Williams window panes " vandalized"

[trainbrain]

The window panes in my Williams caboose are falling off inside. I opened to fix but is there a special glue to use before I fix this? What won't harm the plastic on the shell and panes? It's too bad they didn't use frosted glass instead of clear.
By the way, they put some serious weight in their cars!!
Thanx

[otftch]

Testors makes a window glue.Actually a white latex that dries clear.It works great and won't harm anything.You can get it wherever models are sold.

                                                                                               Ed

[chuck]

Ditto the Testors product.  Another option to consider would be clear tape, like scoth brand or possibly package sealing stuff?

[brianel027]

I've read this kind of comment about the William's cabooses before not only here but on the other forum as well. I don't have the William's caboose, but since it is a replica of the Lionel version, I can't help but wonder if the window assembly part from the Lionel NC5 might also fit in the Williams caboose, albeit with small modifications.

I know the Lionel and William's GP9's look the same at first glace, but when making careful comparison you can see the William's version sits lower to the track and has a somewhat smaller shell. So it does make sense William's made small variances to their NC5 caboose. Still if that Lionel windown assembly would fit in the William's caboose, that might solve the problems many have had with this caboose.

[trainbrain]

Williams uses individual panes in each window except where there are 2 close together. It's not 1 piece but rather about 6-8 pieces. Kind of a pain to get at carefully with glue and all.

[jefelectric]

Williams needs to find a better glue for windows.  The only problem I have ever had with a Williams product has been with the windows falling off/out.  My FA lost all of it's windows over time and all had to be reglued.  Other locos some needed regluing.  Don't own any of their cabooses so haven't had that problem.

[brianel027]

Yeah trainbrain, I am aware of this problem with William's cabooses. As I mentioned, it has been discussed almost since the cabooses first were issued.

What would be helpful info here, is if someone out there has both a Lionel traditional NC5 caboose and also the William's version. And then to check if the window insert in the Lionel version would fit or could be modified to fit in the Willam's shell.

Lionel has differing styles of the SP caboose even though they on first glance look the same. The window insert assembly will fit in some but not in others. I have taken the window insert assembly and cut a piece out of it, tken the two remain pieces and fit them nicely into another version of the SP shell. Maybe the same thing could be done here. I do not have the William's NC5 so I cannot say, though I do have the Lionel version.

It's also potentially possible to make your own window assembly. I made one for the K-Line shorty bay window caboose that is a single piece. I took measurements, made a dummy out of stiff paper, and once I got all the folds correct, I made a final one out of a long piece of glazed drafting mylar with all the correct folds so that the window assembly is one solid piece. The coupla on the NC5 would make this almost impossible to make a single piece assembly as I did for the bay window, but I imagine you could make one lower piece to fit the entire body of the caboose and then 4 seaparate pieces to do the upper coupla. The angle of the coupla would make doing a single folded piece more difficult, but not impossible.

[Richard Bjorkman]

What would be helpful info here, is if someone out there has both a Lionel traditional NC5 caboose and also the William's version. And then to check if the window insert in the Lionel version would fit or could be modified to fit in the Willam's shell.

In fact, I have done this. The Lionel window insert does not fit the Williams N5c. The insert is slightly too big for the Williams body shell. However, I cut the insert into several pieces and made each piece fit. The finished result looked good.

Hope this is of some help.

Richard Bjorkman

[Jumijo]

I have 2 of the Williams NC5 cabooses. One arrived from the factory with windows that had fallen off inside the shell. I glued all of them back with ordinary Elmers white glue. No problems since then.

Jim

[dwiemer]

I renewed my Platinum club membership today.  I spoke with Larry at Williams as I ordered my caboose and a GN car.  I mentioned this discussion with him and he stated that they did have a problem with the glue if the item was heated as happens in shipping containers, etc.  This was a problem they fixed some time ago and if you have a problem, it should be from older stock items.  As I mentioned, my caboose is on the way, should I have any problems, I will let you know, but Williams has been a good company by me and I am sure they have addressed the window issue.

Dennis