Newbie needs help disassembling HO 2-8-0, please

[evinson00]

Hi, we just bought a Bachmann NY Central starter kit for our son's birthday.  It's the Bachmann HO 01307 Spectrum Explorer set here: http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BAC-01307&click=6206.

Although we are extremely impressed with the kit overall, it started squeaking almost immediately.  We watched the video, I've done searches here, but I can't figure out how to get the body of the train off of the chassis.  The video references a "tab" that I can't find, and there's this thread here: http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,9713.0.html that I thought would solve my problem, but not quite.  I did find the bridge pins (and of course I'd unscrewed the drawbar screw), but the chassis still seems firmly fixed to the outer shell and I'm afraid that if I yank it the whole thing might break (a larger problem than a small squeek, to be sure ).

So, if anyone has this train (or the Santa Fe equivalent), could you break it down in small baby steps for a complete noob?

It's much appreciated.

Cheers,

Eric

[rustyrails]

Eric, I just took the superstructure casting off one of my 2-8-0's to refresh my memory.  The instructions in the thread you ref are correct.  Here's what I did:

1.  Carefully pull the pilot braces (the ladders that go from the running board down to the cow catcher) loose from the boiler.  Hook your fingernail under the ladder at the top and gently pull out.  You'll feel the pin let go.

2.  Unscrew the drawbar.  Raise the cab end as far as it will go, and then wiggle the boiler casting towards the front of the engine while continuing to raise the cab.  The bottom front of the boiler is hooked over a tab on the frame.  Once you clear that tab, the superstructure will come completely free. 

Hope this helps.
Rusty

[evinson00]

Rusty --

Thanks for taking pity on a noob.  I think we've got the first two steps down at long last (the screw and the pilot braces).

The trouble is that the whole unit feels superglued together even after we've done these two steps.  My wife and I both tried pulling the cab end up and we get no wiggle, no separation whatsoever.  I'm just concerned that if I put one more ft/lb of torque into this thing something is going to bend/break and then here will be crying, and I think it would be awkward to force our young son to console his parents so close to his birthday .

Again, I appreciate the help you've given so far.

Cheers,

Eric

[rogertra]

1.  Carefully pull the pilot braces (the ladders that go from the running board down to the cow catcher)

Rusty, please!

While the unwashed masses and the ignorant media may call it a "cowcatcher", those of us in the know call it, like all railroaders do, a "pilot".

So please, no more of this "cowcatcher" nonsense.   

[Yampa Bob]

Eric did mention that he was a "newbie", therefore the term "pilot" might have been confusing to him. To lay persons, "pilot" usually acquaints with someone who flys a plane or "pilot light", whereas most people not "in the know" have heard the term "cow catcher" as relates to a locomotive. (movies, books, etc).

I noticed that Rusty was specific in writing "pilot braces", then used the lay term "cowcatcher" to associate the two terms.

Yes, those in the railroad industry do frown on the term "cowcatcher", but in this case I find no fault in Rusty's description. Those of us "in the know" need to gently explain the teminology to new modelers.   

[rogertra]

Bob.

My comment was meant to be humorous, hence the smiley.

[Yampa Bob]

That's cool, with my lousy vision the "smiley" looked more like a "frowny". If I'm poking fun at someone I usually use this one....

BTW, out West all the cattle ranchers still call it "cowcatcher".  Every time a cow gets "caught", (always breaks its legs) the railroad has to pay the rancher full market price. It's the railroad's responsibility to keep the right of way fence maintained. Another "law of the West".   

We may be partially "unwashed", we have to haul treated water from town, so sometimes only get to bathe twice a week to conserve. 

[pdlethbridge]

That often?

[rogertra]

We may be partially "unwashed", we have to haul treated water from town, so sometimes only get to bathe twice a week to conserve. 

That often?