Postwar 746 Pilot Clearance Issue

Hmm, can you flip the pilot truck around on that loco ?

@Penn-Pacific posted:

Hmm, can you flip the pilot truck around on that loco ?

Nope, the pilot can only go on one way.

Can you take a picture of the engine up side down?

@Chuck Sartor posted:

Can you take a picture of the engine up side down?

Hope this helps!

As I recall, the 746's came with Super O sets which is basically O36 curves and there would be less chance of the pilot wheels scraping the cylinders.

Rusty

Finding a set of 041 curves. Make everything run better on my little test track.

@Rusty Traque posted:

As I recall, the 746's came with Super O sets which is basically O36 curves and there would be less chance of the pilot wheels scraping the cylinders.

Rusty

I had the same thought Rusty. Before I posted this I went on the current Lionel site, as I knew they had made a modern production of the 2545WS set under the number 6-31754. Apparently the modern version can accept O-31, but I’m not sure if the tooling was modified from the original to accommodate that radius. It would seem odd that the postwar version would differ in that regard.

Well, having never owned one of these postwar beauties, I cant say for certain whether this is unusual or not. But, having looked at other 746's going around 031 curves here in a video by TrackMasterTim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f12CMJMye98

and here  by nactjager77

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1rUjGJBCao

it looks like they all are probably scraping the cylinders a bit. I also looked at a few 746's for sale on the bay and they also have paint scrapes at the same location, on the bottom front corners of the steam cylinders.

In looking at your first picture it looks like the pilot truck is damaged. Before grinding on the shell, you should looking at replacing the front truck. It is the a 2046-22 truck, which are available. The service manual says that the 742 will not run on 0-27, but should run on 0-31 track.  

I have a version of that engine from the 90's if memory serves.  I just set it on an 027 loop and there are no clearance issues.  I suspect that something is either bent or the engine was disassembled and reassembled incorrectly.  Pictures from the sides of the engine might help figure out what is going on.

Attached are more pictures that may be of use. The pilot truck appears undamaged, but I don’t have another to directly reference.

Like Rusty pointed out, the 746 was cataloged with Super O sets only. 036 curves. All probably scraped the cylinders on O gauge track. However, in 1981 when the 746 was re-issued with a new number 8100, Super O track was long discontinued. So to answer the problem of the cylinder scraping since Lionel only offered O gauge 031 curves, Lionel made a new pilot truck. It used the same frame as the original, but the pilot truck wheel flanges are slightly smaller. So you need to get a 8100-520 (I think that is the number) pilot truck replacement. S&W train parts has that truck listed as available.

@Chuck Sartor posted:

Like Rusty pointed out, the 746 was cataloged with Super O sets only. 036 curves. All probably scraped the cylinders on O gauge track. However, in 1981 when the 746 was re-issued with a new number 8100, Super O track was long discontinued. So to answer the problem of the cylinder scraping since Lionel only offered O gauge 031 curves, Lionel made a new pilot truck. It used the same frame as the original, but the pilot truck wheel flanges are slightly smaller. So you need to get a 8100-520 (I think that is the number) pilot truck replacement. S&W train parts has that truck listed as available.

Thanks Chuck, I’ll be placing an order for that truck later tonight and hopefully that solves the issue!

@Zach K posted:

Thanks Chuck, I’ll be placing an order for that truck later tonight and hopefully that solves the issue!

That front truck is not correct. It is too long. I measured my 746 and the axles on the lead truck are exactly 2 and 9/16" apart.  What do yours measure?

@iguanaman3 posted:

That front truck is not correct. It is too long. I measured my 746 and the axles on the lead truck are exactly 2 and 9/16" apart.  What do yours measure?

Are you sure about that 2 and 9/16 as I measured mine and it is 1 5/8 and there is a little paint missing on the front of the cylinders like maybe the lead truck front wheels may have been rubbing at some point.

Measured mine and it is also 1 5/8" axle to axle.

@Johnsgg1 posted:

Measured mine and it is also 1 5/8" axle to axle.

@RJT posted:

Are you sure about that 2 and 9/16 as I measured mine and it is 1 5/8 and there is a little paint missing on the front of the cylinders like maybe the lead truck front wheels may have been rubbing at some point.

Yes you are both right. I meant 1 9/16 or 1 5/8. Sorry the Op's pics made it look like his front wheels were too far forward. It is probably an illusion. Mine also has a few nicks on the steam chest and I only run on Super O.

@iguanaman3 posted:

That front truck is not correct. It is too long. I measured my 746 and the axles on the lead truck are exactly 2 and 9/16" apart.  What do yours measure?

Just about 1 5/8ths.

@iguanaman3 in the pic of your pilot truck is that gouging in the rear wheels from rubbing on the steam chest or is that crud built up on the wheels? Hard to tell for sure in the pic.

@Rich Wiemann posted:

@iguanaman3 in the pic of your pilot truck is that gouging in the rear wheels from rubbing on the steam chest or is that crud built up on the wheels? Hard to tell for sure in the pic.

That's dried up crud alright, not gouging.  It's the flanges on the front pair that apparently have chipped the thin paint on the front of the steam chest a bit. It's a toy after all and I think it may be the nature of the beast. This is a display piece only pretty much. I probably have not run it for more than an hour total in the last 15 years. Back in the late 1970's when I got it 746's with clean stripes were the holy grail along with 1950 773 Hudsons of course. I still think it is close to the pinacle of PW Steam.