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Purchased a K-line GG-1. When it arrived I opened up and found that the  side frames were broken off the power trucks! 3 out of the 4 were damaged. So as I always do started to lube and test locomotive  low and behold won't run!  So I pull motors off /out of power trucks they run fine FNR no problem! here's kicker the power trucks with nothing attached(motors) will not turn freely ? Now I assume they should rotate with no binding?  Hopefully  someone here can give me some guidance!!  

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Once you settle your damage claim with the carrier, order replacement Lionel sideframes from The Train Tender.   They will fit, but you'll have to do a bit of filing.      

RMT and Williams by Bachmann sideframes are a direct dropin replacement, but one needs to have a spare loco as neither sells the sideframes separately, last I checked.  ;-) 

Mitch 

Does the diecast metal on the power trucks look warped or is the metal surface bubbly or pot marked? It could be zinc pest, a degradation of the zinc alloy due to impurities during its manufacturing. Normal shipping could easily have allowed the already compromised metal to fracture.

Either way, replacement is your only option in addition to getting a reimbursement from shipping damage. Mitch has some great ideas above.

    Don't forget to offer to buy the damaged train for a token amount if they request it is sent back. The pantographs and other parts could make it well worth your while.

   Look at the gauge: Are the wheels tight against the frame? Dont pry, use a wheel puller or you'll just as likely bend an axle.

 Look for skewed wheels. Lay a straight edge across the faces of  the wheels; two at once. Are they true? True to the frame?

Check grease for hardening/clumping, check gear alignment.

Martin Derouin posted:

Have you tried removing the motor from the trucks and see if motor will work???   You might be able to clean out the trucks gears a lot better with the motor removed..

Marty

Yes I did remove motors(they run fine) unfortunately this took such a hit that even the one power truck bottom was shattered. I cleaned the other truck and it still locks up.   

Personally, since the motors and E unit are okeh, I'd just shop eBay for power trucks, replace those and enjoy your GG1! 

General rule:  K-line and RMT chassis play well with each other, and Lionel and Williams chassis play well with each other.  Getting a Lionel chassis to work with a K-line shell and vice versa  is problematic at best. 

Mitch 

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

Personally, since the motors and E unit are okeh, I'd just shop eBay for power trucks, replace those and enjoy your GG1! 

General rule:  K-line and RMT chassis play well with each other, and Lionel and Williams chassis play well with each other.  Getting a Lionel chassis to work with a K-line shell and vice versa  is problematic at best. 

Mitch 

I was under the impression that K-Line used the Williams molds for the shell. Is that not so?

RoyBoy posted:
M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

Personally, since the motors and E unit are okeh, I'd just shop eBay for power trucks, replace those and enjoy your GG1! 

General rule:  K-line and RMT chassis play well with each other, and Lionel and Williams chassis play well with each other.  Getting a Lionel chassis to work with a K-line shell and vice versa  is problematic at best. 

Mitch 

I was under the impression that K-Line used the Williams molds for the shell. Is that not so?

Near as I can tell, K-Line reverse engineered their own molds for the GG-1, which RMT then used.  

If you do a search here on OGRR forums,  I detailed my travails in rolling my own GG-1 a year or two back.  Basically, an RMT frame won't work with a Lionel shell without significant modifications. 

https://tinyurl.com/ybr3ehsb

Mitch 

I have the K-Line GG1 and bought a RMT one so I could run double headed once they both have ERR cruise.  out of the box the RMT one runs faster, so I can't run them together as is.  As for mechanics, as far as I can tell they are the same, so you can use one as parts for the other.  Maybe even contact RMT and see if they'll help you get the trucks, or at least the chassis.  But if you can get the parts from Lionel, go for it.  Aren't they having a parts sale right now?

Tom weaver posted:

"Might be cheaper to just get another from eBay"    Well change my user ID to "hard luck Tom"  I did just that and I attach pictures of Result! I guess I need to go to  train show to find one in person! damage 3Damage 1Upper Box of GG-1.htm

Zinc pest or zinc rot isn’t confined to one particular sample. Chances are the whole production run in which the trucks were cast was affected, so I wouldn’t hunt for any more of the K-Line GG-1 power trucks from the same year. The suggestion to modify Lionel trucks is your safest, next easiest bet.

Again, zinc pest is caused by impurities mixed into the zinc alloy when it is its molten state during the casting process. It was a problem in the U.S. at various times, but was largely eliminated after World War II. Subcontractors who supply parts to Chinese manufacturing plants are sometimes poor in their quality control, so the problem shows up from time to time, unfortunately, in our current production models. Still a rare occurrence, but frustrating nonetheless.

Jim R. posted:
Tom weaver posted:

"Might be cheaper to just get another from eBay"    Well change my user ID to "hard luck Tom"  I did just that and I attach pictures of Result! I guess I need to go to  train show to find one in person! damage 3Damage 1Upper Box of GG-1.htm

Zinc pest or zinc rot isn’t confined to one particular sample. Chances are the whole production run in which the trucks were cast was affected, so I wouldn’t hunt for any more of the K-Line GG-1 power trucks from the same year. The suggestion to modify Lionel trucks is your safest, next easiest bet.

Again, zinc pest is caused by impurities mixed into the zinc alloy when it is its molten state during the casting process. It was a problem in the U.S. at various times, but was largely eliminated after World War II. Subcontractors who supply parts to Chinese manufacturing plants are sometimes poor in their quality control, so the problem shows up from time to time, unfortunately, in our current production models. Still a rare occurrence, but frustrating nonetheless.

Both These were early production K2780-4892  Later years K2780- 48921C  & K2780-49121C hopefully later ones are ok. 

 

Thanks to all the provided suggestions and part #s The photo shows the Following:  on the left are the 2 K-line GG-1s with example of damaged side frames! they bowing in the middle! In middle is a used Williams GG-1 side frame, below that a new set of frames from Brasseur's Electric Trains, on the far right top are 4 power trucks complete with frames from Lionel, and on lower right are a set of side frames again from Lionel for the 2332 GG-1. Thanks to Brian White for part #s and to Lionel for 50% off all parts during their open House!!  Now everything goes to back shop for heavy repairs!!IMG_20171111_133821412

 

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  • GG-1 Repairs!
Tom weaver posted:

Well that's what the 2 GG-1 looked like when I bought them! However during shipment they fell apart. See photo. Both were carefully packed. Both are early models ie no control tmcc or eer  I was able to obtain parts for repair from Lionel as the "Stars and stripes" gg-1 was K-LINE. 

Well - I guess it's a throw of the dice...

Ponz

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