Most of my cars with the one-piece knuckle have the knuckle failed the same way as the one you show in your vid- snapped off at the weak point. A common issue with the plastic knuckles I've seen is that the integral plastic spring doesn't hold up well to the stress of the knuckle being closed- over time the springs loose their strength and break off. I've removed some intact ones that lost the spring, and experimented with making new springs for them, just to see if I could save the original parts. One thing about the one-piece design I really don't love is how hard it is to remove and install. Lionel recommended heating the parts in hot water to soften the plastic so it was more willing to flex when it came time to coax the knuckle in or out of the coupler body.
That song was driving me crazy. Now I remember, it`s "Sweet Georgia Brown". Prewar Marx guy here, I convert my cars for use on Lionel and Marx, by turning the trucks around 180 degrees and placing a different coupler on that side.
A center punch or a spring loaded center punch, flares the rivet nicely. Of course, a heavy bar as an anvil under the inverted knuckle supports the river head while flaring.
I don't see the big thing with operating couplers because they always come apart and the train runs into the back of itself. I like dummy couplers on Old gauge trains because they never can open up on you. I have super glued couplers together to make sure they never open up. I go to switching and stuff like that I just fire up the four tracks and let them roll.
I have the same type of coupling as the blue unit. (One piece coupling). I was able to get the couplers off two of my units. I see the coupling online, at least I think this is what you used. LIONEL 9050-56 PLASTIC KNUCKLE REPAIR KIT. Your number is listed as 905-56. Same thing?
I always check a variety of sources online, but most of my recent parts purchases (including these) have come from The Train Tender www.ttender.com/ I used to use Brasseur's a lot, but since COVID their web page has been unloadable and I don't know if they are still operating.
The cheapening of Lionel trains at the behest of old man Cohen was such a shame. The metal trucks that they had situated the short old time cars that they were hooked to. All of those cars and trucks would have been obsolete by the time roller bearing trucks became mandatory for trains. They track so much better and give weight down low. He would save a Time by leaving the ladders off of time car and 50 years later it cost you $5 for the two little ladders to put on the car to make it proper and they're more than what you paid for the car.
Actually I think it was son Larry Cowen who led the cost-cheapening crusade. I recall vaguely a comment attributed to him in, I think, the Ron Hollander book, about being concerned that the trains were lasting too long!
@@burlingtonbill1 actually it was the old man for instance he deleted defeat metal frame with steps so he could rotate the trucks underneath the car so he could ship it in a smaller box. When the metal frame on the cabooses had to break wheel in the normal spot it would scratch the paint and it would have to be touched up so he had to put the Caboose wheel on the outside always wonder why some of them had that like that now that's why that is. He would leave off simple stuff like chimneys on caboose cp5 instead of having the six wheel trucks like the trainmaster has the EMT blomberg truck instead the 031 track was really standard gauge rail and standard gauge ties which is why they look so hugely out of place. The 027 profile track looks so much better because it looks more in scale. The more he cheapen the line the more he insulted the customers who bought the train. It is a shame that the people that reproduce Lionel trains reproduce at its cheapest instead of at it's best. Instead of putting a missing chimney on a caboose they leave it off because that's the way Lionel made it. Let's not forget everything that was your nickel before world war was $0.15 after the war at a lot of companies like Lionel wanted to continue to pay pre-war wages and charge post War pricing. The old staple end and Bar & Diecast trucks were the best ones Lionel ever came out with. He could have gone to real like American Flyer did but he wanted the post-war trains to be compatible with his pre-war train so that's why we are stuck with the third-rail. I remember advertisements in the late 194 7 issue of model railroaders that I have and they will have ads from people that makes care length and detailed car bodies and they will have a platform where you could just screw the Lionel plate holding the truck right to the body if you wanted to run it on three rail or you could put two rail trucks and body couplers on it instead if you want it they hit both markets with the same car.
Great video. I finally have some clarity on how to rescue some of my post war Lionel trains from the junk box.
Great! Happy to help!
Another great replacement video on oscale Lionel knuckle couplers
:-)
Most of my cars with the one-piece knuckle have the knuckle failed the same way as the one you show in your vid- snapped off at the weak point. A common issue with the plastic knuckles I've seen is that the integral plastic spring doesn't hold up well to the stress of the knuckle being closed- over time the springs loose their strength and break off. I've removed some intact ones that lost the spring, and experimented with making new springs for them, just to see if I could save the original parts. One thing about the one-piece design I really don't love is how hard it is to remove and install. Lionel recommended heating the parts in hot water to soften the plastic so it was more willing to flex when it came time to coax the knuckle in or out of the coupler body.
Thanks for the feedback!
Very helpful, as always. I will look in my junk box for repair candidates.
Happy to help! Thanks for watching!
Keep up the great work and keep making your videos that are. Informative and interesting to see
Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching!
That song was driving me crazy. Now I remember, it`s "Sweet Georgia Brown". Prewar Marx guy here, I convert my cars for use on Lionel and Marx, by turning the trucks around 180 degrees and placing a different coupler on that side.
Actually, it's called "Little Bits".
Cool repairs.
Thank you!
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks 👍🍾🍾🍾🍸
Great tip thanks 😊👍
Happy to help!
Nice video! Thanks!
Thank you, and thanks also for watching!
Great video. I would have just replaced the truck but this way keeps them more original. Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
the knuckle replacement you used was a reject k-line. we hand thousands of these we thru away
A center punch or a spring loaded center punch, flares the rivet nicely. Of course, a heavy bar as an anvil under the inverted knuckle supports the river head while flaring.
Great tip! Thanks for the input!
A tidy workbench is a symptom of a sick mind...
I'm planning to draw up a plan that will layout the planning steps that need to be taken to clean up my workbench...
The Delrone knuckle coupler very cheap and cost effective!!! Great video TU!! Nice music I Say!!
Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!
I don't see the big thing with operating couplers because they always come apart and the train runs into the back of itself. I like dummy couplers on Old gauge trains because they never can open up on you. I have super glued couplers together to make sure they never open up. I go to switching and stuff like that I just fire up the four tracks and let them roll.
I have the same type of coupling as the blue unit. (One piece coupling). I was able to get the couplers off two of my units. I see the coupling online, at least I think this is what you used. LIONEL 9050-56 PLASTIC KNUCKLE REPAIR KIT. Your number is listed as 905-56. Same thing?
Thanks for catching my typo! 9050-56!
I guess I'm just lazy. In many cases I'd locate the broken coupler piece, grab the gorilla glue and presto: fixed couplers lol!
That's assuming you have the part. Wen you open a mixed box of cars you just bought on eBay and the knuckle is missing...
Great video. Where do you buy your parts from?
I always check a variety of sources online, but most of my recent parts purchases (including these) have come from The Train Tender www.ttender.com/ I used to use Brasseur's a lot, but since COVID their web page has been unloadable and I don't know if they are still operating.
Have you tried 3d printing them?
In this case, replacement knuckles are cheap enough I didn't see the need to invest the time in designing 3d prints.
Can't a metal knuckle and metal spring (1950s type) be used ? I think that I have done.
I have not attempted this, but my Lionel service documents say they are not compatible.
The cheapening of Lionel trains at the behest of old man Cohen was such a shame. The metal trucks that they had situated the short old time cars that they were hooked to. All of those cars and trucks would have been obsolete by the time roller bearing trucks became mandatory for trains. They track so much better and give weight down low. He would save a Time by leaving the ladders off of time car and 50 years later it cost you $5 for the two little ladders to put on the car to make it proper and they're more than what you paid for the car.
Actually I think it was son Larry Cowen who led the cost-cheapening crusade. I recall vaguely a comment attributed to him in, I think, the Ron Hollander book, about being concerned that the trains were lasting too long!
@@burlingtonbill1 actually it was the old man for instance he deleted defeat metal frame with steps so he could rotate the trucks underneath the car so he could ship it in a smaller box. When the metal frame on the cabooses had to break wheel in the normal spot it would scratch the paint and it would have to be touched up so he had to put the Caboose wheel on the outside always wonder why some of them had that like that now that's why that is. He would leave off simple stuff like chimneys on caboose cp5 instead of having the six wheel trucks like the trainmaster has the EMT blomberg truck instead the 031 track was really standard gauge rail and standard gauge ties which is why they look so hugely out of place. The 027 profile track looks so much better because it looks more in scale. The more he cheapen the line the more he insulted the customers who bought the train. It is a shame that the people that reproduce Lionel trains reproduce at its cheapest instead of at it's best. Instead of putting a missing chimney on a caboose they leave it off because that's the way Lionel made it. Let's not forget everything that was your nickel before world war was $0.15 after the war at a lot of companies like Lionel wanted to continue to pay pre-war wages and charge post War pricing. The old staple end and Bar & Diecast trucks were the best ones Lionel ever came out with. He could have gone to real like American Flyer did but he wanted the post-war trains to be compatible with his pre-war train so that's why we are stuck with the third-rail. I remember advertisements in the late 194 7 issue of model railroaders that I have and they will have ads from people that makes care length and detailed car bodies and they will have a platform where you could just screw the Lionel plate holding the truck right to the body if you wanted to run it on three rail or you could put two rail trucks and body couplers on it instead if you want it they hit both markets with the same car.