I am working with my two (young!) grandsons on a small layout and would like to use an old Varney locomotive from MY childhood. It's labeled as "No. 2230K yard diesel" on the box. The assembly instructions call it a General Motors 1000 HP diesel switch engine.
The motor runs, but two of the four side frames (part 2210) on the trucks have started cracking and warping. They appear to be cheap cast metal. How could I replace these? The axles look to be just at 1 1/8" (or about 28 cm) apart, in the front to back dimension. I'm not too stuck on EXACT replacements, but would like something that looks a bit realistic and works!
Thanks!
Sounds like your loco has succumbed to `Zinc pest.' Varney castings were notorious for that problem.
Can't help you with an answer, but the good folks up at the MODEL RAILROADER GENERAL FORUM probably can.
Chuck
Chuck,
Many thanks. I THOUGHT I was on the right forum and was disappointed that I hadn't received any replies! I put a post on the general forum this morning and received a response by this afternoon. So, your advice was very valuable.
And, by the way, I had seen that these old castings had a "habit" of cracking and warping. Funny that I have two frames that are still perfect after MANY years and two that are cracked and crazed.
Thanks again,
Mack