allan.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

By the diagram and the numbering it looks like that is part #1, one piece?

Yes, that looks to be the number for the window strips, both sides are the same.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The 620-5500-023 is the green strip of plastic that is the windows, that's the only "window" they have.

I don't have one to look at, but frequently the screws are hidden under the trucks, swivel them back and forth to see if there's a hole you're not seeing.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

If you click next to the window part it has a picture. Not much of a picture it is just a green strip.


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## callmeIshmael2 (May 28, 2012)

Hi Allan - sorry, don't have an idea about those long passenger cars, but I loved your vid of it taking off, also coming thru the wall. Great horn sounds (and the steamer was spectacular, too). I've got the Wabash shorter cars that I've worked with on the insides. They come apart only with screws sunk well below the swivelling couplers/then pop the tops.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

callmeIshmael2 said:


> Hi Allan - sorry, don't have an idea about those long passenger cars, but I loved your vid of it taking off, also coming thru the wall. Great horn sounds (and the steamer was spectacular, too). I've got the Wabash shorter cars that I've worked with on the insides. They come apart only with screws sunk well below the swivelling couplers/then pop the tops.


What video?


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

Here is the youtube video of the Texas Special running. My dog is very excited. He is more into my trains than I am. 






I tried removing all the screws I could find under the car but something is still holding the car together. I think I'll get the replacement widows first. I'm still wondering how it got so scratched up on the inside?


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Looks great! That's one hell of a bump and go trolly! Nice layout and trains. Don't know about the screws.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Maybe a mouse had made a home it it and was trying to see out through the green? 
That is a nice looking set.:smilie_daumenpos:

Poor people in the trolley must get a bad case of whiplash! 

The parts diagram lists that whole piece as part #1, doesn't just the ends come off and the rest stays together?


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## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

areizman said:


> My dog is very excited. He is more into my trains than I am.


I don't think Yappy Rover likes having trains talk to him!


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

Here is an update. I received the replacement window glass from Lionel. I Have taken every possible screw out of the bottom of the car and removed the ends and every possible component to get at the damaged windows. Here are links to a few photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/12107754305/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/12108059273/










http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/12107753505/

Still the frame is stuck solid. There appears no way to remove the frame to change out the window glass. Any ideas?


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Probably won't help but grj had some tabs holding on his roofs sometime back, I wonder if there is something similar on these? http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=8053&highlight=passenger+car+roof
I can't get a good look Ok my phone but does the bottom slide out? 
I have the same screwdriver Btw. 
Well there ideas anyway.


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## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

Big Al

Is it possible the red plastic floor piece slides on the frame to engage some tabs?

(Could I be Big Dave?)


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I haven't worked on those cars, but I can assure you there is a way to get them open.  At this point, I'd consider contacting Lionel to see what they say.


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

These cars are very similar to regular extruded aluminum cars. The roof and body are one piece and the sheet metal frame slides into a track molded into the body. There does not appear to be any track or tabs. It's as if it's been glued in! Oh well, I'll contact Lionel support and see what they have to say about it.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

FWIW, some of the aluminum cars have the floor really wedged into the car, I had several that I had to really tug on to get them apart. They may just be REALLY tight.


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

Yep that was it. The frame was wedged in super tight. I had to completely gut the car and use a hammer and punch to loosen the frame and knock it out.

Now I have removed the old window strips but they leave behind remnants of the original adhesive strips from the original windows. What do you think would remove them. A heat gun?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

If you heat it gently, a lot of the adhesive will come off. Then I use lighter fluid to remove the remaining glue. It's pretty benign, but be careful around finished surfaces anyway.


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

Well I got the old strip and adhesive removed, but when I went to measure the new strip, something I should have done before I started, The replacement strip is too short! Lionel apparently grabbed one for a regular passenger car and not the scale length cars in the set.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Uhh... Houston, we have a problem!


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Why is it that it's always the simplest repairs are always the hardest? Happens to me all the time. Hopefully you'll get the right Window strip soon!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Straight Ethanol is great for removing adhesives.

The old (young) lady was feverishly rubbing on her bumper with an assortment of cleaning bottles when I came home one day.
I said wait a minute, I pulled out a bottle of Ethanol and poured a little on her rag and she wiped it right off with very little effort.

She reacted like it was a magic trick, she couldn't believe it as she had been trying for a half an hour.  

She tells all about using it now. 
I probably gave out 20 8 oz samples bottles since then.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I drink it, I don't clean my trains with it.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I drink it, I don't clean my trains with it.


Don't drink it straight you will burn a hole in your gut.
We retain samples for a set time, then they just pour them in a waste drum.
What a waste huh? 
They do that with all the samples inbound or outbound samples.
All kinds, we have over 50 storage tanks and a lot comes into the yard to be drummed off so there are quite a few samples of everything imaginable taken every week.

I use the190 or 200 proof grain. :thumbsup:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Everclear is 190 proof, it's sold at your local liquor store.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Everclear is 190 proof, it's sold at your local liquor store.


I am curious as to what they get for a gallon.
I have not been a liquor store for over 17 years.


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## callmeIshmael2 (May 28, 2012)

Al, you should let Lionel know you're one of the heavies in this forum. That oughtta make 'em move towards you with the right window glass! Ah, the trouble in getting the peeps that should pay attention to just...pay attention. To paraphrase a great hit: "Minions to the left, minions to the right, here you are stuck in the middle with Lionel". Such a nice passenger set, pls. continue posting until the results are final; wanna see it run!


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

Here is the photo I sent Lionel that shows the 35-400 scale car body with the old strip and the replacement strip just below it. As you can tell the replacement is a few inches too short.

I thought about it and I thought if they cannot come up with the correct strip I can probably cut part of another strip and simply add on to fill the gap. As I was typing out a follow up email to Lionel they responded that they cannot find any longer window strips but they are going to send me another set to do exactly that. Great minds think alike huh?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'm glad they're dealing with it in an appropriate manner.


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