Best glue to use for repairing lionel RS3 trucks

[George Thill]

Does anyone know the best glue to use to repair broken plastic frame parts on a Lionel RS3 diesel truck?

Or is replacement the only option?

Thanks!

[Prairietype]

I have gone about this several ways, because the RS-3 we use at the mall gets a lot of hard use.

Thank goodness that it has four rollers, which most often allows time to get what is needed for repairs.

In some instances rollers have melted loose.  My fix was to get some RS-3 grade plastic, fashion a new brace and heat melt it in place and then reinforce it with epoxy.

This has worked a few times.

Epoxy works well on other types of frame breaks and you can be creative with additional epoxy or epoxied plastic to bolster the affected area.

I have had a few frame failures that are so catastrophic that there was no other recourse but to buy new frames.  Jeff the TRAIN TENDER has these, and they are not terribly expensive. You will commit to a lot of disassembly and wheel removal, etc.  If the frame break involves the two small phillips head screws, you may need a new frame. That area does not respond well to any type of gluing or adhesive.  And the tolerances are unforgiving.

 

 

 

[George Thill]

I''ll try epoxy next (The various typs of plastic / model cement or CA don't seem to hold at all). If that fails I'll have to go the replacement route.  Can i order on line fron the Train Tender? (Lionel has more of the parts I need, but they are more expensive).

Thanks for your help. 

[Prairietype]

Jeff teh train tender has a website, just google "the  train tender".  He sells by check only, but it is worth it.  He ships all but immediately.

[George Thill]

So I need to snail- mail him the orderform and a personel check?

[Prairietype]

I  call him, he takes the order over the phone, ships usually that day and trusts his customer to send the check. He will send you an email with the billing statement, immediately after taking your order, which will include his modest shipping charges.

[George Thill]

The motor mountIng frames are split and some of the gear teeth are damaged (the engine took a long dive to the floor), so I ordered theTrk frames and gears from Jeff. Unfortunatly  he dosn't carry the side frames, so I'll try to epoxy the broken parts (here there's some room for reinforcing material)  before getting replacements from Lionel at greater cost.

Thanks again!