I am repairing this and have a question about the rocket launcher section. I have removed it, cleaned it and reinstalled. There was a piece of foam under the trigger section that was unusable so I replaced it. However the triggers still will not hold in the cocked position. Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this? See pictures below:
New foam inserted on chassis plate
Bottom of launcher. There seems to be only one way to assemble this. I have removed and cleaned all the pieces.
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I'm not seeing the foam pad in your pictures.
I don't see the pad clearly either although by squinting I think it's in your third photo to the right of the ruler. But I know where it's meant to be and what it's meant to do.
The best I can do to assist is refer you to a thread I started a while back on a different issue but which contains some truly expert explanations of what to do about these pads:
https://ogrforum.com/...any-experience-hints
If you look from the second posting down (which came from our late and much valued Forum friend CW Burfle) you will find as much info as I think has been collected in one place about this fairly troublesome part.
Following a idea from here, I repaired my 6544 missile car, which uses the same launch mechanism, by using the foam pad from a foam paintbrush like you get at Home Depot.
As others have stated, the 6544 uses the similar mechanism:
The foam piece, 44-28 (Modern Part Number 600-0044-028), is purportedly available from the usual suspects:
https://store.justtrains.com/4...-Foam-Pad_p_642.html
Thank you all for the great information and diagrams. I believe the foam I used is too stiff or thick for the job. I will have to do some work on that.
The forum is just amazing for getting help quickly. I had 4 replies in 12 hours! Thanks again.
Well I discovered the foam is not, definitely not, required for the triggers to work properly. I disassembled the mechanism and upon reassembly I realized I had caught the triggers on the metal frame that prevented them from moving up/down freely. The triggers should literally flop up/down very easily once the metal plate(with 2 screws) is secured to hold everything together. Now all four of the triggers 'cock' normally. I still used the foam but this time also placed it on the bottom of the launch assembly first instead of on the chassis. Now I am trying to decide to repaint the entire piece with a Euro camouflage scheme since the item itself is not a collector piece, most of the fine steps are broken off and the left front corner is cracked and missing some plastic. I am using 2 part bonding to try to fill and shape that corner. You can also see the missing steps. Thanks again for all the help.
I have a real soft spot for these engines. I recently found a 44 US Army example with the nose bumper area broken out. I put a coupler on the front truck and now run two of them back to back. They can pull a really long train of military cars thanks to the magnetraction in the power trucks!
Rolland
Does anyone know a good match for the blue on the Army 44 units? Looking to pick one up but may need to do some touch up.
Conrail blue is pretty close.
What purpose does the foam piece serve? I refurbished one of these about 8 years ago, but I don't recall removing the launcher mechanism as it was working ok. Maybe I should hunt down a foam piece (would prefer to get a modern day equivalent from Lionel) and install it in my original?
It's a necessary part for the launcher. It keeps pressure on the launching arm mechanisms so they will stay in the armed position, but has enough give to release the spring loaded arm when the cam wheel is turned to trip one of the launcher arms. Am I see the picture correctly, it looks like the cab is sawed in half?
Chuck Sartor posted:It's a necessary part for the launcher. It keeps pressure on the launching arm mechanisms so they will stay in the armed position, but has enough give to release the spring loaded arm when the cam wheel is turned to trip one of the launcher arms. Am I see the picture correctly, it looks like the cab is sawed in half?
I see the point of that - and the part would not be included if it served no purpose. I have always stored my US Army engine (which has TMCC-controlled firing) with the trigger mechanisms uncocked on the basis that it reduced the pressure on it and the foam from spring tension.
Doesn’t look to me like the cab has been sawed off from the rest of the body. Not completely clear but the OP’s first and second photos appear to show the cab still connected to the part of the body that surrounds the missile launcher component.
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