Thanks. Guys like you make this Forum a very special place
Ed, These are the three screw locations that hold the shell on. You can put all the other small screws back in plus the two under the steam chest that are diagonal of each other. Besides these three you have to remove the tiny screw that holds the lubricator linkage to the lubricator pump on the body. Its shown in Thomas motion pic in his thread above.
Its possible when you removed the three screws holding the motor mount on that the motor is getting jammed in the shell making removal difficult.
Pete
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Secured the motor mount screws.
Pete, I removed the 3 screws in a previous attempt before I removed the motor mount screws and the real of the shell wouldn't move. After I replaced the motor mount screws the entire shell is now loose but the rear is still getting hung-up so I suspect you are right. Ugh.
Ed, I have one of these but have not had to take it apart yet, nor anyone else's. It appears to be nearly identical to the earlier Pullmor motor Hudsons though and I have one of those apart now. I will get mine out and see if there is something we are missing later today.
Like Bruk says usually three or four screws will allow it to be taken apart.
Pete
Well, I think I really screwed the pooch....thinking I could remove the shell by loosening the motor I removed the motor mount screws again and now it's really stuck. It's also out of alignment and some of the piping is clearly preventing the shell from moving...
I'm not sure how to undue this mistake. I'm living proof of the adage: "No good deed goes unpunished."
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Ed, I would remove the trailing truck or at least move it aside if the tether wires have to removed from the inside. Then remove the three motor mount screws again and the use a straightened paper clip and stick though the motor mount screw holes to try and move the motor around to try and un jam it.
Pete
OK, I'll try that. Thanks.
With ALL due respect: I personally would NOT have attempted a repair on this very complex loco. Fortunately, mine ran fine in every aspect, and I later sold it to Leaping Larry!
Well, someone has to attempt the repair on them. 
I've worked on a number of similar locomotives, including Vision Line. That particular model hasn't crossed my bench, but I doubt it would present a unique challenge.
Hallelujah! Shell is off. I had to remove that piping that was holding the shell on.
That's the most beautiful site to see!
Thanks to you all for the help and encouragement. Now, on to the smoke unit fix. I suspect in the words of the Terminator: "I'll be back!"
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Should be a piece of cake after the raindance taking the shell off. 
Tinplate Art posted:With ALL due respect: I personally would NOT have attempted a repair on this very complex loco. Fortunately, mine ran fine in every aspect, and I later sold it to Leaping Larry!
Art, I can't disagree. This has been a challenge, but as I look back, I made removing the shell far harder than it needed to be because i failed to understand, or rather, diagnose a very simple problem...one of the pipes was blocking the removal. Once I figured that out, it was a piece of cake to remove the shell. Once that was done, three connectors separated and the shell was completely separated. All I intend to do is replace the whistle steam effect fan motor and the batting...hopefully that will cure the cab light blinking problem. I've slowly tackled problems..most recently the pantographs on my Acela and a door closing problem. I'm gaining confidence, or maybe I'm just to naive to fully appreciate the problems I get into, but, hey, that's part of the fun of this hobby! 
Good work Ed. We all learn by our mistakes. Not so much when everything goes smoothly. AKA school of hard knocks. Got my degree from there.
Pete
Great job! Now get that smoke unit out. You can replace it as a unit or just replace the little fan motor. I have done both, it just depends on how lazy I am at the time. LOL. When replacing the fan motor, do not push the fan impeller all the way down the shaft where it contacts the housing. That just creates more friction and burns them out. Look at the one you disassemble (be careful with the tiny screws!!) and try to install the fan just a hair above that. Use a toothpick to rotate it and ensure it moves freely.
TOLEDOED: Glad everything worked out for you! :-)
I have reasonable mechanical ability and own some fine precision tools. I have done repairs on many Lionel engines both prewar and postwar over a 45+ year period and was also an LGB repair tech for a number of years and had several private and commercial clients here in Nashville, TN. But some things I would not attempt. :-)
Gents, SUCCESS! Here's the proof!!! Thanks so much for sticking with me and providing advice and encouragement. It kept me going! As Gunnerrunnerjohn first told me "3 screws" and the shell should come off. He was right. Well, but for that pesky piping!
Thanks again for all your help. I'm going to enjoy this engine with a good glass of bordeaux. Join me, please.
Oh, one word of caution. Be careful when pulling off the propeller(?) It can break. I broke off one vane of the propeller. I've ordered a replacement, but in the meantime I'm using the broken one. Works OK as you can see in the video, but at slow speeds it makes a very low sound like a diesel.
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Volphin posted:Great job! Now get that smoke unit out. You can replace it as a unit or just replace the little fan motor. I have done both, it just depends on how lazy I am at the time. LOL. When replacing the fan motor, do not push the fan impeller all the way down the shaft where it contacts the housing. That just creates more friction and burns them out. Look at the one you disassemble (be careful with the tiny screws!!) and try to install the fan just a hair above that. Use a toothpick to rotate it and ensure it moves freely.
Thanks...I actually pulled this off! Check out the video. It smokes great now and the "blink" is gone!
Tinplate Art posted:With ALL due respect: I personally would NOT have attempted a repair on this very complex loco.
These trains are not hard to take apart at all. They are not that complex either. They are only complex in their internal board programming/software. Now the older TMCC/Early Legacy equipped locos that have so much more stuff packed into them. Id be more worried about those instead a Vision Engine or this Hudson and other non Vision production items from this production release onwards to this day.
The first thing I do when I get a new Locomotive is take it apart right after I run it a few laps around the layout or on the test track. I enjoy seeing how the manufacturer ran the wires and how they positioned the boards. I also look for messed up wire or loose plugs.
If you think that I will void the warranty. How would they know that you removed the shell? They don't, the only way they would know is if you start hacking up the harness.. or don't put it all back together.
ToledoEd posted:Gents, SUCCESS! Here's the proof!!! Thanks so much for sticking with me and providing advice and encouragement. It kept me going! As Gunnerrunnerjohn first told me "3 screws" and the shell should come off. He was right. Well, but for that pesky piping!
Thanks again for all your help. I'm going to enjoy this engine with a good glass of bordeaux. Join me, please.
Outstanding work! It's great to fix a problem yourself isn't it? I find it very satisfying. Now that you have done one, you will find that most are even easier. Happy running sir!
Thanks. My next adventure is to replace batting in my challenger and big boy.
ToledoEd posted:Thanks again for all your help. I'm going to enjoy this engine with a good glass of bordeaux. Join me, please.
Way ahead of you Eddie Boy, just got back from a nice meal with a bottle of wine!
Glad you had success.
ToledoEd posted:Thanks. My next adventure is to replace batting in my challenger and big boy.
The Big Boy and the Challenger have four screws if memory serves. I know the VL-BB has the four, and it comes apart very easily. 
Hah! I'll probably need to take out 8 screws! By the way, the wine was sublime. It was great with pizza.
Good job fixing it. Great help also you were probaly just nevous i know i was extermly careful when i fixed my Vl hudson. smoke stack generator went out. Now it works fine
I had to replace the Main Smoke fan motor...again. Finished it and created a YouTube video of the process. ( I just noticed my OP was for a 5-Blink error: whistle steam. This was a 3-Blink error, main smoke. Those pesky details again!)
For future reference:
