Morning Strummer:
I had the same thing happen to me with one of my Williams diesels......all four side frames literally fell apart in the polystyrene box during the shipping process from America to Australia. Initially thought it was poor handling by the post office, but when I examined it closely......it was the dreaded "zinc pest"!!!
I was lucky and able to purchase replacement side frames from Williams in the States, but I was afraid the replacement side frames would also suffer the same fate at some time in the future. I got a guy I know here in south-east Queensland to make me copies on his 3D printer. Also did the front and rear pilots as I could see some "funny" marks appearing in them as well.
Project took me around three months with waiting for the replacement side frames to come all the way "down-under" to Australia, getting them 3D printed, testing them for correct fitting on the loco, adjusting the 3D printer for a better/closer fit, then finally printing them, painting them, and fitting them back onto the loco. Everything is still working well nearly one year on, and you can't tell the difference between the 3D printed plastic side frames and pilots from the original cast zinc ones (except they are not crumbling and falling apart).
IMHO, 3D printing is the way to go as long as you have an original to make copies from. Hope this gives you some hope that all is not lost.
Peter......Buco Australia
