Model Railroading > Preserving the SP in HO Scale - Surgery for S.P. 3029

When a good Buddy of mine sent me his Athearn S.P. Trainmaster 3029 to
install some improved headlights, she arrived to my shop via UPS with some major
damage to both rear steps.

This Trainmaster has some very cool S.P. detailing that was added way back in 1987
and is a step above a stock Athearn Trainmaster.

Even thought the Locomotive was well padded in two shipping boxes, it had seen a pretty big jolt
somewhere along its trip.

To rebuild / re-glue the step stairs would be almost impossible at best.
I decided the only way to fix the damage was to surgically replace both steps-
That is: Perform Plastic Surgery in the real sense!

The Left rear step was rather devastated with the right rear a close second.

In the 1st & 2nd views you can see the damaged steps as delivered.

View # 3 shows one of two steps being amputated from organ donor Trainmaster shell #3034
that I happen to have laying around.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/12 09:43 by P5r24.

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View #4 shows the left step stair replacement section ready for trimming.

View #5 shows the stairs trimmed down fit the open wound on the 3029 shell.

View #6 shows the stair steps installed less the re-enforcing backing plate.

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Views #7 & 8 show the finished surgery with the non-see through backing plates installed
to provide extra structural strength to the fragile steps.

The 3029 shell is now ready to move into the Electrical shop for its originally scheduled work.

Gary

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You sir, are better than even a real SP Locomotive shop at reparing wreck damage, I couldn't even tell looking at the photos of the repairs that they had even been repaired. Unfortunately, UPS destroys ANYTHING fragile as they employ aspiring soccer players to handle parcels, and therefore, I refuse to use them as a shipper. They simply break everything, hence my companies nickname for them "Uncaring Package Slayers". Your friend is lucky to have your skills available though to repair the damage.

Thankyou TomCarter.

One of my duties at work is the Shipping Manager

We use UPS, FedEx and a Courier service.
Both UPS and FedEx have damaged some of our shipments.

The Courier has a 100% good track record but can't be used except
for just local deliveries.

The bottom line is "Pack it like its going to be used as a Football".

Double boxes, lots of bubble pack - 5 inches all around min.- and try to use the original model box
with all its inners in place so the model is held firmly into its postion.

The worst thing to use is tissue paper, paper towels or peanuts to hold a model snug in its storage box.
There is no cushioning or support properties at all in these materials.

Its just a fact of life that once in a while no matter how well you pack it,
there just might be that one time where
the shipping box sees a G force beyond its padding abilities and bam -
your model needs to go to ICU.

Gary

That's doing the old Trainmasters justice! I think it's now time to break out a Charles Smiley Bay Area DVD!