[T-Man]

The first picture shows an original lens to the search light car,but often enough they look like the second.
So what to do. You can order replacements. Ebay had two for 6 bucks or you can improvise and go to the local hardware store.

I was looking for a nut for a snowblow when I stumbled onto these.
There I found two inserts.One is a 1 and 1/16th Hot water cap. The other is a nylon insert. The Hot cap was 2.80 and the nylon was 1.00.

The trial fitup is that they are loose. The nylon insert is a bit thick and needs to be trimmed. The Hot Water cap is better but both will need a wrap around the inside to thicken up the joint. A thin piece of rubber held in with electrical tape would do the trick. You don't want to use glue in case you break down and get the repro's.

The good thing about the nylon insert is you can add color lenses to it depending if you can find colored plastic. The hole is 7/8th of an inch.

 

[tkruger]

I actually thing the hot water cap looks better than the original lens.

 

[Big Ed]

I actually thing the hot water cap looks better than the original lens.

Me too!

Nice find t-man. You don't want to glue it at all. You wouldn't be able to replace the bulb then. Right?

How about some kind of caulking? The kind that stays soft. Just enough to hold it in place.

 

[T-Man]

Light Lit

I used an elastic double wrapped for now. I am sure the RTV would work.
You can change the bulb by lifting the housing. There may be one style the 6520, access to the bulb is through the lens.

 

[T-Man]

More

My wife gave me two smoke measuring cups from a laundry detergent.
Talk about good timing. I used and electrical tape cut in half and I didn't have to shave the insert. There was plenty of room in this model housing. So I cut a circle with scissors and I have a smoke lens. The clips in the insert actuallly hold the lens in.

This housing does not pull off.(see next post I goofed) This is the 6822 maintenance car.
In case your wondering I have just about exhausted the projects resulting from the last train show.

 

[Big Ed]

T-man quote;
This housing does not pull off.
In case your wondering I have just about exhausted the projects resulting from the last train show.


But I am sure that you can dig up more from the to do box.

I still like the bottle cap lens better, though the colored plastic is nice too.

 

[T-Man]

The 6822 maintenance car is interesting. I was wrong about the searchlight removal. They all can be removed, some by lifting but all, by spreading the brackett then lifting. The 6822 is the latter. Also, it has wipers because of the plastic truck. I used the black because it matched. I was surprised with the hot water cap. They are both keepers. I will keep an eye on different colors. Esssentially the colored plastic can be used with all the housings.
Pictures will follow. This car does have a broken knuckle It is on the business end of the search light. I am not sure how to fix it.

 

[Big Ed]

T-man quote;
This car does have a broken knuckle It is on the business end of the search light. I am not sure how to fix it.
__________________


Crazy glue?
Small rubber band?
New used reconditioned coupler?

Heck T you don't scratch build your couplers yet?

How is it not working? Just won't keep closed? Or broken?

 

[T-Man]

Just missing

That little piece is missing. Plus the metal piece snaps into the holes that I thought, were used to hold that hook in. I don't have to many operational couplers in plastic. I have three that are broken. The pieces must be part of the hook
In My supply of trucks all the knuckles are broken or missing the hook.hwell:

Note the wiper on the under side.

 

[Big Ed]

What metal piece that snaps into the hole are you talking about? The knuckle rivet?

It looks like all you need is the knuckle, the knuckle rivet and the knuckle spring.

I have been searching my manual pictures and can't pin down the truck model #.

What's the Lionel # of the search light car in the picture? 6822?

 

[T-Man]

6822

Good Morning!
The car is a sixties 6822 Night searchlight car. I rechecked. Somehow I came up with a maintenace car?.
This is an all plastic truck with a knucle.
I researched last night and removed the broked hook. Actually I have two other spares that have the same thing. When you look at the picture they have no pins. Just knobs that fit into the holes. They are all broken at the hook part.

 

[Big Ed]

It looks like you got # 3540-40 Coupler ground truck also shows the # 581-25 too.

The roller carriage looks like a # 581-10 that has four tabs that bend down to hold it on the truck. This is for the lights. Looks easy enough to take off. But be careful bending the tabs.

These trucks are also used on some whistle tenders and illuminated cabooses too. Maybe you got one you can swap?

Your talking about missing the metal tab that rivets to the center of the knuckle to open it right? Not the one holding the hook in.

Heck you can do without that as long as you can hook to the car to pull it around. No?

This post was put in before the above post
This is for the # 6822 cars.

 

[T-Man]

I do have a plastic truck to swap. You have a good plan. I haven't messed with this trucl and no I have no more center pickups. I have one lighted caboose and tender from a mint set still in the box from 92ish. No junks this time. I found one coupler. So I can switch the hook or the truck.

Also came up with a quick fix. I have some dummies from a F-3. I used a stripped twistie as wire.

Now I Know why I called it a maintenance car.

I do have the metal tab just no hook that swivels with the pin
Thank you for the encouragement ED!
Should I change the truck?

 

[Big Ed]

That center pickup is the roller carriage.

It comes off by unbending the four metal tabs. (Carefully)
You should be able to place it on a matching truck if you have one.

I think the roller carriage will work with some of the illuminated cabooses trucks too.

Though I'm not sure.

Edit;
Though it looks a little strange your fix worked right?

I must add that I have never worked on one of these roller carriage assembly's yet.

 

[T-Man]

I am use to the metal ones. This plastic one is strange. I tried fixing the spring to my 6466x tender carriage assy. last night but I have a short.

Yes the strange fix works but there are no metal tabs. It is all plastic. I think the piece is removable but I need hole tabs on the side of the trucks. A metal one will work but I used my last two on the waste car and caboose.

 

[T-Man]

The End almost

I pulled the axles off and there are no side tabs.The unit is supported by the axles. I have to consider two connections when I remove the rivet. I could double nut them if I can fit it undet the center roller unit.

 

[Big Ed]

My repair manual shows a metal roller carriage.

That one is all plastic?

Could it be that someone changed the trucks and put on newer style trucks prior to you getting it?

 

[T-Man]

I doubt it the truck is held on with a special double rivet. It hold the truck on and it keeps the wipers and soldered tab together it is plastic. I just fixed it pics to come in a few. My description says AAR type trucks. Whatever that is, metal or plastic. Then everything just snaps back in place.

I used a number 6 screw with a self lock nut. I cut the screw to fit about 1/2 inch. Keeping the screw length below the truck frame gave me plenty of clearance. The old rivet had to be pried apart with the screwdriver on the tabs. Plastic does not like the heat generated with a dremel. If you cut with a dremel the truck will fall off before you cut it. I also soldered directly to the wiper. First with two pliers I bent the tab up and soldered.So I eliminated the need for a rivet.

 

[Big Ed]

T what I think you got there is a newer version of the track maintenance car.

Check out these pictures it's Lionel but made in around 2006.

Underneath says #6511, the car body itself is based on a #6511 flatbed car.

Mine has all the holes for the stakes but a maintenance body with searchlight mounted to it.
My # on the side is 26875.
It's not cataloged in Greenburg's, it might be from a set.

Could it be that you have a newer car?
Or someone changed the trucks to the newer ones like what I got on mine?
Mine has the pickup rollers on each truck. Does your have two?
Turn your car over does it have the holes for the flatbed stakes like mine?


Edit;
Thats what I think you got is a newer car there, T.
As you can see the holes for the stakes on yours. Unless all of them (older ones) came with the flatbed stake body.
I don't have an older one to look at.

 

[T-Man]

My bed is a 6511 with stake holes. The 6822 car was made until 1969. I have only one pickup the other is a non working dummy. I have a sound tender from the early 80's that have your style of the center carriage. Mycar picture is in the gallery. Both my trucks have/had rivets and the rivet job was done with a tool. No novice. The pickup had a special double rivet. I prpbably have a later version but I guess late 60's. I could try the fudimension supplements on the Lionel site. I don't think this truck had a long production. I have not seen one that is not broken at the hook.

I like the orang and yellow on yours.