Anyone Successfully Remove Bachmann N 44 Tonner Shell?

[tehachapifan]

If so, how did you manage to do it and what has it been like living life with 3 hands?

Seriously though, N Scale Encyclopedia says to simply spread the shell apart past 3 mounting lugs and the chassis should fall out but not on mine. I'm spreading the shell out so far, I feel like I'm going to break something and there's no sign of the chassis dropping out (moves only slightly). I'm hoping gravity plus a wiggle would get it to drop out but maybe not? The 3rd hand would come in really handy to catch the chassis once it finally does decide to drop out.

[nkalanaga]

I don't have one, so can't help you get it apart.  But if you want to make catching it easier, I'd suggest doing it on your bed!

Seriously.  Having grown up in small trailers, I'm used to doing most of my work on a piece of suspended ceiling tile, on my bed.  Soldering and drilling is done elsewhere, but most manual work is there.  Just sit on the bed, make sure the loco is over the bed, and it shouldn't be more than a few inches above the bedding if you're sitting comfortably.  When it does come out, it will land on a nice, soft surface, and should just lay there.

As for getting it apart, maybe stick round toothpicks, or pieces of stripwood, or plastic strips, between the shell and frame?  That way you can hold the (now spread) shell in one hand, and pull on the mechanism with the other?  Or, if necessary, hold it upside down and pry the frame out with a small screwdriver.  I often have to do one or the other with Kato shells, especially some of the older ones.

[Chris333]

It some times gets in the way... the other hand.

[peteski]

I have taken those apart many times, but they are a tight fit. I will eventually post pictorial instructions in my 44-tonner thread.



Those 3 dome-shaped protrusions (2 over the trucks, and one on the fuel tank) are what is retaining the shell. But even once you get past those, the shell still fits over the chassis rather tight.

I don't recall at this time if the couplers have to be removed or  not. To better see what you are doing it helps to pull off the truck sideframes (they are simply press fit).  Then you wedge a small flat-head screwdriver between the bottom of the walkway and the small tab in the chassis which is used as electric contact for the truck wipers.  Then you twist the screwdriver to unseat the tab along with the frame.  Do this  on both ends of the loco.  That tab I mentioned is shown in the above photo directly over the truck center (or below the protrusion and rectangular opening under the protrusion).

Once you pry the shell out far enough to clear the dimples, you will be able to fully pull it out by gently tugging at the trucks.

[tehachapifan]

Thanks for the tips, guys! The reason I want to get the shell off was to size-up whether or not a LokSound Nano might fit in there. Width should not be an issue, but height might be with their adoption of those dang bulky connectors. I'm assuming I can get at least on 8x12mm speaker and enclosure in the cab.

[Chris333]

There is a big black block the fits up into the cab. That may be keeping the chassis from falling out.

[peteski]

There is a big black block the fits up into the cab. That may be keeping the chassis from falling out.

True, but with or without that view-block piece in the cab, the shell will never "fall out".  The chassis fit is pretty tight.  But with that view-block removed, there is some room in the cab area for capacitors. 

[OldEastRR]

My way of avoiding this problem after I get the shell off (of any loco) the first time that has been especially a pain is to file down those "bumps" a bit. Don't completely remove them, but eyeball taking off about half the height of each. Try slipping the shell back on and if it seems like you'll still have to shove hard, file off some more. You can't really fail on this because if you take off too much and the shell doesn't hold you can superglue some thin paper to the inside of the shell (or on the sides of the frame) to snug it up again.

I remember the first N locos KATO sent over here of American prototypes. Everybody was complaining about how hard it was to get the shells off without damaging something. The KATO people scratched their heads and asked, "Why do Americans have to take everything apart?"

BTW, I have a 44T and I took the "black box" out of the cab so I could see through the windows. If you paint anything inside there black nobody will notice the electronics.

[tehachapifan]

Wrestled with it some more last night. Heard a crack noise and stopped. I don't think it's coming off.

[Chris333]

Get a bigger hammer!

Seriously I popped one of these open a few weeks ago and that black piece must have been glued to the chassis and snapped off when I pulled the frame out. It was left stuff in the cab. I know before it came out with the chassis. Either way I just toss it.

[peteski]

Wrestled with it some more last night. Heard a crack noise and stopped. I don't think it's coming off.

 
The black plastic filler piece in the cab should not be glued anywhere.  It hides the circuit breaker for the motor.

Yes, it is a tight fit.   Did you try prying the chassis tab off the bottom of the walkway like I mentioned?


First,  pull off the sideframes.



Next pry the chassis out using a screwdriver. Make sure to alternate between the ends. When I pried it out as much as shown here, I would rotate the loco and pry on the other end.  If you pull the chassis out at an angle, it might jam.

[tehachapifan]

I hadn't tried this yet as I initially thought the side-frames were set up more like other locos and were going to be challenging to remove with the trucks installed (I pictured wheelsets and contact strips going every which way as well once removed). Now I see they're not one piece and each side will come off easily one at a time. I also was not picturing the prying point correctly but, with the pic above, I see what you were talking about now. Looks simple enough! I'll give it a go in a bit. Thanks!

[peteski]

Good luck -- you can do it!   
Sideframe removal is not required, but since they come off really easy, it makes easier to see what you're doing.