Does anyone know if it is possible to repair and/or replace the radiator segments found in some of the early diesel locomotives? The attached image is of a Davenport 25 tonner which has two leaky segments.

Rick, the last time I ran across this problem I ended up replacing the bad cores with new cores which were more efficient than the old cores - not entirely a bad thing, but taken to the extent that correct operating temperature might be compromised not good. Reducing the size of the core to account for the added efficiency is a tradeoff...... find an old dirty building with a radiator repair outfit that's been doing business for 60 years or so and let them figure out what they can do. The new shops are just parts changers who don't really fix anything.

One of the volunteers at the RGVRRM fabricated a radiator core for a small Plymouth locomotive. I think he might have salvaged tubes from another radiator that was going to be scrapped, and scratchbuilt the rest.
http://www.rgvrrm.org/radiator-kit-for-our-plymouth-b/

He is a regular poster here, and will probably see your note. Perhaps he can give some more detail on the techniques that he used.

JR

A google search for "radiator recoring service" turns up plenty of hits:

https://www.google.com/search?q=radiato ... ng+service

Hopefully you can find one near you. It appears you can remove and repair the offending segments rather than having to do the entire radiator.

Rick:

Those appear to be very much like the cores you will find in your Alco S2 locomotive.

I had some of these tested and repaired by an "OLD" radiator shop.

You may have to pinch off and solder a leaking tube. I tried to remove the ends on some of my old ones from an Alco and they must have used some kind of hardening cement, because the torch would not melt it out. Never did get an end off.

Some of mine were made by "Young Radiator" which is still in business. I recently looked at some new surplus EMD radiator cores that were made by Young Radiator.

You might try looking them up.

There is a radiator shop down the road. I will see if he can work some magic on the leaky cores. I was hoping that maybe someone was still making parts for these radiators but apparently not.

Thanks.

Hi Rick,
It is a bit difficult to tell from the photo but are the segments leaking from midway in the cores themselves or are they leaking at the top or bottom? The leakers on Mid-Continents' S-1 were mostly the cork gaskets at the top & bottom of the core sections. Have you had an opportunity to check there? mld