LGB Decoder Fitting Guides - Stainz

Step 3: Separating the Cab

Now here is a tricky bit!. Although the cab is attached to the boiler, neither piece is now physically fixed to the base plate. However, the driver, with his arm out the side window prevents the cab from simply lifting off. It seems to me that the driver was probably glued in after the fitting of the cab, and as such the German assembly staff did not have this tricky problem we are now faced with when assembling/disassembling the loco. Aswell as his hand being out the cab window, his head is very close to the speaker on the roof of the cab which can prove problematic.

Here is my recommmendation of how to go about getting the driver out of the cab:

Tipping the whole body upside down while attempting to do this allows more movement of the baseplate as the weights in the coal bunkers just in front of the cab on either side stay within their slots.

Now, highly technical this, you have to jiggle the red base-plate, with the front coming towards you, as shown in the figure below:

This moves the driver towards the front of this cab where there is more room between his head and the curved speaker moulding. Also, you may need to push his hand into the cab to make sure it clears the window, while simultaneously still twisting the baseplate a bit! The first time i managed to get him out, i had an additional pair of hands 'on hand' to help, but the second time round you get the feel of what needs to be moved where, and you can usually do it on your own.

Having said that, you may be one of the lucky ones, whose driver does not need as much coaxing out as ours, if so, count yourself lucky!

With the basplate now separate from the cab and boiler place it to one side, together with the weights which will fall out of the cab. (N.B, it is worth noting which way up the weights go back in, to make reassembly that little bit quicker.)