As many of you know these came with a drawbar between the A and B unit but many roads later converted them to couplers for ease of mixing and matching. Has anyone attempted to do this with Kadee couplers? Like the prototype theres not much room on the back of the A unit. I understand EMD had to make a special draft gesr for roads wanting to do this.
Thanks,
SB
If you’re looking for a short coupled distance between the units any short shank coupler should work. On an underset shank you could use 44, 144, 24, 34. The 144 is a Whisker coupler. For centerset shank 43, 143, 153, 23, 33. The 143 and 153 are Whiskers. Overset shank has 45, 145, 25, 35. The 145 is the Whisker.
Sounds to me that the question is not which coupler length to use, but rather how the coupler box gets mounted in limited space.
Not having an Intermountain FT I don’t have anything to compare to. Many of the F units I work on are from the 40’s and 50’s.
The Intermountain FT sets do not have coupler pockets, they simply have a single post which holds the small screw for mounting the drawbar to each of the two units.
It looks like it would be a simple conversion. Cut off this post and mount a KD coupler mounting box on each of the two FT units.
Or, simply attatch the kadee to the mounting post. I would not recommend this as the coupler would not properly swivle.
The couple mounted in the Kadee mounting box will ensure the proper movement of the coupler.
If the 'standard" Kadee box is a bit too long (truck interference, etc), use the 30 series “torsion” spring type, any of the Kadee couplers (short, med or long as well as overset, centerset or underset will fit) http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page33.htm
These would work. I did not know Kadee had these.
Thanks,
SB
A tip on the Kadee coupler boxes. I used to have a problem with the couplers sagging. I tried several things to lift the coupler slightly. The solution that worked for me was also the easiest. I just turned the box over so the raised lip on the box cover now helps support the coupler and keeps the pin from snagging on the track. It sounds silly but it really works.
Great idea, Jeff. Would also allow trimming/ filing to adjust the “slop”. I usually would shim w/ Kadee shims or styrene cemented to the bottom of the box, this sounds to be an easier fix, especially for long shanks.
The Kadee shims are part #211 and come in .010" and .015". I also use the red or gray fiber washers and it does the same thing.
Len S
FWIW I’d argue with the statement that “many” railroads replaced the drawbars with couplers. GM worked out a way to do it for the Santa Fe, but most railroads that ordered A-B sets of FT’s kept them that way, often adding an F2 or F3 after WW2 to create an A-B-A set. (As designed and built, FTs didn’t even have doors between the A and B units, so if they were separated the engines were open to the elements.)
For railroads that wanted to order FT’s as A-B-A sets, GM made the FTSB (FT Short Booster) which used drawbars between all 3 units, but didn’t have space for a steam boiler and water supply for passenger service. Unfortunately, the FTSB has never been offered as a model that I’m aware of.
I have to disagree here. Every FT model I’ve seen clearly has a CLOSED door. Not an OPEN space. Are the models that inaccurate?
Yup
Wow, should add a door or diaphrams to hide that “hole”
The shims mentioned are used to shim the draft gear box for the vertical slop of the coupler shank to stop and excessive droop.