Missing Grab Rail

Im sorry that I am not answering your question, but did Lionel ever say why so many of the Heritage locos had sound problems?

This may sound silly, but have you had a good look inside the box for this part? I have found that sometimes items such as this fall off during transit and hide in corners of the box. If not, then it may be somewhere on your workbench or surrounding area.

If you are unsuccessful in finding it anywhere, then i'd suggest a letter/email to Lionel might be a good idea, as they may have some even if they are not shown on the parts diagram. These grab rails are a pretty standard part, and I would think that a grab rail from any one of a variety of locomotives should fit. Otherwise, it should be fairly easy to fabricate one from some steel wire.

Unfortunately, if you have to make one, or use an alternative, you will need to paint it. Hopefully someone else may be able to advise you as to the exact colour needed. 

No Nicole, your suggestion doesn't sound silly at all.  You provide a lot of great advice to this forum and helped out many from your own experiences.   I have already been through the box and wrapping a couple of times.  I have spent a cummulative hour on the floor looking through the carpet and into every nook and cranny.  The color of it allows it to blend into my Fastrack and I keep thinking it is nestled down between the rails of some section of track I can't get close to.

I will follow-up directly with Lionel as you suggest.  Mike and his team have bailed me out before on odd items and that is part of the reason I stay true to that product.   

The grab rail/iron is not the typical ladder rung style.  It has an extra horizontal 90 degree bend like the attached photo. 

Does anyone know what gauge wire this is?  And don't say "O gauge"  .  Hopefully I won't need to buy a 100' roll for the 1" that I need.

If LIONEL doesn't have the part, check out PRECISION SCALE

http://www.precisionscaleco.com/

Or contact one of their dealers.

You can get find fine gauge "piano" wire at a local hobby shop that specializes in RC planes.

My suggestion,forget about it,and don't focus on it,it will go away,and you'll forget all about it.

Hey Charlie

I was in the Marine's right after Nam

All the guy's in my unit were always looking for Charlie

Is that you?

Anybody want to here my Parris Island name for Sally question?

Whenever I am introduced to someone named Sally,my wife turns to me and gives me the eye,meaning  Don't say it.

Sally and Johnny'

I actually met a guy years ago that was in the Marines and Nam in the 60's

When I finally was introduced to his wife weeks later by him.

He said, and this is my wife Sally,and no, thats not her

Another place to look for the lost piece is the speaker.  The speaker magnet has a way of gathering a lot of pieces.  Assumming it's ferous metal.  I've also used a magnet over the carpet and around the layout road bed area to find lost parts.  It is amazing what falls off these well detailed models.  

Mike CT 

Steims,

If you are unable to obtain a replacement grab from Lionel, contact me via the email in my OGR Profile and I'll be happy to make one (or two) grabs or mail some spare wire for you to bend.

Matt

Based on the statements in the catalog they reserve the right to make production changes. They just decided not to put the other grab rail on.

Hopefully you got all the UP logos on all sides unlike the missing PRR Keystones on the Legacy PRR U28c's.

Thanks for the offer Matt.  I will take you up on that if it doesn't show up sometime this weekend.  I will let you know.

Just to clarify Trainman9, the piece is truly missing. I have the 2 holes to prove it.  My other Lionel SD-70ACes each have this grab handle.  

From the picture, it looks like the part would be easy to make out of brass wire. Brass is better than steel because it's much easier to cut and bend. Just mike the other one to be sure you get the right size, then truck on down to the hobby shop or Ace Hardware and get you a one-foot piece of wire. Bend it into shape (a round jaw pliers is the best tool, but if you don't have one just find something the right size to use as a mandrel). Paint it grey, glue it in the  holes, and you're done. 

You're welcome.  I can sandwich a section of .020", .025" or .032" phosphor bronze wire (Tichy Train Group) between cardboard and mail it in a First-Class envelope.

Keep me posted.

Matt