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paul 2 posted:

What size screws are used on Weaver freight cars. Can the size be bought at Home Depot or Lowe's. I have a chance to but some early Weaver kits. Any help is appreciated. Thanks Paul

Which screws are you asking about?

1) The screws that hold the trucks & couplers on?

2) The screws that hold the carbody and underframe together?

My suggestion would be to, remove one of the screws you asking about, and take it to your nearest Turevalue or Ace hardware store and request a match.

 Look into finding trucks for the kits unless they are a really good deal. The die cast trucks a hard to come by and go for a premium price. Especially if you factor in shipping. Shop carefully and you can find a car in an undesireable scheme and  buy it just for the trucks. Even the plastic ones everyone was discarding over the years fetch a good price. One thing about trucks. They switch out easily if it comes down to rotating trucks to the cars your running it's not a big problem.

Athearn trucks will also work on Weaver cars.   They have the same height bolsters.    Athearns are still available.    Actually any O Scale truck built to NMRA recommended practice (or standard, I forget which) will work.    The weaver cars were designed with the bolsters set at NMRA height.   

Any screws I have found on Weaver cars have been 2-56.    Walthers also sells brass ones in various lengths.   

It should be pretty easy to find trucks for the kits.    It is not clear if you are 2 or 3 rail.   If 3 rail, you can buy NWSL (Northwest Shortline) wheelsets that will go into Athearn trucks I think.

In addition, Bob Lavezzi who sells the Atlas Reefers at various shjows, bought a huge amount of Weaver inventory.   He may have wheels or trucks.    His Cell # is 908 337 7572,

You can find them on eBay at times. Don't know of any retail outlets that still have any. You can pay up to $35.00 shipped for a pair. Some careful shopping at shows or even the on line auctions can net you a car with die cast trucks for the same price. You can practice your weathering on the body if you buy it just for the trucks or you can increase your fleet and with a few turns of a screwdriver just swap trucks from car to car. Right now the trucks are worth way more than the car body and frame if you part them out.

Seacoast posted:

Just reading this. Is there a source for Weaver die cast trucks?

No, not yet at least. I have been waiting for someone to begin offering the former Weaver 2-Rail Scale, plain bearing Bettendorf freight trucks. As additional information, I was told the when the original "supplier" of the diecast trucks to Weaver (from China) stopped supplying (for what ever reasons), eventually MTH began supplying diecast trucks to Weaver, under contract. Hopefully SOMEONE can pick-up that "contract" and have MTH begin to provide those great former Weaver design diecast trucks, in both 3-rail and 2-rail again. 

I have several cars I would like to switch out from the plastic trucks to die cast.

 

Hot Water posted:
paul 2 posted:

What size screws are used on Weaver freight cars. Can the size be bought at Home Depot or Lowe's. I have a chance to but some early Weaver kits. Any help is appreciated. Thanks Paul

Which screws are you asking about?

1) The screws that hold the trucks & couplers on?

2) The screws that hold the carbody and underframe together?

My suggestion would be to, remove one of the screws you asking about, and take it to your nearest Turevalue or Ace hardware store and request a match.

All the made in America Weaver 40ft PS1 boxcars just snap together. There are NO screws that hold the carbody and underframe together. The only screws are the 2-56 screws that hold the trucks and couplers on. I have over a dozen of these cars and every single one is the same.

 

 

Last edited by Hudson J1e

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