tinplate caboose questions

Dave- The point this time is to try it myself!!

For the bright work that may be heavily tarnished (or even showing rust through the plating), I got the good idea from this forum to use the 0000 steel wool on them. Boy does that work good. Bought a box of parts approximating a Lionel Ives 1766 set of cars - all the plates were there but rough. The steel wool brought up the shine without taking away the painted letters.

Jim

John,

   Got to admit I like doing my own Tin Restoration also.  However the new Blue Comet 2817 Caboose arrived today so we put her on the Tracks with the rest of the 817's.  Got to admit I am glad Chis posted pictures of his, it is a great piece of Tin Plate Caboose.

PCRR/Dave

Fits right in with all the old 817's, seriously great Blue & Black Paint and nice lighting also.

Dave, I think you are starting to have a problem 

John,

   Yes Yes my name is Dave and I am addicted to Tin Plate Trains, started the program years ago, can't say it is doing much good however.

PCRR/Dave

Especially any 800 series Cabeese with 800 Series numbers on them!  Any size any Color even riding piggy back I love em all.  The 807 Caboose Piggy Backed on the 812 Gondola, don't know if Lionel actually planned for this to be able to happen or not, sure works well however.  Great colors for a Tin Plate Christmas Train too!

There is definitely a great need for aTin Plate Christmas Train in the new Train Room.

and my name is Dave and I also am addicted to tinplate.....

Gentlemen,

   Please remind me of which company supplies the AF electric light fixture for the under side of the AF 3211/444 Caboose.  I need to purchase one for my AF 444 Caboose, the light fixture piece in mine can not be fixed correctly.   I thought I remember somebody say it was Hennings.

PCRR/Dave

Port Line Hobby

Steamer,

   Thanks Dave, they are closed till after York however!

PCRR/Dave

Its a 411 caboose not a 444 just for clarification 

yeah I still need to order my hand rails and light for mine.

Rob,

  OK 411, some place I thought I remembered seeing 444.   411 will comply from this point forward.  What is the proper nomenclature for the light fixture portion on the 411 AF Caboose, I am trying to order one and would like the real name of this part

PCRR/Dave

I sent Port Lines an e mail with this pic and the model number of the caboose and said this what I need. Talked to Doug.

He gave me a price for the light and handrails, so I don't know what the light itself costs.

Steamer,

  Dave do you remember the actual name and number of the part?  

PCRR/Dave

I just asked for the light socket assembly

Steamer,

   Roger that, I just dropped Doug some e-mail and used similar terminology, hope he has a couple to sell me also.

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Rob,

  OK 411, some place I thought I remembered seeing 444.   411 will comply from this point forward.  What is the proper nomenclature for the light fixture portion on the 411 AF Caboose, I am trying to order one and would like the real name of this part

PCRR/Dave

Removable lamp housing... something like that

Rob,

   Thanks much for the nomenclature, (Removable Lamp Housing), will use that terminology when talking about this piece of hardware and especially when ordering it.   Have a part number to go along with that terminology?

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Rob,

 Have a part number to go along with that terminology?

PCRR/Dave

 

Sorry Dave.  Ive no idea of the part number.  The same lamp housing was used in the streamline cars and the aluminum Zephyrs I do believe.

Why do you need to replace?  Did it come apart?  Sometimes they're hard to fit in the hole in the bottom of the car....is that the issue?

Rob,

  Old Wire broke off the removable Lamp Housing, would like a new housing with the wire affixed correctly, looks like the light socket that sits inside the Caboose was damaged long ago also, threads are distorted and it's hard to get the bulb in and out now.  Definitely want an LED replacement for this set up.

PCRR/Dave

hey Dave, how about posting a pic of your "removable lamp housing"....might be interested in it.

Thanks

Jim Waterman posted:

For the bright work that may be heavily tarnished (or even showing rust through the plating), I got the good idea from this forum to use the 0000 steel wool on them. Boy does that work good. Bought a box of parts approximating a Lionel Ives 1766 set of cars - all the plates were there but rough. The steel wool brought up the shine without taking away the painted letters.

Jim

Found out my local Ace hardware carries this stuff.  Guess I gotta get busy.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Rob,

  Old Wire broke off the removable Lamp Housing, would like a new housing with the wire affixed correctly, looks like the light socket that sits inside the Caboose was damaged long ago also, threads are distorted and it's hard to get the bulb in and out now.  Definitely want an LED replacement for this set up.

PCRR/Dave

Gotcha.  Probably best to try and repair ...the socket can be reformed and the wire can be soldered back.  Done it many times.

Rob,

   I would like to purchase the Removeable Lamp Housing like Steamer received from Doug at Port Line, with the wire attachment set up, Dave shows in his post.  That Removable Lamp Housing looks like a nice piece of engineering that can be reused many times.

PCRR/Dave

The spring loaded wire attachment looks similar to the old Lionel Lock on set ups.  Easy and reusable.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Rob,

   I would like to purchase the Removeable Lamp Housing like Steamer received from Doug at Port Line, with the wire attachment set up, Dave shows in his post.  That Removable Lamp Housing looks like a nice piece of engineering that can be reused many times.

PCRR/Dave

The spring loaded wire attachment looks similar to the old Lionel Lock on set ups.  Easy and reusable.

Understand Dave.  The spring clip is called a "Fahnestock" clip and flyer used then extensively.

Rob,

   Thanks much for the Nomenclature and the knowledge of the AF "Fahnestock" Clip.

All the best, 

Pine Creek/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Rob,

   I would like to purchase the Removeable Lamp Housing like Steamer received from Doug at Port Line, with the wire attachment set up, Dave shows in his post.  That Removable Lamp Housing looks like a nice piece of engineering that can be reused many times.

PCRR/Dave

The spring loaded wire attachment looks similar to the old Lionel Lock on set ups.  Easy and reusable.

I haven't got mine yet...that was a pic from the bay

Steamer,

   Dave OOPS, thought that was what you received from Doug, my bad!

At any rate, that is exactly what I need for my AF Caboose! 

Will Take a picture of the removable Lamp Housing on my AF 411 Caboose shortly.  Mine has no "Fahnestock" Clip on it.

PCRR/Dave

John,

Completed the final assembly of the Black and Gold 817 restoration today, I am very satisfied with the final out come.    

PCRR/Dave

Other than the final wipe down she is complete, will take some better pictures when she is on the tracks with the 817 Consist.

Steamer,

   Dave here are a couple pictures of my AF Removable Lamp Housing.

PCRR/Dave

if you're not going to re use it, I'll take it off your hands....

Steamer,

   I am going to try to fix it, however when the one I ordered comes in, and I get it to work in my AF Caboose, if you need the original, I will let you have it.

PCRR/Dave

that's OK Dave, I'll buy a new one, just sounded like you may have been just tossing your old one. 

Steamer,

   Throw something away from my Tin Plate Trains, you must have me confused with some other mysterian soul!

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

John,

Completed the final assembly of the Black and Gold 817 restoration today, I am very satisfied with the final out come.    

PCRR/Dave

Other than the final wipe down she is complete, will take some better pictures when she is on the tracks with the 817 Consist.

 

Dave,

 You should be proud of how it came out! Very nice.

Tom 

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Steamer,

   Throw something away from my Tin Plate Trains, you must have me confused with some other mysterian soul!

PCRR/Dave

sorry Dave...it musts been the paint fumes I was breathing Saturday....

Tom,

   Thanks much buddy, however your 517 is the Show Steeler, very serious B&G Caboose!

Steamer,

Dave I get that way sometimes myself without the Paint fumes help!  As I tell my wife all Double Guns, Bird Dogs and Tin Plate Trains do not fall under her prevue, if you want to throw something out, start looking in your Music Room!  I keep reminding her of the Disco Ball she has, and have threatened to use it in the New Train Room!  Heck does't everybody have heir own mirror glass ball for putting on musicals!

These are House rules, that shall not be violated under any circumstances.

So tonight I started cleaning the trim from my flyer 3211.  Based on advice from others here I tried 0000 steel wool. The results are some what mixed.  The process is slow and tedious- two of my least favorite things.  The name plates and grab irons look great.  The window frame dark corrosion came of, but the current surface is a different shade and still inconsistent in appearance.  The ladder cleaned up okay but not great.  All these parts are hard to hang onto, making them painful on the fingers in short order!

Here are some side by side pictures.

Steamer posted:

Dave I just got the same caboose, and mine has 3211 stamped on the bottom.

mine is missing the light socket and hand rails

Hi Dave,

Mine was missing the light socket too. There is one for sale on eBay for like $15! I refused to spend that much on a caboose that cost me $11. I had one of those plastic E10 light sockets from Radio Shack laying around. It looked like this:

I removed the screws, nuts and bulb base from the plastic. I was able to mount it to the frame in the same bulb location and add one wire. I bent one tab up a little to avoid a short. It worked great!

George

I agree! and I gave $5 for mine.