# Rolling Stock Repairs



## Nuttin But Flyer

Hello --
As an American Flyer owner, I have the need to make my repairs to the rolling stock. Much of these pieces are fastened with rivets/pins that hold the bottom onto the body or some pieces onto the body. For instance, I have a boxcar that the door is missing from one side. It uses door guides/rails on the top and bottom that retain the door but also allow it to slide open/closed. These guides are attached with pins into the body of the car. I have seen many articles advertising repair manuals from Greenberg, K-Line and others that offer expansive drawings and information direct from the "AC Gilbert" information. To be honest, I invested in both the K-Line and Greenberg Service Manuals and the only thing they show from "Gilbert" are exploded drawings -- in fact, a comparison of each shows them to be nearly identical. They do not include all the rolling stock or operating accessories either. My luck, this particular boxcar was not included. These drawings are not detailed to show how to remove a rivet or pin or how to install a new one. Even a short paragraph of the procedure would be acceptable but these books do not include any for most items. My Flyer items are too precious to "experiment" with the removal of these rivets without sufficient knowledge. Does anyone know of a service manual that actually explains these procedures or can anyone simply offer an explanation how this is accomplished? If any unique or special tools are required, please include a description of the tool and possibly where it can be obtained. Any help with this issue will give me confidence in attempting to repair my items which in turn will restore them to their full factory condition. Thank you so much for any insight.


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## markjs

Me too! I need to learn how to replace a link coupler.


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## T-Man

I will start with the factory manual. This is the Homepage and I use the Catalogs a lot.
The main page for My FLyer Trains.

What is the car number??

I have pulled pins from Lionel Boxcars holding door frames. I use a bad Xacto knife and pry. I have a piece of ALuminum flashing for leverage and to protect the car. When I get a clearance I use a small pair of nippers?cutters to grab it. If the hole goes all the way through you may tap it from the backside with a small allen wrench. These pins are held in by pressure and are slightly bent. I also have used a small screwdriver and pried up on the door frame too. At times the frame has broken. It has been a while but I pried the door frame first. If it broke I pried the pin. With the door frame out it gave me clearance for the nipers. 

Coupler changes are here somewhere.


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## Nuttin But Flyer

T-Man --

Saw both those sites before. The factory manual site goves good info, but the Operating Stock Car I have (#736) is not listed in there. I also need to replace the chassis bottom on an Operating Baggage Car #732 -- that also is not listed in there. Apparently Gilbert was not so complete with their service manual as I thought.

I am guessing from your description that the pin must be held in the body of the car by friction -- perhaps the pin is slightly larger than the hole in the body or the pin has small serrations to "grab" the body material as it is inserted. Is this the case? If so, doesn't this tend to deform the body material when it is removed? How will the new pin "grab" the mateiral if I remove an old pin that, in turn, removes some of the body material? Will the new pin still be able to grip the body material when inserted? How do I retain the new pin -- rap it lightly with a small hammer and a small diameter punch?


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## T-Man

The 734 door pins are heavy. My guess is they are serrated. The door guide will suffer when you pry up. Stay close to the pin. Get a little clearance and use a cutter to grab. There is no easy or sure fire way to do it. I had trouble removing frame pins. I ended upusing screws. The Lionel ones are thinner and bent slighty. They can come out a lot easier. A dap of glue may be needed to set it back but may not be necessary. I don't think the door pins will damage the hole any if they are lifted straight out. THat plastic is very brittle.
THis is my thread on the frames.

I haven't done anything to the baggage car.

I have a 771 stockyard here.

I have a small hammer to set pins. Just try to line up the serrations before tapping.

I do have the 736 but I did not remove the shell from the frame.


I used these but found clearance was an issue on the under side. The small screwdriver worked best.


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## T-Man

This is how I removed a truck rivet.. drilling burns/melts the plastic.

To change a coupler the rod is knocked out with a hammer and the replacement is placed on.


With some bending the door may slide in, maybe.







...







...


The nasty frame pins in the corner.


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## flyernut

Use a little wd-40 on the pins. Sometimes they get rusted into the plastic and are hard to remove. Get yourself some very fine side cutters, and needle-nose pliers that have a bend in them. The bend is great for extra leverage. As for link couplers, get a kit from Portline Hobbies. They can sell you the removal kit, assembly block, and the links,(couplers).To remove trucks, I use a dremel but be careful. Sometimes you can nick the sheet metal truck. If I do indeed nick it, I use some gun bluing or blacking on the nicked part and it disappears.Portlines will also have the pins, doors, and upper and lower brackets for your box car doors, as well as the little handles... You now have entered a world of great expense, and sleepless nights,lol. PM me if I can help.


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## Reckers

For removing the sliding door pins, I use a fine jeweler's screwdriver and lever it up. Once you get it out a bit, switch to a slightly larger screwdriver. If you have trouble getting it to reset when re-installing, go very easy on the hammer: That's why God made Superglue.


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## Reckers

By the way, Nuttin But Flyer and Markjs, welcome to the forum and the S scale section of the Forum!


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## Nuttin But Flyer

Thanks for the Welcome Reckers. Hope to learn a lot about these Flyers that I have had for 50+ years.

T-Man -- Took a look at the link you had to remove the chassis frm a 630 caboose and replacing the pins with screws. Nice idea. Did you use self-tapping/threading screws when you inserted them? What size screws (diam. X length)? I assume the epoxy is meant as reinforcing for the corner post? Thanks for the idea.


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## T-Man

They were hardware store supplied. As small as I could get, a size two. No, they look a size 4. They had one size smaller and I use that for the red coach shells.

If the posts are real bad I remove them completely and drill another hole. Mostly on Lionel Tenders


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## flyernut

Just remember, when removing the small pins on the chassis,do not pry against the plastic body.It's brittle, and WILL break.Use a fine jewelers screwdriver like Reckers said. Around here at the bigger train shows, you can get these small tools very cheaply. I also have dental sets that I use on my trains, as well as firearms. They can get into the smallest places.


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## Reckers

Flyernut is right. When you get a really uncooperative piece of rolling stock, resort to firearms. They really do get into the smallest places! I like to work in period, so my opener of choice is a .50 muzzle loader. I've yet to see the car I can't open up with it.

Best wishes,


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## flyernut

Reckers said:


> Flyernut is right. When you get a really uncooperative piece of rolling stock, resort to firearms. They really do get into the smallest places! I like to work in period, so my opener of choice is a .50 muzzle loader. I've yet to see the car I can't open up with it.
> 
> Best wishes,


Which one would you suggest if a .50 isn't available?..We have... .308, 30-06, 6.5, 5.56, 7.62x39, 7.62x 54R,( I think),.22, or is a pistol more to your liking???...380, .44, .32ACP, or 9mm?? Maybe one of the 6 12 gauge shotguns will do...O/U, SXS, or single barrel?? I believe gunrunner can also help,lol..


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## Reckers

I'd have to defer to the Gunrunner on that question, but an emotional favorite for me is the Army .45 M1911A1. If you use the wadcutter round, it has less likelyhood of leaving the bench area and taking out the washing machine. Good hunting!


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## flyernut

Reckers said:


> I'd have to defer to the Gunrunner on that question, but an emotional favorite for me is the Army .45 M1911A1. If you use the wadcutter round, it has less likelyhood of leaving the bench area and taking out the washing machine. Good hunting!


My son just checked out a .45 Sunday. That will be his next purchase.


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## Reckers

A man after my own heart! Since I'm too old to go deer hunting anymore, I'd love to swap my .50 for one.


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## flyernut

Reckers said:


> A man after my own heart! Since I'm too old to go deer hunting anymore, I'd love to swap my .50 for one.


Being 100% disabled, I no longer hunt, or do much of anything outside now, hunting/fishing wise. I miss fishing, but I have other hobbies/interests to keep me busy and broke.


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## Reckers

I found ex-wives suffice in that latter problem!


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## bacrong

thanks good post


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