Running Repairs

During a recent operating session a couple of issues arose. B81 was uncoupling from the AX which was leading the Vinelander consist. Upon checking with the gauge the kadee on the B was lower than the standard height. At first I thought that it might have sagged, but when I looked at the loco sitting on the test track I noticed that the loco was lower at the engine end.

Checking the other B class in the fleet identified that B60 had the same problem. Both of these locos were kitbashed from Lima S class back in 1984. Over the last 36 years I think wear on the bolsters that support the bogie and engine has resulted in the loco lowering at this end.

As a temporary fix I have fitted offset Kadees in the existing kadee box at the engine end. This has corrected the height of the coupler and eliminated the uncoupling.

While fixing the Two B class, I used the opportunity to use one of the Kadees from the B's to replace one on the AX wagon that was sticking. I had recently replaced the wheels in this motorail wagon, as a couple of the cheep Powerline wheels were out of gauge resulting in the wagon to occasionally derail. This wagon is equally as ancient having been kitbashed in 1990 from a shortened Lima European car carrier. Both B81 and AX performed faultlessly the remainder of the operating session.