Model Railroading > Loose boxcar weight

I purchased some used freight cars which are assembled. The boxcars have the roofs tightly glued down with no hope of removal. The floor, sides and ends are cast as a single piece. The flat plate weights inside the car which were super glued to the floor have broken free.

My thought is to drill a couple of holes from the bottom of the car between the centersill to insert a blob of Walthers Goo then turn the car right side up so the plate rests on the Goo while it sets.

Any other ideas?

ACC is just too stiff and brittle to use for weights. Contact cement or rods of plastic sprue glued inside the car end with solvent cement while resting on the top of the weight are permanent.

Thanks



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/18/18 09:44 by fbe.

Goo or basic silicone caulk will do the trick...

I use Loctite Stik'n and Seal Indoor Adhesive for those projects that I need time to adhere and it dries clear. You'll need to order it through an online retailer because I haven't found it readily available in stores.

GE makes a similar all-weather household adhesive. You want a glue that will stick to metal and to plastic and won't outgas enough volatile fumes to damage your sealed plastic box.

These cars will travel a bunch to friends' layouts and free-mo set ups so I would prefer the weights were anchored.

Just remember when you have that wreck and the NTSB comes to investigate; you have no idea how those weights came loose.

I used silicone latex caulk on this car about 10 years ago. It was built from a kit and there was no other way to access the interior when the weight became loose, hence I cut an area in the bottom and applied caulk. I also drilled two vent holes although I doubt it made a difference! It's still holding the weight in place after hundreds of trips to/from the model railroad club....

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Use the thin ACC. It flows pretty good.

Posted from Android

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA

The problem with ACC which was used originally is it is inflexible and it needs a tight fit. The weights are not perfectly flat and may leave a gap with the floor casting. There may also be a light oil residue on the metal from the manufacturing process which impedes adhesion. Changes in thermal expansion between the metal and plastic may fracture the joint.

The r/c modelers do have some thickened flexible ACC products which might work but the classic water thin ACC products are wrong for this job. Perhaps I will try this flexible ACC on an unassembled car to see if it will work before I secure the roof.

fbe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My thought is to drill a couple of holes from the
> bottom of the car between the centersill to
> insert a blob of Walthers Goo then turn the car
> right side up so the plate rests on the Goo while
> it sets.
>
> Any other ideas?

Find something other than Goo. My understanding is that it has a long cure and out gases over time. That might not work well confine within a plastic superstructure.

Jack

Epoxy would work after a good soapy cleaning of both the weight and floor. Wrap the epoxy around the ends. Or through a hole in the weight to creae a way to lock it in place. Woodland scenic makes a tempoary tacky glue that might work well. Could always use double face foam tape.

All good ideas if I could remove the roof.

Didn't you read the OP's message that the car is sealed tight so your ideas won't work at all? I
think the most practical idea is to leave well enough alone and let gravity take its course..no big deal.
Go on to something more worthwhile, but try to learn from this experience.

FBE, I think your idea is a good one. Just squirt a little chalk or silicon or whatever in there and call it a day.

Chris

Another idea is to try Gorilla Glue which expands as it cures. I would probably need to add a small drop of water where I insert it or in the floor bottom to activate the glue but I know from experience it will stick to steel. I have never used it for a permanent steel joint but it does take significant effort to break it loose when you are done.

I've got an IMRC R-70-20 reefer with a loose weight flopping around. I haven't disassembled one. Anyone have ideas on that one?

Cheers, Jim

I've had this problem before. In one case, I drilled a hole in the floor and shot Great Stuff foam in a can, filled part of the void, then stood the car up and let it cure. Worked like a charm, and the car rides just fine.

Squirt a little water into the cavity first, and the Great Stuff will set up quicker. Any excess foam that comes out of the hole, just wait til it cures and snap it off.