Been serving a couple of post-war operating cars and I need to remove the trucks that are held on by those horse shoe shaped clips. Hasn't been easy. Is there a secret or trick to getting them off without mangling them?
Scottie
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I have not removed any of the ones on train trucks, but for many others I have always used a small screw driver or a small pair of needle nose pliers. Just be careful, sometimes they go flying off to who knows where and can be difficult to find. Fortunately, just in case, a good hardware store like Ace or similar should have them in stock if you need a replacement. May even be available at Home Depot or Lowes?
They are called E-clips or C-clips. I have also been able to gently squeeze them back together with small pliers, should they become stretched out while working with them.
I use a slot head screwdriver blade to widen the opening a little. Then, use the blade to push against the open end until it comes off.
It's a good idea to keep a few spares on hand, as sometimes one will break or be too weak to reuse.
A small blade screw driver placed between the shoe opening, twist, and it will spread the opening to where you can 'shove' the clip back off the post w/ a little wider screw driver blade. Any of the better parts dealers sell these clips ,about $3 a dz. Harry 
Thanks all, I will be ordering some spares for "just in case".
Getting replacements, plus a few spares is a good idea.
When they are spread apart for removal, they are usually weakened, and sometimes break.
Here is a tip: I work a piece of index card under the horse shoe washer, at the opening, so the screwdriver doesn't scratch anything while I am twisting it to spread the horse shoe washer.
I buy them in bulk.
CWB: That's a good suggestion about the index card. I have a number of postwar cars from boyhood that would have benefited from this simple, common sense suggestion.
Scottie: Getting extras is a very good idea. They're cheap, they will break and, no one's mentioned this before but, as sure as the sun rises in the east, you will drop them in places you can't get to. Buy a dozen or two and put them somewhere you'll remember.
Everyone's suggestion about using a flat head screwdriver to spread them apart is on target. I would also add that you don't need to spread them wider than the post. Just spread them a bit, put the flat part of the screw driver against the two legs, and then push to force the C Clamp off the spindle.
I find that maintenance tasks like these are both satisfying and therapeutic. That is, until you drop one of the little boogers down a floor crack...
Just kidding; Have fun with it.
Steven J. Serenska
