I’m in the process of finally converting my freight rolling stock to Kadee couplers, having converted my Amtrak equipment several years ago.
Having finished all of the cars this afternoon, I decided to start on my fleet of 19 freight locomotives, following the conversion guidelines/diagrams from Kadee’s website. About half of my fleet is Athearn blue box locomotives, which won’t be an issue to convert. The other half is Atlas locomotives (older yellow boxes) ranging from an SD35 and SD24s from the early 1980s to three that came with Kato drives in them from the late 1980s (or early 1990s?). While the two newer ones that I completed went smoothly, I ran into an issue with the old SD35, and that was getting the pins holding the couplers out. While I got the pins out after cutting out the horn-hook couplers to get a grip on the pins and then struggling for over a half hour pulling on the pins before they came out, is there anything that can make it easier to get the old pins out?
Which is why Kadee makes a series of couplers made from non conducting plastic. The Kadee “what-fits-what” list will steer you to the proper non conducting coupler for locomotives. Athearn isn’t the only maker of hot chassis locomotives.
As far as getting the coupler retaining pins out of Atlas lococmotives, you might have better luck drilling them out. Center punch them first and then drill them out.
I just use a small flat blade jeweler’s screwdriver and position it between the frame and under the head of the pin. Pry up a bit and then grab the head with a small plier. Pin comes out every time.
The older Atlas SD24 and SD35 diesels used a Kadee #8, but it appears that coupler is no longer offered. It was a medium-length, centre-set shank with a very short gear box.
A suitable replacement might be any centre-set medium or short whisker-type coupler in a #5 draught gear box. That box, when the bronze centring spring isn’t used, can be cut-off at its rear just behind the coupler’s pivot point (the same point through which the Atlas mounting pin would be inserted). I use these on steam loco pilots where there’s a lead truck, as it takes up very little space.
A good resource to have, Kadee catalog, every coupler and product they make. Lot of dimentional info, height gauges and so forth. Give PDF time to load, 58 pages:
Yeah, Blue Box locos can be tricky, they don’t necessarily come out the right height without work, in addition to the potential shorting issue. Various articles have been published over the years giving details. If you don;t want to use the plastic shank couplers you have to grind most of the coupler box casting off and then attach the Kadee using their box.
Been a while since I did a kato-made Atlas, but I don;t think there was anything special needed for the RS3’s. No idea on more modern power like the SDs, don;t have any as they are too new for my era. Should be similar to other kato made units.
On the BB, if you are only replacing coupler and reinstalling w/ the Athearn cover, use the #30, it is the plastic shank (no shorting). If you are drill and tapping the frame lug to accept the Kadee and the #5 box, you will need to remove a slight bit off the frame lug for proper coupler height. I would suggest body mounting Kadees and cut off the lug. On my yellow box Atlas I used the short 30 series tortion spring couplers and had to open up the pocket on the pilot. I don’t replace the pin. fill, dril, tap and screw for 2/56. The “whisker” wans’t available at that time, not sure if anyone has found a “newer” better method.
I always use the plastic coupler boxes included w/ the #5’s, #42’s or #47’s and haven’t had an issue yet. Maybe I’m just lucky so far. I actually purchased one SD40 via Ebay that had the frame mounted coupler pad cut off and the coupler box was attached to the body by building up styrene to the correct height, drilling and tapping the new pad and glueing part of the box to the pad. That works very nice, also.
Len S reply of using the Kadee box, will automatically isolate a metal coupler. The box itself has the molded plastic pivot “lug” for the coupler on the cover. All Kadee coupler boxes will do this regardless of series.
Go to the Kadee site and look at #38. There site lists this as replacement for old #8. There is also information for using whisker couplers with this gear box. Hope this helps you
