Another brass loco project - repairs and painting.

[ACL1504]

Everyone remember ACL  Heavy Mountain #1405?



A friend was installing TCS DCC WOW sound in it for me. He was reassembling the loco when the front end fell off.

My friend John said he almost started crying at the sight. He called me and was beside himself. I told him don't sweat it, its only brass.



John said it looked like the two frame parts were glued together. Well, I know I didn't glue them together so I told him he must be mistaken. In any event he sent me the loco via the Judge. I had a chance to inspect it yesterday and found the two parts were in fact once glued together.

Apparently the original solder joint was weak and came loose. I'm only assuming that the original owner super glued it back together in order to dump it on Ebay. And along came I! I didn't notice the glue when I stripped it in Acetone and the Acetone didn't dissolve the glue. I painted it, reassembled it and gave it to John for the sound installation.

Continued in a few.

[ACL1504]

Nothing makes me happier than to have to disassemble one of my custom painted brass locos. Especially in order to make a major repair involving heat and solder.

The photo below shows you a better view of where the two sections were once soldered/glued.



Getting the two frame section properly aligned for soldering was a bit tricksie. I placed the main loco frame on a piece of window glass. I then used cardboard and single sheets of paper to marry the two parts.

You can also see the two parts are slightly separated at the bottom. I removed two single sheets of paper to get the correct match of the two parts.





Continued in a few.

[ACL1504]

I'm going to fast forward here and show you the repair. I used my small torch and Tix solder to make the repair.





I'm going to supersonic fast forward here and show you the loco as it is now, back in revenue service on the Atlantic and Southern Railroad.

[tct855]

Tom,
        Nice job as always buddy!  Loco looks great!  I like the markers as well, good there as well.  As for the video John S. mentioned earlier.  George has been leaking (no, flat telling everyone who calls him). ha.  So it's okay to say it.  I'll start the editing process in a couple weeks if not sooner.  I think one of George's friends Frank (don't know his last name) he's going to be posting some pictures soon he took of the layout today of some of the new structures George has done on the layout since the Expo show and he'll mention the video tape on George's behalf I think.  Thanx Thom...

[ACL1504]

Thom,

Thank you, much appreciated.

Tom

[GPdemayo]

Great save Tom.....i'm surprised John didn't stroke out or run away from home when the engine split. But then.....stuff happens! 

[ACL1504]

Greg,

Much appreciated. John was worried that he did it. Well, actually he did but it was already broken and it just happened to come apart at his house.

It's a good thing he has a friend who could make the repair.

Tom