Help removing shell

The shell should come off easily. If it does not...are you sure you removed the body mount screws?  They are typicaly coarse thread with a point, to go into the plastic bosses on the body.  They are similar to sheet metal screws. They are not machine screws. 

If you are sure you have all the body mount screws off, try inserting a flat thin object between the chassis and the shell at the end and then gently prying with a twisting motion.  A butter knife may be fine.

Or, with a folded towel on the table, hold the loco right side up and gentley shake it up and down above the towel.

John.  I’m not sure.  I have removed all the screws I thought were body mount.

I have not removed the screws into the fuel tank.  I see one screw in the middle way under the rear truck that there is absolutely no way to get to so I assume it’s not a body mount and I have never seen a body mount located there.

Every MTH diesel that I've taken apart has 4 screws, 2 up front and 2 in the back. Can you lift one end of the shell to at least get started? See if you can pull on the bottom of the shell in opposite directions while lifting up. Sometimes this can separate it from the frame.

The RS diesels can have up to 8 screws securing the shell.  They are all washer head Phillips screws.  Note the length and location since some are shorter than others.  You may have to remove the sideframes to access them.  Some RS diesels have a tab at one end to lock the body in the frame.

I’d unscrew the fuel tank. The front set or rear set of screws could be holding it down.  So you don’t need 4 more hands, try unscrewing the front or the back, try to get the shell off and if not then replace the ones you pulled and switch ends.

Take a look at this….from the manual….

Tom

David, I had this same issue/question a while back and also posted a thread here on the Forum. Click here to see my thread.  

As you will see in the thread, it was the tab at one end of the shell (that  Jon G. Mentioned above) that I didn’t know about.  I had to slide the shell a bit to release it.

Tom:

I couldn't find the manual yesterday.  That is helpful.  Looks like I found all the body mount screws.  Those instructions confuse me - I would assume that the motor mount screws do not come out.  I guess I'll have to see if I can figure out how it slides out of the tab.  Does anyone know whether the cab end should be pulled forward or pushed backward?

I don’t have this particular engine, sort of guessing, but the front four screws hold the cab in position. Remove the cab and then work on getting the hood off. It will be much more free at that point and possibly easier to determine which way to manipulate the hood to remove it…

Tom

I had a problem removing the carbody of an MTH F59PHI.  I referred to the manual, online, and found that the "body mounting screws" shown in the photo point to the fuel tank mounting screws, not the "body mounting screws".  Having disassembled many such locomotives, I knew better and found the body mounting screws in the four corners of the frame, partially obscured by the trucks.

Swivel the trucks out of the way, remove the screws and then gently remove the body.  There should be no reason to remove the fuel tank.