resolved.
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I think this was cataloged with the initial run (or near initial run) of hoppers and has been on the market awhile. I believe they were part of the first delivery and that's why it has the reefer killing trucks on it. I could be wrong but I don't think that wheel set is representative of the soon to arrive run of hoppers.
Ben.
Originally Posted by banjoflyer:
Well the cylindrical hopper debacle continues.
One of my friends was really looking forward to his recently ordered from Charles Ro
2104 Christmas American Flyer Cylindrical Hopper 6-48664:
I told him about all the problems these hoppers had with the scale wheel mess and he assured me these new hoppers would have the replacement High-rail wheel trucks and wheelsets.
"It says so right in the catalog!!" said he.
Like this:
Well it came in the day before Thanksgiving via UPS.
I'm sure by now you have guessed where this is going.
Yep...scale trucks and wheels...fresh from the factory!
My friend uses only Gilbert track so for now this one's a shelf queen.
I told him to call Lionel, demand the highrail trucks (FOR FREE) as these cars were catalogued, and give them a good tongue lashing to boot.
It won't work though as from what I here there are no "new" highrail trucks available as of yet.
Bah...humbug Lionel!
Mark
I am also one using the Gilbert American Flyer track and these cars are so nice I had to have a couple of them. I will attempt to attach my fix here.
Ray
Attachments
Files (1)
Originally Posted by banjoflyer:
Well the cylindrical hopper debacle continues.
One of my friends was really looking forward to his recently ordered from Charles Ro
2104 Christmas American Flyer Cylindrical Hopper 6-48664:
I told him about all the problems these hoppers had with the scale wheel mess and he assured me these new hoppers would have the replacement High-rail wheel trucks and wheelsets.
"It says so right in the catalog!!" said he.
Like this:
Well it came in the day before Thanksgiving via UPS.
I'm sure by now you have guessed where this is going.
Yep...scale trucks and wheels...fresh from the factory!
My friend uses only Gilbert track so for now this one's a shelf queen.
I told him to call Lionel, demand the highrail trucks (FOR FREE) as these cars were catalogued, and give them a good tongue lashing to boot.
It won't work though as from what I here there are no "new" highrail trucks available as of yet.
Bah...humbug Lionel!
Mark
Regardless of tongue-lashing, I fear the response will be likely the standard one:
"Items depicted in this catalog are subject to change in price, color, size, design and availability. Verify features on product package."
Rusty
I suspect the "trucks Lionel forged in life will be carried by them through all eternity..."
The ghosts of hoppers of Christmas' past.
In the spirit of the season, of course.
Rusty
Originally Posted by banjoflyer:
Originally Posted by Rayin"S":
I am also one using the Gilbert American Flyer track and these cars are so nice I had to have a couple of them. I will attempt to attach my fix here.
Ray
Ray.. I can't seem to open your file.
Anyone else able to see the fix?
Mark
Mark,
I tried it from the OGR forum site, when I clicked the document it down loaded and I was able to open it. It is a word document and my computer is quite old, I don't know if that could have anything to do with difficulty opening it. I am still running XP, if you would like I can scan and send as an attachment to your email.
Ray
I am trying to add attachments again.
Attachments
Images (2)
Mark, If you find the S Helper wheel to be to loose on the axle just put a dab of acrylic paint on the spline, it will act as a light cement to hold in place. Some of these are quite snug some a little looser than others, but all I have used have been fine, all have stayed in place because they but against the shoulder on the axle.
Ray
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Originally Posted by Rayin"S": I am trying to add attachments again.Ray...thanks for the attachments. I can clearly see all the steps now.I'll try this fix on one of these hoppers soon.Mark View This Reply
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"One more thing. I'm now told from Lionel that the replacement highrail trucks will not be available until next summer.'
I don't know what to think about that??? The new run of cylindrical hoppers sure better be all squared away with the high rail wheel sets.
Ben
There's the possibility that separate sale trucks may not be available until later and the second run will have reworked trucks. I have no facts to back that up, theory only.
Guess we'll find out soon.
I'm destined to replace the trucks on mine with scale trucks regardless.
Rusty
Originally Posted by banjoflyer:
OK. Here's another wrinkle on the fix for the scale wheeled trucks.
Some posters have suggested using replacement trucks from American Models.
If I had any I'd do that as the added benefit of lowering the entire car height would be worth it. I'm sure either scale or highrail wheels on AM trucks would have the same effect.
Rayin "S" has provided a fix by modifying the factory provided axles and adding highrail wheels.
I thought I'd do a little experimenting today. I had some SHS wheelsets on hand.
The goal was to achieve a highrail wheeled car...yet use the same trucks.
I don't have a good enough camera to show closeup pictures but here is what I did.
1. Remove the "scale" trucks. Don't lose the mounting screw and tiny washer.
2. Remove all 4 rotating bearing caps from the axles. They can be easily pried off with a fingernail. Be sure not to lose two like I did.
3. Loosen (JUST A LITTLE) both screws that hold the bolster to the sideframes...they are on top of the sideframes.
4. Carefully twist the truck while trying to pull/pry one end of an axle out of it's mounting hole in the sideframe. Go slowly...don't force it but it will come out.
5. Install an unaltered S Helper Service needle point axle. Mine had Highrail wheels.
6. Now remove the other "scale" axle in the same manner as step 4 and install another SHS highrail wheelset.
7. Retighten the two screws that were loosened in step 3.
8. Reinstall the trucks on the car with the original screws/washers.
9. You are finished.
Observations:
1. The car looks fine without the original "rotating" bearing caps.
2. The wheelsets seem to be seated far enough into the sideframes so that they won't fall out.
3. Get used to the cars height until you decide to go for the entire truck replacement.
4. If possible I would use some longer screws to remount the trucks. That would provide a safety factor should the screws become loosened from truck movement.
The original screws are very short.
5. 
DO NOT COMPLETELY REMOVE THE 2 SCREWS ABOVE THE SIDEFRAMES. DON'T ASK ME WHY. OK I'LL TELL YOU. THE TRUCK WILL COMPLETELY FALL APART AND YOU WILL SPEND THE NEXT HOUR (AT LEAST) REASSEMBLING IT...THAT'S ASSUMING YOU FIND ALL SIX TINY SPRINGS AND GET THEM REINSTALLED!!!
AND THEN YOU'LL FORGET WHAT JUST HAPPENED AND DO IT AGAIN!!! LIKE I DID.
One more thing. I'm now told from Lionel that the replacement
highrail trucks (6-49081) will not be available until next summer.
Mark
Mark,
Excellent report, I can understand you being an S gauger, we need to be able to laugh as we deal with the frustration in this hobby. I am wondering though if using the unaltered S Helper axle, if you run the car a lot, that wear on the plastic inserts in the truck frames might be a problem.
Ray
By the way one of the cars I bought had a couple of the rotating caps missing when I got it.
FYI:
According to Pat's Trains on the 3-rail side, the hirail roller bearing trucks are shipping soon, if not already:
649081 A/F 70 Ton Roller Bearing Truck - 2-Pack - Hi-Rail Wheels 12/5/2014
...along with:
648862 Gov't of Canada 3-Bay Cylindrical Hopper #106010 12/5/2014
648863 CN 3-Bay Cylindrical Hopper #369290 12/5/2014
648864 A/F AT&SF 3-Bay Cylindrical Hopper #300032 12/5/2014
648865 A/F Frisco 3-Bay Cylindrical Hopper #81028 12/5/2014
648866 A/F GN 3-Bay Cylindrical Hopper #71600 12/5/2014
649081 A/F 70 Ton Roller Bearing Truck - 2-Pack - Hi-Rail Wheels 12/5/2014
649978 AF Classic Catalogs Billboard Pack 12/5/2014
642580 A/F BNSF LEGACY ES44AC #6438 12/15/2014
642581 A/F BNSF LEGACY ES44AC #6423 12/15/2014
642582 A/F CP LEGACY ES44AC #8744 12/15/2014
642583 A/F CP LEGACY ES44AC #8730 12/15/2014
642584 A/F CSX LEGACY ES44AC #924 12/15/2014
642585 A/F CSX LEGACY ES44AC #937 12/15/2014
642586 A/F KCS LEGACY ES44AC #4692 12/15/2014
642587 A/F KCS - Gray LEGACY ES44AC #4696 12/15/2014
642588 A/F UP LEGACY ES44AC #7523 12/15/2014
6E+05 A/F Boston Federal Reserve Mint Car 12/25/2014
6E+05 A/F Christmas 2014 Boxcar 12/25/2014
6E+05 A/F C&O Coal Dump Car #49082 12/25/2014
6E+05 A/F Fastrack 10" Straight with LionChief Barrel Jack Adapter 12/25/2014
Rusty
