Repaired: Lionel Legacy 4-12-2 Pilot Shorting

I had the same problem with mine-I just bent it back into position using my thumbs.  It didn't take much pressure.  Good as new again.

 

Like you, I was worried about the snapping it off.  Now, if it's bent heavily enough it got into the frame rails, that's another story.

 

Post some pictures.  I'll see if I can find some of mine for you to compare.

 

Curious-did the foam box have any witness marks?  Mine was bent during shipping-the foam was heavily gouged.

 

I cringe when I see people set locomotive boxes on end, as in vertical.  Any free space allows it to beat itself to death.

Don't have a good picture of the bent pilot.  For reference, it just touched the center rail.

 

Here's how much gap you should have with it in the correct position:

 

86TA355SR,

Many thanks for your suggestion and taking the time to post a photo.

I will e-mail the seller to see if he is willing to have me bend the pilot.

Yikes, that is scary.

 

Ellot

 

 

Don't be scared. Just go slowly.  You'll know if you bent too much.

Confusing. If you have already purchased and paid for the model, why would the seller care what you do in order to fix it?

Hot Water has a good question. The fellow who sold me the loco is very willing to take it back after hearing about the problem. I told him that if I could fix it without damaging it, I would try with his permission. If he was opposed to me attempting a fix, then I would return it.

I would never attempt a repair like this without getting the appropriate information from the Forum or having Mike Reagan suggest it could be done. My experience is that the Forum is such a wonderful resource that I would first get some feedback and then contact the seller.
My preference is to try a fix and keep the loco.
I am always cautious when it comes to attempting a bend with a cast piece.

Eliot

If you got time, post a picture.  If it's bent too bad, we will want to come up with something else for you.  

 

It sounds as if yours' was like mine-slightly bent.  In that case, just bend it back.

 

It's a great locomotive by the way.

It looks like the pilot is actually a seperate piece thats screwed on, possibly by 2 short screws from underneath?

 

  See here:              Legacy 4-12-2 Parts

 

If it did break you could order a new one.

 

Having said that, I know I've straightened more than one "tweaked" pilot without breaking.

Rick,

I think you are right !

From underneath it looked like one cast piece.

Many thanks !

 

eliot

If it were die cast, slow pressure would just break it.  Die cast can be bent, but it requires a great big all at once hit.  That is how they made all those syrup dispensers at the various pancake places.  LA Die Casting would send the straight handle, and Starline would waffle them into a gentle curve.

 

I have one of these 4-12-2s, but it stays in the box until I two- rail the FEF.  I suspect your pilot is a brass casting.  I will look next time it comes out of its box.

I have successfully repaired the pilot thanks to the information provided by the kind OGR Forumites in this thread. As RickO suggested, the pilot is not cast in, but separate though attached via two screws. Taking out the two screws does not allow the pilot to come free (it is attached to another mechanism I could not reach) but taking off the pilot truck allowed my fingers to get behind the spokes of the pilot and bend it forward.

 

The pilot of the 4-12-2 now rides about 1/8" above the track level.

 

Now on to the next issue: The Three Blinking Lights of Death