The Italian Job: Rivarossi French 4-6-2 Chapelon Rebuild: Part 3

Here is the third and final part of Terry's journey to rebuild a Rivarossi Chapelon that he bought on eBay from...me!

For Part 1 click here, for Part 2, click here, and for my original blog post when I first added this same loco to my collection years ago. Jerry/Quinntopia

As told in Part 2, the arduous task of solving the Smokebox/light removal and repair issue was being solved by Terry: 

Final apologies to The Italian Job and The French Connection.

Subtitle: Locomotive Repair for an N Scale circa mid-1980s Rivarossi French SNCF 231E 22 Class Chapelon 4-6-2 Nord Steam Engine and Tender 

There are two missing ears on the threaded shaft insert that secures the post in the above photo; that is another reason I did not go to a full disassembly of the chassis and apron. That defect was not my doing. But it was evident I would need to be cautious in that area.

With a few refinements and adjustments I then dry fit assembled the locomotive to test the lights. I had already done several prior fits to ensure it was progressing well. And with a little 12 V juice they lit. It was a marvel. The lights were operating and back to their original configuration. This view shows the apron lights illuminated. 

Now this gets me to wondering just what the French engineer and fireman were looking at in those days or nights. My cynical conclusion was probably not too much. Maybe this engine was intended to run clandestine excursions in cover of the night or darkness. But I suspect that field of forward vision in one of the smoking beasts at full steam was not very good. At this point of the rebuild I still needed to add more black paint to the rear interior of the smokebox to hide the light channeling through the CA glue and brass tube recesses. That since has been completed.

Once I was assured through fitting that the smokebox cover would not hit the lightbulb and bracket, I then used two tiny drops of CA glue to secure the cover to the boiler front. Some might advise against this, but it was not fitting secure enough to be held in place on its own. 

And I did not want to lose that item. It needed to be secured. Besides, the light bulb was not made to be accessed from the front. One needs to remove the boiler from the chassis apron to get to its mechanics.

By this point I had also attached the cleaned air tanks to the upper boiler shell. 

I used CA glue very cautiously. And once secure I placed small dabs inside the shell where the pins sit within the shell. By comparison to other similar vintage locomotives, I realize I may have inverted them. But it seemed that was the only way the tabs protruding from the tank bottoms fit within the holes on top of the boiler. Now that is a testament to futility. But ‘she is as she is’. I thought I had researched that well enough, but surely not. And I can only guess what picture I used for that final check to secure them. At least they are straight. And it is too late now; I will not attempt to reverse that move.  

Next it was time to get the weight rod assembly installed. 

Recall that the locomotive shell itself does not house the motor (or the ‘zamac’ thankfully). However, that renders it quite light in weight. And if things are out of alignment, I envision, and there are some reports, that the finely working tender driven motor at full steam will push that light engine shell right up and off the narrow track around a bend. Like a crab, moving crab-legged with legs scurrying sideways beneath the water. After all that careful work, if it hits the concrete floor you now have a true static display with plenty of spare parts for another. Fortunately it seems a rare occasion to have a good tender and locomotive combination. So if you are lucky it will either work correctly or not at all. All or none.

From all the prior work it was apparent the steel rod fit too snuggly within the boiler shell. It needed clearance. I filed the edges and top corners of the rod and screw that holds the headlight bulb contact blade. 

The small clip at the lower right of the picture is screwed to the bottom of the weight rod once it is positioned inside the boiler. That spring clip carries power from the rear of the chassis and drive wheels up through the weight rod forward to the bulb base through the fine metal spring blade that contacts the bulb base center post. Here is a picture from earlier in the build that shows the narrow confines within which this all operates. 

I also filed the inside of the boiler shell with a fine rat tail file. With time the rod was free to move inside. 

As I noted earlier, after careful fitting, I had secured the front smokebox cover to the boiler shell. So the weight rod could no longer enter from the front of the boiler. But the rear of the shell in the cab has another opening that is covered by the coal bin doors. I will touch on that part of the rebuild a little later. That opening allows access of the weight rod and its workings from the back end of the locomotive boiler shell.  

It was also necessary to make some allowance on the interior recess of the bottom boiler to accept the slightly larger lightbulb post base solder points. 

I used a small file for that work...

These pictures show the nearly completed locomotive:

The front left baffle or side smoke shield has not yet been attached. The latter picture shows the small size of this locomotive. With very careful application (via a toothpick tip) I used CA glue to attach the left front baffle or side shield. 

Note that the rear protrusions from the baffle side shields clip over two pins on the boiler sides. This raised recess on the right front baffle is evident in the left center of this picture. 

These are not glued. But rather press fit and ‘hold’ the boiler front within the shields.  

The picture above also shows the freshly painted front boiler cover. I realize it is still a little rough. But I have not yet decided how much to refine that. And there is still the question of whether or how I might add the Chapelon Herald that sat front and center on that cover. Sadly, that was turned to drilled plastic dust many years ago. The right front buffer (or bumper) still needs to be attached. It has survived and at this stage of the rebuild currently lives inside a plastic medicine bottle inside a candy box lid, inside a cigar box. (Ok, ok I confess. At this point I am reminded of Phil Hartmann, as the Anal Retentive Carpenter or preparing  a Thanksgiving dinner as the Anal Retentive Chef on early Saturday Night Live (SNL) skits. If you have not seen those, give it a shot. I still recall them as some of the funniest of those days. But I have learned it is best not to lose some of these small detail pieces. They are quite difficult to find or reproduce.)

With some  careful use of CA glue, I reattached the front buffer or bumper. 

If you look closely at the bottom of the re-installed front right buffer, it is apparent that the gloss white paint was missed on the lower edge from the factory. Careful application of gloss white Testers enamel with a 3O brush corrected the problem.  

Next I set about to ensure the boiler coal cover doors fit a little bit tighter. I mentioned earlier in the story that the boiler weight rod slides inside the boiler shell. When assembled from the factory I suspect it had the option of either end. But the front smokebox cover was quite loose in fitting. So I lightly glue it. This left the reverse end of the boiler shell to allow removal if need be of the weight rod. 

I carefully placed some cyanoacrylate glue on the left edge of the boiler door recess inside the cab. I did not set the doors in when wet. Instead, I allowed the glue to dry fully. I wanted to create a slightly narrower channel to receive the rear cab inside boiler cover doors. I then fit the doors and carefully scraped any dried excess glue to allow the doors to sit tight. 

Here are a few pictures showing the completed locomotive rebuild....

Here is a shot of the final locomotive with lights ablaze.   

These photos show the completed locomotive and tender.  

That concludes the journey of rebuilding one (of I anticipate thousands) of these vintage Italian Rivarossi N scale locomotives. It has been a challenging and a rewarding adventure. I have met several new friends, gained new knowledge and a new skill (although my wife might not necessarily agree). It also reminds me of days of my childhood, watching my father toil away at some of these fine little machines. Adjusting, lubricating and getting them to a better place. And that is a heart warming memory. Sometimes with dry eyes, sometimes not.  I now realize that many times he was working on these late into the evening while my brother and I were likely sleeping.

For reference here is a shot of this particular locomotive as she was found.  

Perhaps this particular French SNCF 231 Chapelon (4-6-2) might get to go to the prom after all.

Until we might meet again I wish you all well.

TJZ

Completed 4/26/2015

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Terry - thank you so much for sharing this terrific story and impressive restoration effort on a beautiful locomotive! Well done and 'le felicitazioni'!  - Jerry/Quinntopia

The Italian Job: Rivarossi French 4-6-2 Chapelon Rebuild: Part 2

After a couple of months of delay, here is Part Two of "Terry from Delaware's" quest to rebuild his Rivarossi locomotive that he bought from some cad on eBay (uhh...that cad was me! Strange story right? No, I did not know Terry before he won my eBay auction).

The good news is that Terry completed his rebuild of this loco!  I hope you enjoy this post, please check out Part 1 here, and my original blog post when I first added this same loco to my collection years ago. Jerry/Quinntopia

Even more apologies to The Italian Job and The French Connection.

Subtitle: Locomotive Repair for an N Scale circa mid-1980s Rivarossi French SNCF 231E 22 Class Chapelon 4-6-2 Nord Steam Engine and Tender

The story and completion of the rebuild and refurbishment of this Italian made N scale French locomotive picks up with part 2 of 3. And I must make an admission or confession. Those reading the first part of this tale may recall my recommendation not to throw away anything during a disassembly or rebuild. Throw away nothing.

That is still a good idea, but in the past it seems I have ignored my own advice. Maybe that was before I fully realized the value of keeping things. Or not having the sharp eye for a second use or rebirth of an item of object.

The value in keeping a small scrap or odd item is a trait that I learned from my late father. But don’t get the wrong idea. He was not a pack rat. But he did have a knack for holding on to certain things. And he was wise and thrifty. Low and behold many of those ‘saved items’ found a second use. This is a smart and frugal behavior I learned from Dad and I am glad I have that characteristic. So in the case of this rebuild, the item of utility might be surprising. It is not a screw, washer, wire, bulb, or other oddity. It is not a new or replacement item made by Rivarossi or another N scale locomotive maker. No nothing of the sort. The item I refer to are those older format 3 ½ inch floppy disc cases. The older black case color in particular. One might ask “what on earth could that have to do with a train rebuild?” Read on.

Part 1 ended with having soldered the new upper light bulb mount to the original cut stump remaining on the locomotive chassis apron. It was a good effort and helped turn the corner on this project.

Next I looked over the remaining pieces and pondered their refinement and reassembly. It is a good idea to work slowly. This is for two reasons. Some steps may be irreversible. Hence you cannot backtrack. The second reason is that I was unfamiliar with the original assembly of these Italian N scale trains. And for that reason, if some steps are not irreversible, others may be permanent or fatal. Then it might be necessary to go out and buy another. That may be a poor option too. And I often remind myself of Aesop’s fable of the tortoise and the hare. Remember, the tortoise won the race. Slow and steady wins the race is a mantra that I like to say.

I set about the work on the cut boiler tube. If you look at the sixth picture in part 1, it is evident that I had to sever or cut though the small plastic pin or tube that protruded down through the chassis apron into the piston or valve head body assembly. I was determined to replace that cut pin. Working with the wire gauge drill bits and the fine point X-Acto knife I cleaned out the portal in the chassis apron. I carefully drilled out the bottom of the boiler tube bottom end with either an ~80 or 90 wire gauge drill bit (if I recall correctly). 

Now for that prized item of which I had previously thrown away about 30 cases. The 3 ½” floppy disc. I believe they are made of ABS or a polystyrene based plastic. My understanding is that is similar if not the same as the shells of many of the early Rivarossi and similar scale locomotives. So I set about to make a new pin.

My first ‘second use’ and interest in the floppy disc cases actually arose from a desire to practice N scale decaling or lettering. One of my other goals is to build certain locomotive and passenger car combinations. Some of those ‘liveries’ can be purchased and others are less often seen for sale. So I wanted a canvas or practice surface. If I was planning to paint a loco and tender shell, and then either decal or stencil lettering or other decorative ornamentation I did not want to practice on an ‘A+’ grade item. No I needed practice. Enter the floppy disc cases. But that will be the subject of another build. For now I need to finish this Italian - French connection.

I stripped open a few cases and removed the electronic, spring, and soft wiping wafer guts. This left only the two outer clam shells or halves. An added bonus inside those case shells, are ridges and grooves of varying thickness. So with a little research, testing, and cutting and assembling chips I found that cyanoacrylate (CA) glue and Plastruct solvent weld are two good means to glue these ABS cases and components together. But those two solvent or glues work and function very differently. So depending on the need a different mode might be needed. For example, the Plastruct solvent is quite good at softening the ABS or polystyrene and will give a fairly good bond, although perhaps not rigid strong. Generally it will not leave a haze or cast residue or sheen if carefully applied. But, it will also soften or dissolve. So if you don’t have much to work with and only a small piece that can be a problem. If you are not careful, everything will collapse to a dark or blackened morass in front of your eyes. So be very careful if you are trying to reconnect thin tender grab rails or the front pilot of a Berkshire or a Mallet with a ketone-based solvent. Because once gone – they are gone. Some good advice I obtained from one of the guys at Nicholas Smith Trains in Broomall, Pennsylvania, was use a very fine detail brushes. Like a 3O or 4O. That is wise advice. (PS. - if you want to visit a neat train and hobby shop with just about everything, then you need to get in their store. I don’t think you will be disappointed.)

The CA glue is also good, but use it where it can be hidden. It tends to have a sheen and thickens since it does not dissolve the ABS. So it must be used sparingly. (Remember the boiler shell CA glacier I had to work with previously.) So the trick is to gauge what you need. Sometimes trial and error on expendable items is needed.

To fashion the pin I shaved and chipped at the inner ridges of the floppy disc case. Doing so you quickly learn that the thin ABS can curl or roll. It does not have much dimensional stability. Slow careful work with a razor sharp blade is essential. Otherwise you will have black, inedible shave ice that would not be palatable. And since I needed a round pin, I first used the blade and through scraping I rounded a large portion of the ridge before severing it from the case. In short time I had a few suitable pieces.  Whatever you do don’t sneeze or leave the table. They will be gone when you return.

For reasons explained above I decided to use the CA glue to position the pin inside the drilled cavity. Once dried I would then carefully scrape away any excess. With a little CA, some adjustments, and time I had the pin completed.  At this point it is still evident which one is glued in. I then set that aside and let it dry.

Now it was time for the next big challenge. The reappearing front smokebox boiler cover. Those reading this story will recall the surprise of finding that item still attached to the locomotive boiler shell. Granted it had been ground, drilled through, installed backwards, and had a brass tube protruding through it – but it was there. Damaged goods but it was not missing. The brass tube escutcheon was cut at an angle. How would I get this sorted? 

So I headed to the basement to ponder this next step. This detail piece is much smaller than a dime. With all the work items and dark crevices, boxes, etc. in the basement I decided that working there would be a bad move. This little piece would head off somewhere to never appear again. Many of us working with these small gauge trains will know this all too well. A small spring or screw gone, forever. Not to Davy Jones locker, where it might wash up with the tide, but instead somewhere  far away, out of sight, out of view. Gone, but near and irretrievable. For that reason, one of my odd tricks, I sometimes work inside a small chocolate candy box or cigar box. It works quite well. (Now - and this is not a product placement - but if you are looking for good chocolate, check out Hughes Home Maid Chocolates from Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Ok, maybe this is a plug. But I get nothing from this, other than passing along this wonderful source. They are located on Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin. And the best part, if you eat the candy quickly you will have that wonderful box and lid to retain and store those small items. If you look at picture 10 in part 1, showing the pieces in a small white box, that is a Hughes Chocolate box lid. One of our family friend’s sharp eye caught that right off the bat when they read part 1 of this story. I apologize for the digression, but it really is good chocolate.) So I shut off the basement lights and headed back upstairs.

I figured a solution to work up the smokebox cover. First I would secure it and then carefully cut it with an X-Acto saw blade. 

Careful work with a small flat file and it was getting to a better place. 

After some final cleaning and polishing I filled the inside reverse side of it with a metallic epoxy and let it sit and cure. 

These next pictures show the gathered pieces in various stage of repair and rebuild. The first was taken just prior to my having soldered the light bulb post. The second before the air tanks were set in place.

Next I returned to final fitting and positioning of the new light bulb mount within the boiler shell. This took many clips with snips, filing, and careful adjustment. 

I then returned to the cured smokebox cover. It quickly became apparent that the inserted brass tube protruded too far into the boiler shell front. Hence it would not sit in proper position. Thus I would need to remove a large portion of it from the inside recess. How was the question? And in reflecting, this is perhaps why it had been installed in reverse in the prior work.

This is where another little odd “Life lesson” entered into the crevasses of my mind. A “Life lesson” is a term that my eldest daughter uses to describe something that we should pay attention to, something of note. And I agree with her entirely. For this project, I had visions of that small, sacred, smokebox cover flying across the basement never to be seen again as I worked with it. And if that happened, with already considerable time and effort, as well as money spent and no spare or back up – I would be out of luck. It would be one of those irreversible moments. So what do I do?

For some reason I recalled rebuilding a lawnmower in Yorktown, Virginia as a young teenager. Yes – an odd story from decades ago but it was fun and it brings back great memories. And it had a present day message, a life lesson. As that young teen some decades ago, I was given an old ~20 inch 4-stroke push mower by a neighbor and family friend. It had sat outside in his front yard for years. It was ‘solid as a rock’. So of course I accepted the gift and the challenge. (Remember, I can’t pass up the odd item. And the price was right, it was free.) So I pushed it home. That was a project for my father and me to tackle. We did and it was fun. We took it apart, freed the stuck piston, rebuilt it, put in new rings, ground the valves, and she was ready to go. Well almost. There was a reason it sat there those years. The recoil starter spring had broken. Now that was a challenge. The small end with two grooves that held the spring securely in the metal housing had snapped. What to do? Without being held securely, you got one pull and no recoil; the spring was not held or coiled so it would not rewind. And if the engine did run, trying to carefully recoil the starter rope on a running engine is not advised. It is probably a good way to lose fingers or fingertips. So at about age 12 or 13 I tried to figure it out. And I did. I clipped two small grooves in the end of that spring. I would simply reattach it in the cast housing, put it back together and all would be well. And then I tried to reassemble it. Well, if you have ever tried this, I offer the best solution. Have someone else do it. Pay them. Pay them well. I chased that slithering sharp serpent all around the garage for about a half hour. And what is worse, it is hardened or blued steel. And it is sharp, has a strong memory, and will whip and snap like a caged bull or worse. But I was determined and I finally got it. The trick. I used what we have always called ‘sugi wire’. It is the 30 or 40 thin single strand bright color-jacketed phone or communication copper wire cables that were housed in a ¾ or 1 inch gray vinyl sheath. I pulled single strands and tightly wrapped that spring in several strands of the wire, getting tighter and tighter with each twist. And somehow I got it wound tight, set the new ‘grooves’ to hold that coiled strand in the housing, got the coil spring fully rewound, reassembled, and functioning. And I used that mower for about the next four or five years mowing lawns. So the moral of the story, or the “Life lesson” was ‘secure your work’. Why that story entered my mind as I sat at the kitchen table figuring how to fix that smokebox cover I will never know. But that is how it happened. And it saved me from losing that irreplaceable smokebox cover.

The solution - I would invert the smokebox cover, duct tape it securely to a board in my vise. I then used a punch to cut a circle in the duct tape and then used a Dremel with a small grind stone to remove most of that inner protruding brass tube. 

It is not pretty but it would be hidden. And best of all, it did not wind up somewhere lost in my basement. Here is a good picture of the completed lightbulb post. 

To Be Continued! 

See Part 3 for the stunning conclusion and final assembly of Terry's Rivarossi Chapelon!

The Italian Job: Rivarossi French 4-6-2 Chapelon Rebuild

A special guest blogger to Quinntopia!  As some of you may know, I had a Rivarossi 231 steam engine, but with some of the changes and directions of my hobby, I decided to sell it on eBay last summer.  I was pleasantly surprised to hear from Terry in Delaware a few weeks ago who identified himself as the new owner and winning bidder of said eBay auction last summer!  Terry and I started a dialog about these neat little Rivarossi locomotives and he proceeded to share with me the challenges and discoveries he has made with this locomotive since it has passed to his ownership.  I was fascinated with his passion to restore this model (and somewhat chagrined to discover it was probably in worse shape than I even realized when I sold it) and his attention to detail in the process of restoring and describing the process.  I was so impressed, that I asked Terry if he would be willing to share his ‘story’ on my blog, and he agreed! So here you have Part 1 of the unfolding drama that is the interesting journey this little Italian model of a French steam locomotive!  Please feel free to post and ask Terry questions as well! – Jerry | Quinntopia

With apologies to The Italian Job and The French Connection.

Subtitle: Locomotive Repair for an N Scale circa mid-1980s Rivarossi French SNCF 231E 22 Class Chapelon 4-6-2 Nord Steam Engine and Tender 

While this essay does not have anything to do with these two classic movies, for some odd reason they came to mind when I made these repairs. And when I am referring to The Italian Job, I mean the circa 1969 version with Michael Caine, Noel Coward, and Benny Hill amongst others. The movie with the circa 1967 and 1968 Austin Mini Coopers. Well, that is another story. Let’s just say that I am not young, and I also have a fondness for British Cars.

Now - on to the real reason for writing this expose. Most of us recall, perhaps with a gentle smile, the often quoted saying: “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. Well I think I have a story for you.

I must disclose that had one of my local train shops in Delaware not been preparing a move in early 2014 this story might never have happened. But for those train purists and aficionados, I just had to look in the display case. You know, the locked glass one with many shelves loaded with the older, unloved N scale trains. Where the ones that no one wanted reside, one hidden under another. Glass shelves and cardboard boxes littered with all the ‘winners’ and ‘duds. The items where you have to ask for an attendant with a key to unlock the mystery. That is how this all started.

There it sat in its original Rivarossi (RR, or “Rivvy” as I like to say) polystyrene case, with nest, liner, and identification card. Complete…. And with the handwritten note on a little white paper sticker on the outer case lid: “Static Display - Does not Run ”. Well, I should have turned and run the other direction. Sadly, or perhaps poignantly, that is just not my nature. Nope, I just can’t pass the odd ball or unusual item. That is how this all started. The hook was in and set.

Anyway, that little ‘gem’ had a price of $40.00 for it. But I managed to do even better negotiating with the clerk and owner. Remember that moving sale. Well it moved into our basement.

That loco, in all its beauty, warts, uniqueness, and brokenness turned out to be an N Scale circa mid 1970s Rivarossi French Steam Locomotive 231E22 SNCF Class Chapelon 4-6-2 Nord brown color. The US item # (according to the case is 4091), and the production date was 8-75 based on the identification card. The Italian or EU Nord brown version is usually called 9181, Locomotiva a Vapore. It is also sometimes called the Flèche d’Or. (The numbering of these is a story in itself as far as I am concerned. I will save that perhaps for another diatribe.)

For the nice price I obtained it I decided I was up for the challenge. I got a good deal. Surely I could tackle this beast and get it to do something. How short one’s memory can be. (Remember the dates of the movies I like? And don’t forget that I am not young….. so it is easy to forget certain important things.)

Many of us will recall the metal amalgamation (a nice word for it that I can actually print for this public website) sometimes called ‘zamac’. You know, that flaky, silvery, metallic, off-colored sometimes putty soft or something less than solid casting that was used to make many of the chassis and frames for these vintage N scale locos? In the case of this model, it is tender driven or pushed. The steam locomotive, while perhaps beautiful is just a trophy pushed around by a tender. Not the best combination, but a little odd or unique. So for those fans of the Pacific Light and Heavy 4-6-2 N scale, we all recall that we should not look at the chassis under the shell crossly or say mean things. It will turn to dust. And don’t dare drop that 4-6-2 on the front snout. The shell will survive but that weak front nose – well. A nice clean break point. Now you have two locomotives and spare parts to use or sell.

For those not familiar with this model here are pictures of a few nice examples. This model came in a couple of different colors: Nord (brown), Black, and Green (with matte black boiler front and baffles). They really are exquisite looking visually, at least in my opinion, Kind of like an early E type Jaguar convertible. Even when sitting still and not running, it is quite a beautiful car. The following pictures are actually from a Rivarossi Memory‘IT’ (Italy) website with HO details for this locomotive class, but they show the livery and details of them I believe I recall reading that for certain European train designations, the “231” (as ½ of a 4-6-2) is their way of calling out the drive wheel configuration.

The unusual aspect of this Italian made N scale French 231E Chapelon with the tender pusher is that the frame and mechanics of the locomotive are unique. In the case of this modelling the steam locomotive is ‘saved’ from the ‘zamac’ deterioration. That luxury is instead reserved for the tender. The tender drive has the ‘zamac’ housing that contains the motor and drive gears. And thus, it is the tender that has the crumbling, exploding, deteriorating, metal amalgamation that can turn to dust or a pile of Fool’s gold at the drop of a hat. (I will delve more into that in a later writing.)

But I was determined and set out to work on this one. And as I studied the tender carefully, it was apparent that the all-familiar ‘metal’ cracks, hairlines, expansions, crumbling were present. But I was kind of lucky. It had not gotten to the point that it exploded the thin tender polystyrene shell or case. No this tender shell got lucky. Somehow it had escaped. But not the softer styrene truck carriages and motor drive gear support housings. They were getting pushed out of alignment and breaking too. Yep, she was in bad shape.

With time it became apparent that ‘static display’ was correct. No, I was not the lucky one. So I set on a quest to find a couple (how about one!) of these that was in good shape. Running and not going all to metal dust. It would be the holy grail of N scale Italian made French 231E locomotives. There must be one somewhere! Right? Surely this would be a short quest.

Over the next year or so I explored and found a few of the Rivarossi French SNCF in N scale. Some decent, some not. Interestingly the best one thus far is the version in black livery. It is exquisite and runs quite well. It came from a fellow train enthusiast in Germany in an original plastic soft shell case. But like those British cars, this pristine example is really a trailer queen. You know, not used, nor driven, instead only to be looked at. To take up space in a garage or basement. (As I write this, I jokingly wonder: maybe that soft shell outer case was to accommodate the expanding tender in case the metal started to swell, at least it would not crack the polystyrene outer jewel case.)

One of my recommendations if you have one of these models: if the tender has not exploded or crumbled yet, and the tender shell is in good shape - buy a spare jewel case. Carefully remove the tender motor housing from beneath the tender shell. Store them separately. (My other belief, not at all substantiated, is that some of the early lubricants, or cutting fluids if used as a lube, are based not just on petroleum hydrocarbon cuts, but may also be vegetable or fatty acid or ester-based lubricants. If true, I suspect those can deteriorate with heat, age, and oxidation, possibly even forming other chemical species that can further deteriorate the metal. Just a theory and no proof.) So the inherent caution, be sure to use good lubricants. And as one of my friends likes to say, the original grease turns to ‘peanut butter’. And that sure is true. I suspect that all the ‘light end’ or low boiling petroleum constituents evaporate leaving the ‘sludge’. And that poor crumbling locomotive or tender has to crawl through all that with only 12 volts, and on a dirty track. Perhaps that is not a good combination.

And all that brought me to the version that I write about today. This particular SNCF 231 (4-6-2) was offered. And like many it had its shortcomings. But it ran. Visually it was another story. No this one would not be going to the prom. Someone had gotten carried away with superglue and in a not so good way. Anyway, at least it did not say static display. And its early bid prices were not that unreasonable for a runner. Time cured some of that, and I was hooked again.

So I conquered it and it was mine. This one moved into our basement to sit along with the others. And after about 6 months I decided to look at it closely. Here is a picture of it as received. It is a circa 1980s vintage, 10/1980 production according to the case identification card.

Yes, this poor old girl had had surgery. But the qualifications of the doctor were uncertain. In short: i) the upper air tanks were dipped in cyanoacrylate (CA) glue and then placed on top of the boiler shell. It seems excess CA was dribbled on for extra measure to be sure they were attached. ii) the front smokebox had a light bulb sticking out of it; iii) it appeared the front boiler smokebox cover was gone; iv) the locomotive would only move in jolts and kept jamming. But the tender would ‘light’ with 12 volts (used sparingly) and sounded good. So it was a start. At that point my biggest fear was where would I find a front smokebox cover or how would I fashion one and from what?

This winter I set about taking this one apart. I gained a little confidence from a friend near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who has been my go-to on these things. We met recently and he has been a remarkable resource and guide. He suggested I get a lit loop which I did. It is only 3 ½ inch LED lit but it works nicely. He also has instilled in me wisdom and confidence with sound advice on working with these things. I think he could repair and get these N scale locos running with both hands tied behind his back and blindfolded. Graciously he did look at one of the other French SNCF 4-6-2 locomotives I have cleaning, adjusting, and lubricating it and got it running like a Swiss watch. It works nicely, and his advice once he returned it to me was “sell it”! I love a good chuckle or laugh.

So I grabbed my X-Acto knives, jeweler screwdrivers, cigar and candy boxes and started at it. Back to that surgeon…. For some odd reason, the center boiler shell top screw was so tight I needed a ½ inch drive socket to get it loose. (Just kidding – but it was close.) And just when I thought I was clear, it became apparent that the right side boiler tube down through into the valve piston box (or whatever it is called) had been glued. More CA and lots of it. So I had to carefully cut through the pin that protrudes down into the piston box. That was difficult. And unfortunately there was no way not to carve it up a little bit. Thankfully only the right side was glued. Not the left. Whewwwwww it had escaped that doomed fate.  Note this picture shows in the background the bulb still attached to the cut headlamp bulb support bracket.

So I got the boiler shell up off of the apron or lower chassis.

And then the strange brew of the rewired headlight became clear. To make matters worse it was soldered and barely fit within the housing. Silicone had been used. The headlight bulb mount post had been cut about halfway up. About the only good news was the front smokebox boiler cover was still there. It had been installed in backwards. And it had a hole drilled in it, embedded brass tubing, and a light bulb sticking out through it. At least I would not need to fashion a new one. Or so I hoped. Here are more pictures of some of the progress.  

A brief digression for a moment. Here is some advice that I have received and I pass along. I also learned this working on British cars. The early to mid-1970 chrome bumper MGB and MGB GT are two of my favorites. Remove pieces carefully, photograph, document, and understand their removal and installation carefully. Do not throw anything out. I repeat - don’t throw anything out. Ever. (Even after you have completed the job. You may need that spare someday.) And better yet, have a spare for comparison. You know, what good is one MGB? No have two. One you can disassemble and the other as a reference point. I am only half joking. I still own two MGBs. Of course you may need your wife’s buy-in on this point.

Back to the Rivvy, careful work with a fine point X-Acto knife and I was able to free the boiler shell from the CA glacier. I also got the air tanks free and cleaned them. The biggest decision now is whether to attempt to repaint them and the upper boiler shell, or just consider it the results of a bad weathering job. I think less may be more. I invested in a couple sets of wire gauge drill bits. And I used them to clean the holes for the air tanks.  The latter two pictures still show the front smokebox cover inverted and inserted into the front of the boiler. They are actually from an earlier portion of this rebuild.

Next I set to tackling the chassis. I was not sure how much time I wanted to invest in repairing it if it would not move smoothly. After careful realignment (and extra bending) of the side rods and valve gear, and spreading the valve gear vertical alignments it began to move better. I then removed the front and rear trucks and cleaned and straightened the axle wiper blades. (Power from the right rail is carried through the conventional ‘drive’ right side wheels ( the ‘-6-‘ in this case) which is carried up through the chassis apron via a front metal contact plate and to the headlight mounting post base. The other (left) rail current is carried through the left drive wheels and tender draw bar needle and pin post to the rear of the loco chassis and a rear metal contact plate beneath the boiler. Sort of an ‘iffy’ arrangement but once repaired it has worked. And how they got all of this crammed into the small space of these N scale locomotives is a marvel unto itself.

Weight in the locomotive shell comes from a steel rod secured inside the shell. The bottom has a screwed spring clip that contacts the chassis rear metal contact plate. From the top front of the rod protrudes a soft metal spring that contacts the center post of the lightbulb when it is placed in its mount and the boiler shell carefully lowered over the chassis apron and its workings. The other line to the bulb comes from the bulb support post that is riveted to the chassis front metal contact plate. I decided early not to drill rivets and attempt to replace them. The geometry would call for very fine rivets and long nose rivet gun and points to get that done. And I feared it would be fatal to drill the rivets.

My next challenge was to rebuild or remake the headlight bulb support mount. Upon getting it apart it was apparent that the CA surgeon owned a Dremel or perhaps a large chop saw or grinding snips. Now a dilemma. How do I rebuild that? I had already determined I could remake the mount. But how to attach it? I suspected that soldering could melt the chassis apron if not done carefully. And if I decided to drape the remaining carcass with wet cloth while soldering that would probably pull too much heat from the attachment point, rendering a solder attempt futile. Maybe I could use a metallic epoxy and solder thin wires to connect the points. That was what I decided to do. First I would make the replacement piece. Then solder thin wires to it. Attach the new post support to the remaining base with epoxy then solder the wires to it. For the wire I used very thin gauge stranded wire intended for illuminating N scale passenger cars with LED lights. So I set out to make the missing headlight support mount top post.

This was much more fun that I thought. Because I got to head out to one of our local True Value hardware stores. I knew deep in my mind they would have what I needed. So I set out with my youngest daughter after her swimming lessons for the True Value. (P.S.: I have learned the knack of convincing my daughters that they will find something (that I like) really interesting. This technique has worked well, and so they frequently enjoy watching ‘their shows’ which in some cases are actually ‘my shows’. Dual Survival, Pawn Stars, Counting Cars, Fast and Loud, Swamp People, and Alaskan Bush People are good examples. This is particularly useful when I would like to watch my own TV in the house. I don’t know how long this trick will work but I am enjoying while it lasts.)

Sure enough True Value had a nice assortment of various thin gauge metal strips, rods, and threaded rod. So I bought a strip of ¾ inch wide 0.016 inch brass and another of 0.018 inch steel ½ inch wide. And a few of the smallest brass screws and washers just in case my solder and epoxy effort headed south.

I took apart the companion locomotive, a good shape green version that I obtained from a train enthusiast in Italy. I made some measurements and then began to prepare the brass (The reference factory NOS locomotive assembly is to the right in the picture.) 

Things did not turn out too bad as evidenced by the accompanying photos. 

After several scribes with a knife or awl, cuts with a hacksaw, snips with sharp tin snips, drilling through the brass clamped to hardwood, filing, bends in a vise, more nips with a sharp pair of nips it was getting close to finished. Fitting it within the narrow confines of the boiler shell and able to still stay forward of the steel rod (the other rail’s current) was a challenge. I also decided to place a few pieces of clear thin tape on the front of the steel weight rod just in case the tolerances are tight. This part of the rebuild took many fits, adjustments, refits, filing, clipping, etc.

Then I again pondered the best means to attach it to the post. I initially planned small brass screws and washers. I even drilled a few (not quite centered) holes in the new bracket for the screws. But I again noticed the tolerances were tight and that might not work. (But I also drilled those holes knowing that if need be they could be solder channels.) I finally returned to settling on using wires and epoxy. My concerns were the heat needed to get a good solder joint could wreak havoc on the plastic apron or lower chassis structure, as well as the small clear polystyrene headlight ‘tunnel’.

This model has an interesting light tunnel to transmit the light bulb’s illumination to the two small front headlamps that reside on the front apron. (Perhaps this caused an earlier owner to deviate to a new bulb configuration? I do not know, but I hoped to return it to its original configuration.) The original design is a small polystyrene piece of plastic that sits below the bulb, fits forward of that area and resides above a metal lower panel on the chassis bottom to hide the light. It travels further forward to the two narrow light channels. In this photo the rearmost portion of this polystyrene light tunnel sits just forward of the base of the headlight bulb vertical support post. This is sort of like the earliest days of fiber optics. And actually it works fairly well. But, maybe the cost or difficulty in finding a new bulb caused a change of course for a prior owner. The final configuration for the replacement bracket piece is lower left center just forward of the loco chassis. 

I was still convinced that too much heat and flux could warp and melt the entire jumble. So I set about attaching the very narrow stranded wire. I first thought I would place the wires at the upper ‘head’ of the new bracket piece aside the bulb, but concluded it was too narrow in the boiler shell. I decided to place the strands on the bottom reverse side of the new bracket.

So I set about cleaning, sanding, and using 0000 steel wool to clean and roughen the pieces to attach the wires and epoxy. I had also determined that I could place toothpicks below the remaining bulb support base and that would raise it just enough to not touch the plastic headlight tunnel piece. And I then began soldering the wires to the bracket. And as I did that I convinced myself that soldering would be best. Good old impulses. If I could just do it quick, hot, and neatly. So I used an alligator clip to hold the new bracket support piece to the remaining post. I placed toothpicks to raise the metal bracket off of the light tunnel. And pondered a little more. Now what project is fun without being dangerous or unhealthy?

My last challenge was having only two hands. And I was not going to go and buy a positioning vice. Nope, not me. So I got started and quickly found my limitations. And so, with hot soldering iron, smoking flux – what else – yes I pulled a three foot strand of my 60/40 rosin core solder and clipped it. One end in the mouth between teeth, and worked quickly. I was able to get a decent joint. And I then attached the other ends of the stranded wire for good measure. It turned out fairly well. And the plastic light tunnel was only slightly melted or altered by the dripping flux. Ok, so I am not perfect. A perfectionist yes, just not perfect. Darn it.

To be continued in Part 2...