Bachmann caboose

[Wlal13again]

Has anyone taken a Bachmann Silver Series Northeast  caboose apart?  I have a chance to get an undec version and would like to paint it and wanted to see if its possible

[Dave V]

Any caboose can be taken apart. What you ask is whether it can be put back together again. 

[jargonlet]

On mine a lot of parts were glued on. Broke some of the end railings and the smoke jacks. Need to call bachmann to see about replacements but haven’t got around to it. Other than that not too bad to take apart.

[brokemoto]

My undecorated came in red so I can use my WM fireball decals (the factory version is in speed lettering).  I can get the trucks and couplers off (and back on).  I cn not figure out how to get anything else off it without damaging it.  I will have to mask out the windows when I gloss then dull coat it.

[haasmarc]

The first one I worked on I was able to get all the windows out.  I didn't need to remove the end rails so I didn't mess with them.  The second one, I left the paint alone and just weathered it so I just masked the windows.  This worked well.  The third one I just started on.  I did break one of the end windows.  It is tough to get them out.

As far as the smoke jack is concerned, I just break it off, drill out the hole and replace it with a Micro Trains one.  It is much closer to Reading prototype.  The Micro Trains one has a square mounting pin.  I ignore that and make the hole the size of the lower round section so that I can slide it up and down to adjust the height.

Also, I contacted Bachmann about getting some spare windows and they said they didn't have any.  If you find out different, let me know please.

This is the second one I did by just masking the windows for weathering:

[bbussey]

They don’t make an undec version, just a red-painted unlettered version. I don’t try to save the mounting pins of the detail parts. It’s easier and less damaging to the detail parts just to slice between the parts and body with a fresh X-Acto blade, and cement them back in place later. I haven’t had any trouble popping the windows with a flat blade jewelers screwdriver.

[haasmarc]

I haven’t had any trouble popping the windows with a flat blade jewelers screwdriver.

It just depends on how much glue was used.  Some windows have a little but some are completely glued in all the way around the window and they are very hard to pop free cleanly.

Bryan, are you using a debonder of some sort or just picking at them with the screwdriver?  So far I have just been using a screwdriver.

[sizemore]

Same issue here, for both the handrails and windows. For the Windows some are really easy to get out while others shear/break. Usually the lower railings come off, it's the nibs in the roof arch that are the hardest.

I'm using Crystal-Clear to put the windows back in, what glues are you using for handrail reattachment?

The S.

[learmoia]

The Life Like version isn't glued together  ...

[bbussey]

It just depends on how much glue was used.  Some windows have a little but some are completely glued in all the way around the window and they are very hard to pop free cleanly.

Bryan, are you using a debonder of some sort or just picking at them with the screwdriver?  So far I have just been using a screwdriver.

I've been fortunate, as all of the windows have popped out easily with the screwdriver.  But I've only disassembled four cabooses.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

On the two I repainted, both required a bit of work to disassemble. Windows, stack and handrails are glued in. I had pretty good luck removing the windows without damage. One of the stacks broke and was replaced. The handrails are really hard to remove from the body without breaking the mounting pins. I believe I broke them on both cars and used a third for donor parts.

FWIW, the Conrail model looks promising. Bachmann lists the car number as 18726 while the photo shows 18626. Both would be appropriate as 18626 would put it in the ex-LV N5G class and 18726 is in the ex-RDG N4 class. The model represents the N4/4A class more than the N5G - LV cars had drip rails and screens over the windows. They also had 3 step cast ladders as opposed to the RDG 2 step.

I have FAR too many cab cars to justify on my layout or era, but I'll probably pick one up in Springfield next weekend.