Rotten K-Line trucks

[lionelsoni]

I just finished rebuilding a K-Line truck whose transom and drawbar casting crumbled, using the leftover casting from another truck whose sideframes disintegrated some time back. I am pretty sure this is the same problem that plagues the zinc castings of many prewar trains and, I have read, was caused by impurities in the zinc.

Does anyone else out there have similar experience with K-Line castings?

[lionelsoni]

I just finished rebuilding a K-Line truck whose transom and drawbar casting crumbled, using the leftover casting from another truck whose sideframes disintegrated some time back. I am pretty sure this is the same problem that plagues the zinc castings of many prewar trains and, I have read, was caused by impurities in the zinc.

Does anyone else out there have similar experience with K-Line castings?

[starwardude]

No,but it could be that it disitegrated due to zinc's high reactivity. I know this because my dad works on boats sometimes.Specialy shaped zincs areused to prevent electrolosys on the propeller from the electrical ground ,which is usualy a replaceable copper plate connected to the ground wire.Put in short, the grounded copper plate is +, and the zinc is -.Elctricity thru water makes oxygen &hydrogen. The oxygen wrecks the zinc. The used zinc is mostly white with many holes in it.

It was possibly oxidized so much,rendering it very fragile. Or it may be what you said.
And I'm only twelve![:p]

[starwardude]

No,but it could be that it disitegrated due to zinc's high reactivity. I know this because my dad works on boats sometimes.Specialy shaped zincs areused to prevent electrolosys on the propeller from the electrical ground ,which is usualy a replaceable copper plate connected to the ground wire.Put in short, the grounded copper plate is +, and the zinc is -.Elctricity thru water makes oxygen &hydrogen. The oxygen wrecks the zinc. The used zinc is mostly white with many holes in it.

It was possibly oxidized so much,rendering it very fragile. Or it may be what you said.
And I'm only twelve![:p]

[prewardude]

Cool username, starwardude! {;-)

[prewardude]

Cool username, starwardude! {;-)

[Anonymous]

Any zinc casting will crumble in this fashion when exposed to below freezing temperatures. Zinc castings must never be stored in an area where the temperature will go below freezing.

[Anonymous]

Any zinc casting will crumble in this fashion when exposed to below freezing temperatures. Zinc castings must never be stored in an area where the temperature will go below freezing.

[lionelsoni]

That's probably not the problem in this case. I'm in Austin, TX.

Furthermore, the trucks comprise three casting types: sideframes (2), transom and drawbar, and bolster (no spring plank). In the first instance, only the sideframe castings disintegrated; in the second case, only the transom-drawbar casting. Yet all the pieces of each truck had the same thermal history.

[lionelsoni]

That's probably not the problem in this case. I'm in Austin, TX.

Furthermore, the trucks comprise three casting types: sideframes (2), transom and drawbar, and bolster (no spring plank). In the first instance, only the sideframe castings disintegrated; in the second case, only the transom-drawbar casting. Yet all the pieces of each truck had the same thermal history.

[Anonymous]

yes I purchased one a few months ago that was manufactured in the mid 90's. When i got it home i tested the couplers and one of knuckles flew off, the dealer replaced the coupler.I don't know what year your car was from but it seems that the ones made in the 90's have casting problems. I live in pa and the sun always shines here.

[Anonymous]

yes I purchased one a few months ago that was manufactured in the mid 90's. When i got it home i tested the couplers and one of knuckles flew off, the dealer replaced the coupler.I don't know what year your car was from but it seems that the ones made in the 90's have casting problems. I live in pa and the sun always shines here.

[Anonymous]

I found that the uncouple pin, on some of their new cars, tend to short on the 3rd( middle ) rail, for this problem I add a small pice of electrial tape ( black ), you could also chane to linel or industrial trucks, othe then that the trucks work great.......

[Anonymous]

I found that the uncouple pin, on some of their new cars, tend to short on the 3rd( middle ) rail, for this problem I add a small pice of electrial tape ( black ), you could also chane to linel or industrial trucks, othe then that the trucks work great.......

[lionelsoni]

Well, it happened again. I got out a couple of K-Line MKT piggyback trailers that I hadn't seen in a couple of years (model 6640). The roof castings are swollen and flaking apart. The rest of the models look just fine, however.

I just found an internet reference that says that lead, tin, or cadmium are the culprit impurities:
http://www.eazall.com/brochures/Zinc%20Alloy%20Composition%20&%20Control.pdf

[lionelsoni]

Well, it happened again. I got out a couple of K-Line MKT piggyback trailers that I hadn't seen in a couple of years (model 6640). The roof castings are swollen and flaking apart. The rest of the models look just fine, however.

I just found an internet reference that says that lead, tin, or cadmium are the culprit impurities:
http://www.eazall.com/brochures/Zinc%20Alloy%20Composition%20&%20Control.pdf

[Anonymous]

I was in a local train shop and was witness to a sell off of some old pre-war lionel pieces. At first glance the engine looked fine, but up close the body was buckled and the wheels expanded and bent the rods outward. This was due to the high content of zinc. When exposed to moisture zinc expands and overtime errodes. Apparently Marklin had this same problem and it is evident in the old pieces that used high amounts of zinc. the first sign is when the paint begins to flake and shows signs of whitning. If continued exposure to moisture the problem gets worse and eventually the piece will crumble.

Hope this helps with the explanations.

[Anonymous]

I was in a local train shop and was witness to a sell off of some old pre-war lionel pieces. At first glance the engine looked fine, but up close the body was buckled and the wheels expanded and bent the rods outward. This was due to the high content of zinc. When exposed to moisture zinc expands and overtime errodes. Apparently Marklin had this same problem and it is evident in the old pieces that used high amounts of zinc. the first sign is when the paint begins to flake and shows signs of whitning. If continued exposure to moisture the problem gets worse and eventually the piece will crumble.

Hope this helps with the explanations.

[lionelsoni]

Chris, I don't think that moisture does that to zinc. In fact, vast amounts of zinc are used to coat steel just to protect it from corrosion. Furthermore, toy trains have traditionally been cast entirely from zinc. I'm pretty sure that the problem is impurities in the zinc and surprised that a modern manufacturer would still have trouble with that. See
http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/MatSelect/corrzinc.htm

[lionelsoni]

Chris, I don't think that moisture does that to zinc. In fact, vast amounts of zinc are used to coat steel just to protect it from corrosion. Furthermore, toy trains have traditionally been cast entirely from zinc. I'm pretty sure that the problem is impurities in the zinc and surprised that a modern manufacturer would still have trouble with that. See
http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/MatSelect/corrzinc.htm

[starwardude]

Well, now it happened to me on 2 old HO scale QHC tender trucks.Both are busted, but I go 2 new ones. the old ones were archbar trucks, and the new ones are Andrews trucks.

[starwardude]

Well, now it happened to me on 2 old HO scale QHC tender trucks.Both are busted, but I go 2 new ones. the old ones were archbar trucks, and the new ones are Andrews trucks.