4052 loco with PRR tender

[playmofire]

A short time ago a 4052 loco and a PRR tender appeared as separate items on Glendale Junction's website.  Both were very dusty and so thinking they might be at a good price, I asked for first refusal.  The price was £55 for the pair, plus £10 p and p.  and they are now mine!

The sellers had tested the loco and also reported that the tender motor was missing a tyre.

From the photos I could see that the front coupling loop on the tender was missing and that the water cover for the water tank, the drop plate and the "doors" on the tender were missing.

Broken coupling loops seem to be about par for these tenders and I wasn't surprised about the other pieces that were missing having seen the prices of "doors" for example on eBay and never having seen the drop plate for sale and bearing n mind that the cover of the water tank would obviously be taken on and off in play.

I have done a bit of testing and small 9v battery turns the wheels on the loco with no problem and showed the lights were working OK.

The motor in the tender also runs OK, although I imagine both might benefit from a bit of oil and a clean.

A bulb has been fitted into the tender lighting unit, but the lights don't work; I suspect a failed bulb.

[playmofire]

The loco has n parts missing and is just very dusty as the photos below show.

[playmofire]

The bell is yellowed, as are the connection rods and there is some dirt or wear on the skates.  But after a light scrub in warm soapy water, the cab roof comes up fine, so there's only a good clean needed.

[playmofire]

The coupling loop on the front had broken off at some time and been replaced, but this too has broken off. However, it came with the tender and it looks that with a bit of cleaning up and good glueing it can be refitted.

The skates on the tender are worn or dirty, although, like the loco, applying 9v battery power to them turns the wheels OK.

I need to replace the tender bulb - does anyone know how to access it?

The drop plate and "doors" are missing, as is the water tank cover.  A single "door" on eBay was selling for £25 plus p and p, and I've never seen a drop plate for sale, so I'll do without the "doors" and make a drop plate of my own.

If anyone has a spare water tank cover for sale, please PM me.

[playmofire]

Overall, I'm very pleased with my buy and plan to start cleaning it up and testing it more fully when I get back from holiday.

[Junker Jörg]

Glückwunsch zu diesem Neuerwerb. Wie Du schreibst, ist der Kupplungsbügel am Tender leider oft gebrochen. Liegt vermutlich dran, daß Tender und Lok auf schmutzigen Gleisen gegen- statt miteinander fahren und der Bügel als schwächstes Glied zuerst nachgibt. Eine Stromverbindung Lok-Tender sollte das Problem bzw. die Gefahr eines neuen Bruchs verhindern.

Die Fehlteile sind leider vermutlich schwer zu beschaffen. Sie sind auch so selten, daß ich sie noch nie in Resin gesehen habe. Aber vielleicht läßt sich über 3D-Druck was machen?

Great deal, congrats! That coupling loop unfortunately has a disposition to break as loco and tender tend to work against one another on dirty tracks. Loco running tender stopping make the loop the weekest part an give in. An electric connection between both motors can reduce that risk.

Those missing parts might be hard to come by. Often gone, rarely looked for and therefore unlikely to be resin-made. But maybe a 3D print might be possible to an acceptable price?

jj:

[playmofire]

I've been thinking that if glueing the coupling loop back on to the tender doesn't work, then I might fit a couple of "eyes" to the tender (screw them into a bit of wood between the two walls of the tender to help spread the strain) and then join them with a length of wire so that the tender will move on bends as it did with the original coupling loop.

If you scrool down the page here:

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/1-CHEMINEE-blanche-impression-3D-pour-locomotive-playmobil-4001-kamin/202283132329?_trkparms=aid%3D444000%26algo%3DSOI.DEFAULT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20170221122447%26meid%3Dce438ccf0d1f4accb35a20e8ebcdc878%26pid%3D100752%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D3%26sd%3D202283132322%26itm%3D202283132329&_trksid=p2047675.c100752.m1982

there is someone who makes 3D printed items for Playmobil, but not, as yet, the parts I need.

[Junker Jörg]

I've been thinking that if glueing the coupling loop back on to the tender doesn't work, ...

I'd say don't meddle with glue but mend with a screw  .

I asked a tinsmith to make me a matching strip of sheet iron to fix with screw and nut. That works fine.

jj:

[playmofire]

Yes, screw not glue sounds good advice.

I've managed to remove the clear plastic holder for the bulb on the tender, although not 100% successfully.

After removing the motor, it was fairly easy to prise the body off. The wires for the bulb have been soldered to the tags on the motor which didn't help too much.

Levering and pushing didn't work getting the bulb holder out and eventually a bit too much levering led to a loud crack and the main part of the unit came out, leaving the top lens still in. More pushing on that didn't work, so I decided to give the tender body a wash and scrub in warm soapy water and, lo and behold, the top lens suddenly slipped out! It is repairable and I'll see how that works. And I do have a spare bulb.

The previous owner has soldered some electronic gubbins into one of the wires to the lamp, I guess to protect it. I'll take a photo when I get back from my holiday.

[Tiermann]

I am also missing the tank cover off of mine, as well as one of the front baffle panels.  3d printing may be the future on these as we get farther and farther away from when they were in production.