Well guys, I got around to taking apart my Pennsy Weaver express car. The frame was warped to the point that the under frame detail part on which the truck bolsters are mounted snapped in two when I removed the car body. I think the broken under frame can be saved. Here is a picture of the frame after I removed it.
I removed 4 screws holding the underframe (truck bolsters) detail and all of the detail parts from the frame. It was an easy task. The parts simply came right out of the frame when the metal around them crumbled with one tug. The break line piping detail is a total loss but the break cylinders and vale detail parts can be reused.
It looks as if Weaver is not going to provide any relief to their customers who have purchased these expensive cars.
I met with a friend yesterday who is craftsman when it comes to working with brass models especially in 2 rail O scale. I showed him my damaged troop car frames and explained to him the problem we are being confronted with now and in the future regarding this car.
He examined the damaged frame and the good frame. He believes since the under frame detail with the truck bolsters can be removed from the frame a brass replacement frame can be machined with all the necessary holes needed to mount the car body along with tapped screw holes for mounting the under frame.
This may be a solution since the silence from Weaver leads me to believe that a resolution on their part is not coming.
I have no idea as to the cost of a brass replacement frame. However, I would like to know the number of owners of the Weaver troop cars / express cars who would be interested in this fix. I hope to have more details soon. Anyone interested in this idea can respond here or shoot me an email at the address in my profile.
More info to come.
Thanks,
Richard
