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14 replies

Catastrophic Coupler Crumbling and Whiz-Bang Replacement

Mixed FreightMixed FreightOGR Forum Member

Hi Folks,

I recently picked up a nice Lionel 0-6-0 Dockside Switcher and a train meet.  Got a really good buy on it.  After I got it home though, I discovered the rear coupler was broken.   Oh well, another project to add to the list.

Finally found some time to work on it.  I started out by removing the coupler assembly from the loco.  A small chunk had broken off of the knuckle right where the coupler was riveted to it, rendering it un-usable.  But while handling the assembly, another chunk broke off of it.  Then a few more chunks broke.  Uh-oh, I think this was the so-called "zinc-pest" that others have lamented abouton the forum.  Just on the rear coupler though, the front coupler was fine and dandy.  Here's a pick showing some busted up pieces, parts, and coupler crumbs........................

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After doing an internet search for a new coupler assembly and getting nowhere, I did some brainstorming (boy did that hurt!) and came up with an idea.  I ended up finding an old, worn-out set of plastic freight trucks in the junk box that looked to have just the right kind of coupler that might do the job.  I cut the coupler off one of the trucks, and did some slight modifications to it.  I cut down the thickness of the shank by one half, to match the original assembly.  I also shortened the post of the thumbtack head.  Touching the center rail while on a plastic truck frame would not be a big deal.  Touching the center rail while being grounded to a metal loco frame WOULD be a big deal.  Here's a few pic's showing the pair of trucks I rounded up, with one being the coupler donor (sorry for the less than stellar pic. quality):

164165

 

Next step was to remove the loco shell from the frame, unscrew a couple of electrical switches, take loose an electrical board, and swing them out of the way.  Then drill & tap a hole in the loco frame in order to mount the replacement coupler using a regular screw.  The last step will involve making some sort of centering spring to help keep the coupler centered when not under load, but I haven't quite got to that step yet.

Here's a couple of more pic's. showing the coupler mounted to the loco............

166167

 

Even without a centering spring yet, I can still put the loco to use hauling some freight in the interim:

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It's a heck of a nice little loco.  It smokes good, although the whistle sound is really corny, and it's not equipped with a bell sound.  Glad I was able to fix it.  Would hate to see it go to waste because of a bad coupler.

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D500D500OGR Forum Member

Now that's being a model railroader. Excellent.

I have made centering devices by epoxying/Goo'ing short coil springs to the frame, etc, on either side of the coupler shank, or making a sheet brass piece, flat on the bottom with two vertical legs (like a very flat-bottomed letter "U"), epoxied or Goo'ed to the frame under the shank that the shank pushes against. Needless to say, both methods use the try-it-and-fit-it procedure. 

Mixed FreightMixed FreightOGR Forum Member
D500 posted:

Now that's being a model railroader. Excellent.

I have made centering devices by epoxying/Goo'ing short coil springs to the frame, etc, on either side of the coupler shank, or making a sheet brass piece, flat on the bottom with two vertical legs (like a very flat-bottomed letter "U"), epoxied or Goo'ed to the frame under the shank that the shank pushes against. Needless to say, both methods use the try-it-and-fit-it procedure. 

Good ideas!  I was thinking about fashioning something out of some light piano wire (.020 or .032 dia. or similar).  Like cat whiskers, so to speak.  Which can also be a try-it-and-fit-it procedure.

poniajponiajOGR Forum Member

MIXED FREIGHT,

Nice job!  That's the kind of thing I like to see and do.  A nice item but for a minor complication.  Your solution was right up my alley, that is, inexpensive, relatively easy to do, inexpensive, quick & easy, inexpensive, and ingenious.  Did I mention inexpensive?  See?   Right up my alley! 

Mixed FreightMixed FreightOGR Forum Member
poniaj posted:

MIXED FREIGHT,

Nice job!  That's the kind of thing I like to see and do.  A nice item but for a minor complication.  Your solution was right up my alley, that is, inexpensive, relatively easy to do, inexpensive, quick & easy, inexpensive, and ingenious.  Did I mention inexpensive?  See?   Right up my alley! 

Inexpensive, quick, easy, penny-wise, ingenious, and low cost.  That's me, alright! 

I'm sure glad somebody appreciates my frugality.  My wife says I'm a cheap......... um, er, fish? turd (Walleye? Blue Gill? Crappie? Pike?).  Some sort of game fish turd, can't quite remember exactly which one right at the moment. 

But at the end of the day, that's why she married me! 

B BalshisOGR Forum Member
Mixed Freight posted:
D500 posted:

Now that's being a model railroader. Excellent.

I have made centering devices by epoxying/Goo'ing short coil springs to the frame, etc, on either side of the coupler shank, or making a sheet brass piece, flat on the bottom with two vertical legs (like a very flat-bottomed letter "U"), epoxied or Goo'ed to the frame under the shank that the shank pushes against. Needless to say, both methods use the try-it-and-fit-it procedure. 

Good ideas!  I was thinking about fashioning something out of some light piano wire (.020 or .032 dia. or similar).  Like cat whiskers, so to speak.  Which can also be a try-it-and-fit-it procedure.

I did something like that, once, on a Lionel 4-wheel Mini-Max boxcar with dummy couplers.  But in my opinion, it was a lot more trouble than it was worth, since getting the exact degree of springiness in the piano wire is a tricky business.  Too soft and the coupler won't return to center; too stiff and it'll tend to derail the car.  I think D500's suggestion of using coil springs is much better.

Mixed FreightMixed FreightOGR Forum Member
Matt_GNo27 posted:

Paul, I love the ingenuity!

For what it's worth, S & W Parts Supply carries the front and rear couplers for the docksider. See here, item #6208613551.

Thanks Matt!  That's what I was looking for.  If memory serves, I think I stumbled upon S&W when searching for parts.  But without knowing a part number, their parts list was far too overwhelming to simply browse through.

But then again, had I known the part number, I probably would have just ordered a replacement instead of modifying what I did.

Mixed FreightMixed FreightOGR Forum Member
Balshis posted:
Mixed Freight posted:
D500 posted:

Now that's being a model railroader. Excellent.

I have made centering devices by epoxying/Goo'ing short coil springs to the frame, etc, on either side of the coupler shank, or making a sheet brass piece, flat on the bottom with two vertical legs (like a very flat-bottomed letter "U"), epoxied or Goo'ed to the frame under the shank that the shank pushes against. Needless to say, both methods use the try-it-and-fit-it procedure. 

Good ideas!  I was thinking about fashioning something out of some light piano wire (.020 or .032 dia. or similar).  Like cat whiskers, so to speak.  Which can also be a try-it-and-fit-it procedure.

I did something like that, once, on a Lionel 4-wheel Mini-Max boxcar with dummy couplers.  But in my opinion, it was a lot more trouble than it was worth, since getting the exact degree of springiness in the piano wire is a tricky business.  Too soft and the coupler won't return to center; too stiff and it'll tend to derail the car.  I think D500's suggestion of using coil springs is much better.

Yeah, but I'm a glutton for punishment.   And besides, I have a good variety of various small diameters of piano wire laying around.  Hate to let them go to waste! 

Matt_GNo27Matt_GNo27OGR Forum Member
Mixed Freight posted:

Thanks Matt!  That's what I was looking for.  If memory serves, I think I stumbled upon S&W when searching for parts.  But without knowing a part number, their parts list was far too overwhelming to simply browse through.

Paul, you may know this already, but if you go to https://www.lionelsupport.com/ReplacementParts/, you can look up an item and find the appropriate parts list. In this case, search for "Dockside Switcher." Once you have the part number, you can go to your favorite parts supplier and navigate to their parts inventory. When you are on the parts inventory page, do a search for the part number. (On a Mac, "Command + f" will open up a search bar, on a PC "Control + f"  should do the same. Paste in the part number, hit return/enter.)


But then, as you say, you'd miss out on the creative modification.

Mixed FreightMixed FreightOGR Forum Member
Matt_GNo27 posted:
Mixed Freight posted:

Thanks Matt!  That's what I was looking for.  If memory serves, I think I stumbled upon S&W when searching for parts.  But without knowing a part number, their parts list was far too overwhelming to simply browse through.

Paul, you may know this already, but if you go to https://www.lionelsupport.com/ReplacementParts/, you can look up an item and find the appropriate parts list. In this case, search for "Dockside Switcher." Once you have the part number, you can go to your favorite parts supplier and navigate to their parts inventory. When you are on the parts inventory page, do a search for the part number. (On a Mac, "Command + f" will open up a search bar, on a PC "Control + f"  should do the same. Paste in the part number, hit return/enter.)


But then, as you say, you'd miss out on the creative modification.

More thanks again, Matt!  I had been on the Lionel replacement parts site, but was having a difficult time navigating it (mainly because I was unsure what words to enter for searching).  I just tried "Dockside Switcher" per your suggestion, and went right to the parts lists for the switchers.  Would have saved me a ton of time had I known.  On a side note, I do know the PC "Control +F" feature for searching.

And of course, I would NOT have gotten creative with a fix.

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