Need suggestions and advice on removing the trucks on a Lionel baby madison car

The 'Baby Madison' car trucks are riveted on. The rivet has to be drilled out to remove the truck. Carl's Toy Trains http://www.rivetin.com/ carries a base plate and securing tool http://www.rivetin.com/cart/proddetail.php?prod=BR-S to keep the rivet from spinning too fast and melting the plastic truck.

They also have a riveting tool and tip for setting a new rivet, 600-0566-016 Rivet/Truck Mounting/ 1/4" from Lionel.

You should be able to drill it out from the top, just make sure you use the proper size drill, just large enough to remove the shank of the rivet without overly enlarging the hole.  The truck should then just fall off.  You only need to remove the shoulder part of the rivet where it meets the shank on both ends, the drill will do this.  

 If this piece is in your way, its removable.

Bill

I have two different ways to remove truck mounting rivets without special tools.

1) Clamp a drill bit in a vise, pointing up. Position your car over this so the drill point is centered on the lower end of the rivet, then tap it so the drill 'bites' the rivet. Then drill out from the top end, just barely enough to remove the flare of the rivet.

OR

2) Carefully grind off one head of the rivet with a Dremel abrasive wheel.

In both cases, be careful not to overheat the rivet to avoid melting plastic parts.

Ace, that is a good idea, #1. Will have to remember that the next time I need to remove one of these things.

Al