Athearn freight cars

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Is there a better way to keep the cover plate attached? I’ve tried squeezing them tighter but they still get loose and either the Kadee droops or the cover falls off. Thanks

2

Are you referring to the dark, metal, somewhat U-shaped clip? They have been around quite a while and are problematic. I usually Goo them on the sides where the tab fits. Also make sure the vertical leg is as straight as possible (not at an angle which reduces its engagement of the tab).

The new RTR cars from the new tooling (usually having etched metal walk ways) have a screw mounting.

3

First step it to put the couplers in BEFORE attaching the underframe to the carbody. If you’ve already assembled the car, unscrew the trucks and take the underframe off. Then you can get in with needlenose pliers and gently squeeze the lid tight. Look closely or use a magnifier to make sure the slot is over the plastic tabs, and then carefully squeeze the very edge of the cover to it is obviously over the tab. It won’t fall out then. It should be obvious what to do when you look at it closely.

–Randy

4

The best way is to drill out the post and tap for a 2-56 screw and screw the cover on.

Rick

5

Touch of model glue on either side works for me.

6

I prefer the drilling out and using a 2-56 screw. Another method is to glue a small square of .20 styrene on the peg. Use Testors plastic glue but only a small amount so as not to gum up the inside of the coupler box. Using a screw takes longer but is a better method. I have found I need to cut off the weight on both ends past the coupler box with a Dremel cutting disk so I can run the screw through the car floor . It takes doing a few cars to get the knack of screwing the coupler pocket down flush with the bottom of the car end… Yours, The Ferroequinologist

7

Cyanoacrylate

8

I use pliers to bend the sides of the covers so that they’re square to the bottom section, then squeeze them into place using the method Randy mentioned. You can hear them snap into place. Never had a problem with them.

Wayne

9

Sometimes I carefully file the mold parting line on the side of the underframe casting and file a bit above the molded plastic catch that holds the metal clip. This makes the clip fit better. A bit of work with pliers also helps. As mentioned above look carefully at the sides of the clip once it is installed to be sure the holes in the clip are engaged with the plastic catch.

10

Works for me.

11

What annoys me is that the latest ones don’t come blackened. Of course I did not notice this while I was painting the weights flat black and took them along on a trip to assemble. Black Sharpie fixed them right up - next time I wll remember to check and paint them with the weights. Yes I always paint the weights - even on house cars where you theoretically can’t see them. I use a cheap can of flat black from Walmart, 10x the paint and a fraction of the cost of the Testors flat spray.

–Randy

12

Some tricks.

  1. Use long nose pliers to bend the ears of the coupler cover in so the cover fits good and tight.

  2. Make the little plastic cover retention lugs stand out more by filing away any flash, and the mold parting lines on the side of the coupler box.

3, Make sure the cover is on straight, and both lugs fit thru the slots in the cover…

  1. Don’t use glue. The coupler you glue on is the first coupler that you have to remove and replace.
13

+1 Ditto the above. Always worked fine for me. With no glue I could remove the couplers if I ever needed to for maintenenece.

14

Hi!

The Athearn kits were a key to the hobbie’s success, and I’ve built them since 1960. I learned early on to bend in the sides of the metal clip (between my fingers, not with pliers) and that has worked quite well. I have several kit built cars from the '70s and they have never needed adjustment.

Of course a few had, and I ended up just getting a new clip, etc., etc.

Mobilman44

15

I usually bend them with my fingers. If they are glued make sure you use Kadee’s and learn how to replace the coupler springs.

16

If you are using pliers, be sure and use them on the inner and outer ends of the coupler cover, so as not to flatten the plastic locking tabs on the side of the coupler box.

17

First, always put the couplers on before the mounting boxes are on the rest of the car (be they truck mounted like the passenger cars or beam mounted like the boxcar/reefers).

All I’ve ever done is squeeze the clips slightly with my fingers before I slip it on and then be sure that the hole on the bottom of the metal clip lines up exactly with the round peg that holds the coupler in place. Once that’s lined up I press down until both sides of the clip are snugly around the plastic pegs.

I have had cars work like this for several years and it’s easy to remove the clip if I need to replace the coupler. I haven’t ever glued one in place.

Every so often I get a clip that is bent or bad. You can buy a pack of blackened clips/covers from your hobby store for a couple of dollars. It pays to have some on hand.

18

I usually bend the clip by hand also. If the little nubs are worn out, I drill and tap for a 2/56 screw.

19

Thank you all for your suggestions. They were all useful

Richard in Las Cruces, NM