Roof Removal LGB 33520

[Jacobelsen]

Hi all,

I have lots of experience removing roofs of LGB rolling stock but this car has stumped me for some time. I am hoping someone else out there has had experience removing the roofs of this specific item number 33520.

The car is RhB Salon car number 1144 in green and beige livery.

I have seen many schematics for other color variations of this car, but I do not know if they pertain exactly to my car(s, I have two) or not. I have tried all methods of roof removal except for completely disassembling the car. I think it is possible that the roof is attached by the typical clips and hangers that LGB uses (see first picture with slight indent in roof above center of leftmost bay window), but they are incredibly tight and I don't think I can remove without damaging some part of it. Of course I want to preserve the exterior appearance of the car.

I have tried and failed at the various suggestions in these LGB instructions (below, yes I know the same style of car is pictured here but the method of roof removal suggested still did not work). I have tried to pry with pliers, unscrew various screws, use woodworking clamps, et cetera. Anyone have ideas for me?


Looking forward to hearing from the group and connecting with any and all LGB and RhB fans.

Sincerely,

Jacob
(@TraniacGrandson)

 

[DickyC]

hi, if you have a look at this link it might help. This guys website has been invaluable top me on a few topics. I have put it through goggle website translate for you.

hope it helps, or the additional pictures do anyway as they indicated the pinch points, not opened one of these wagons up myself but they look to have stronger thicker plastics than most lgb coach's.

LGB 30650 RhB Salonwagen

 

[OBBherr]

Not familiar with your coach but for standard RhB coaches and the restaurant car I finally found something that worked for me, courtesy of Andy at Amazing Little Trains. He uses a plastic “spudger” , the sort used by car mechanics to lever off plastic clip fit parts. Use a thin one (or a thin blade) to create a small gap at one end of the roof. Leave it in position and use another to work along towards the centre till the clips pop out. Repeat the other side. I would support DickyC’s comment above, the sides are stronger than they look.

 

[penylanpip]

You could always throw it down a flight of stairs, as I did from my attic railway room some years ago (photos are dated 29/10/07)...



The only damage to either coach was one corridor suspension bracket. After sending these photos to the real LGB, they sent me a replacement part free of charge.

 

[Gizzy]

Agree with above comments, the roofs are tricky to remove.

The 'Spudger Idea' worked for me. You do have to be a little bit brutal and use more force than you think, but persevere and they will come off....

 

[Nodrog1826]

@Jacobelsen This may be relevent, or not.

I have the resturant version of this coach, now as it only has doors at one end it has the same roof locking as this LGB 31523, going back to an older 2021 thread.

Thread 'Removing the roof of an LGB 3n52n RhB steel coach'

10 Oct 2021

I have an LGB 31523 RhB coach (AB 1617) which arrived as a "rattler".... all the seats were floating loose in the 2nd Class saloon section of the car. It was otherwise fine so I pushed it aside for later attention. The tedium of COBID-19 lockdowns has been relieved, to some extent by working through all the later projects, and 31523's number finally came up.

I have a few of theses RhB steel coaches but have never had occasion to remove the roof from one, so I turned to the Marklin instructions which cryptically suggested that there was something that needed to be done...

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• Forum: Rolling Stock - Passenger

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It's a sort of Pullman coach body style, so may be the same type of roof.