Lifelike SW9/1200 handrails

[ATSF_Ron]

I picked up this great little switcher a few months ago.  Runs superbly.  Need to convert couplers to MTs, so I put it away until I could get my hands on some that would fit.  I came back to it today and...dammit!  My ham hands must've bent the handrails when In put it in the case.  If memory serves, I thought I read an article or post somewhere that said these handrails could be GENTLY heated to coax them back to their original shape.  Does that ring a bell with anyone, or does anyone have a suggestion for getting these back to their original shape?  It's been several hours since I took it back out of its case, and the shape is already better but definitely still fairly distorted, as you can see in the pics.

[jpwisc]

Try bending them back, if that doesn’t work, I may have a spare set still on the sprue I can ship you.

[Lackawannae8]

lightly with a hair dryer and slow

[ATSF_Ron]

Lackawannae8, good idea. I have a heat gun for shrink tubing, but that would probably just turn it to liquid in two seconds. The hairdryer is much more controlled I think.

[thomasjmdavis]

I can't speak to the handrails in particular, but I've had good luck using hot water to remove warp ( or to bend plastic parts).  Often, just the hot water (130F more or less) from the kitchen tap, or heating it on the stove or microwave to 160-180 (do not use boiling water).  Best advice I can give is start with water of 120F, and increase 10 degrees or so until the plastic becomes... plastic.  Stop at 180 and try something else if it still hasn't softened enough to restore it to shape.  I've had some bent parts that went back to correct shape by themselves as soon as they hit the water.  Keep in mind that you can get scalded/burned by water at these temps, so dip the parts in and take them out with some form of utensil. 

ALSO- important- if you heat the water on the stove, pour it into a bowl or container- the bottom of the pot may be much hotter than the water itself, and can damage the part.

[JoeD]

I picked up this great little switcher a few months ago.  Runs superbly.  Need to convert couplers to MTs, so I put it away until I could get my hands on some that would fit.  I came back to it today and...dammit!  My ham hands must've bent the handrails when In put it in the case.  If memory serves, I thought I read an article or post somewhere that said these handrails could be GENTLY heated to coax them back to their original shape.  Does that ring a bell with anyone, or does anyone have a suggestion for getting these back to their original shape?  It's been several hours since I took it back out of its case, and the shape is already better but definitely still fairly distorted, as you can see in the pics.

I have some, but only in Black and maybe grey it that will work for you.

Joe

[wazzou]

Sounds like an opportunity to bend some Phosphor Bronze wire. 

[randgust]

I rarely keep plastic handrails, replace them with brass wire, but the LL one's aren't half bad.  At least compared to the 'bad old days'.

But if you are keeping them, consider gently removing them with tweezers (pry where the little post tabs are), flatten back out, and hit with adhesion promoter (spray can stuff for plastic).  Then paint the parts that should be yellow, and if you are really a fanatic, the right blue is Floquil Polly Scale ATSF blue (black lid, not gray).

http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5245639#google_vignette

I just finished up a custom build for a customer, thought about replacing the end rails, decided not to, and the whole 'straighten, promote, paint' worked quite well.  On all yellow end rails, too.

[tehachapifan]

Sounds like an opportunity to bend some Phosphor Bronze wire. 

Been there done that!....

[Jim Starbuck]

Been there done that!....

Outstanding work!
It’s almost a shame to paint all that beautiful jewelry.

[tehachapifan]

Thanks, Jim!

Yes, painting them to match the loco definitely makes them stand out less.... especially when the loco is a dark grey!

That said, in this particular case, the prototype had all white handrails...

[Mark5]

Very nice work!

Now that GMM is gone, what are you guys using for stanchions?

[tehachapifan]

The SW1200's above were both done with GMM stanchions. I haven't done any brass/PB handrails since and don't know what there is to use now.

[gi-depp]

@tehachapifan: Incredible work, what diameter is the wire you used?

[ATSF_Ron]

Tehachapifan, those are nice, indeed!

I ended up using a hair dryer on low heat.  Did the job just fine.  Thanks for the input, guys!