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I bought this PRR tank car 20-9204L at York and just got around to running it tonight. The un -coupler tab has minimal clearance over the hot rail  and in fact crashes dead into the actuating track button and all stops as you can imagine ( I run traditional Lionel track).  Is there an obvious solution other than a dremel tool and grinding the leading edge of the tab to a more rounded, smooth profile?  Two questions:

1) any better ideas to solve this?  Taking the truck off appears to be a royal pain and I don't see any possible adjustment or shim option.

2) Is this a common problem? Unless there is a defect I am missing, this seems like a design issue.

Thanks for ideas.

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Is there play in the upwards movement or will in it hold in a higher position when the coupler is closed?

Open the coupler, hold it up and close the coupler.

It certainly looks like it is worn or broken and in too low of a position.

Look around on the bottom for screws to release the tank cradle. That would allow access to the truck screw from the top.

here is a parts break-out from MTH.

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Carl, thanks for the exploded view and I did what you suggested.   I also added dental rubber bands to see if that helped and it did,  However still a problem. Harmonyards, I looked for bent items but nothing is really obvious, although there is a bit of extra "droop in one of the coupler arms when the rubber bands are not on.  The rubber bands snugged them both up to the coupling arm.  I happen to have the same tank car in a Southern livery and the thumbtack on it is about 1/32 shorter than the PRR.  apparently that is the difference- appears to be a manufacturing tolerance issue.  

Have either of you taken this apart?  I might price out some new trucks just for grins but I hate to destroy a tank car with disassembly.  Seems the screw to hold the truck is on the inside or am I missing something on the exploded view?

 

Thanks for the help.

 

I should have looked closer at the exploded view, the trucks came off very easily. Between tightening the screw that holds the coupler and twisting to the extent possible while loosening and retightening the other screws, I am pleased to announce that both thumbtacks clear the track actuator button on my test track.

thanks for the ideas and motivation.  Interesting how a few fractions of an inch in the wrong direction can cause a major problem on something as simple as a truck.

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