The rear truck on my HO S2 switcher has no power pickup. I suspect a detached wire. It would be an easy fix, I think, if I could figure out how to get the shell off. I have the exploded view drawing that came with the loco. But that's not that much help. It looks like I need to detach the handrail between the main body and the step, both front and back, But it seems the handrails may have been glued on. When I try tugging on the handrail to remove it, it will not budge, even using a fair amount of force. In fact, it feels like if I pull any harder, the handrail will break.
How do I get the shell off?
Remove the couplers then lift off the shell.
I had trouble with my analog S4 recently (posted about it here) but before anyone could help, I figured out the reason-it was a small bit of paint that was still wet on the chassis when the shell went on at the factory and when it dried it acted like glue to the shell, making it very tough to pull off but eventually it did. While you need to unscrew the couplers there was nothing else I needed to do or remove, except exert upward force while firmly but gently grabbing the shell.
Based on my experience with the dried paint, you may want to very carefully take an Xacto where the seem is between the shell and chassis and just go along it in case it is dried paint making it tough to get the shell off.
And here is a good YouTube about checking for conductivity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7uV239HwXQ
Thanks! Yes, removing the couplers did the trick.
But now I have another problem. How do I remove the trucks? I need to check the attachment of the wire to the wiper contact on the truck. Is the truck just a pressure fit so all I need to do is pull it out? Or is there something that needs to be opened or released to get the truck off?
Did you watch the video bro?
I hadn't, but yes, the video shows what I needed. Thanks!
You're more than welcome :). Glad you got the shell off and can now go about the fix.