Hi all,
I’ve been fussing with couplers on my HO trains, and I have a ‘couple’ questions (sorry )
Over the last week, I installed kadee trucks with couplers on one old car. They came with tiny springs, pins, and screws which hold the metal cover on the truck. First question: The tiny screws stripped out immediately on both trucks. They soon fell apart. I put them back together, but is this typical? I reassembled with locktite and wrapped some celophane tape around the coupler box. Any better suggestions? I have decided that I like car-mounted #5’s better. I put those on another old car.
While I was at it, I put #5’s on an Athearn caboose. I used the clip-on retainer that came with the car. Seemed to work fine.
The engine was another story. It came with McHenries on it, and they seem ok. I tried to put kadee #5’s on it, but they didn’t fit well or center properly. Again, I tried using the Athearn stock clips. Can anyone outline a good approach to put kadee couplers on this Athearn BB GP35 diesel? I’m thinking maybe #5’s in the kaydee gear box, with a 2-56 screw tapped into the frame or drilled-through with a nut and lockwasher underneath, but it’s going to be pretty crude-looking and I may have to notch the shell to make them fit.
Having now done the work to upgrade the old cars, I see the value in looking for some ready to run new ones. It was a good learning experience, though. I found some really good tips here and elsewhere on the net. Got my eye on a Proto 1000 switcher in a local shop. Might need to start thinking DCC, though.
kadee couplers are a chore to mount on BB locomotives…you’ll need a dremel tool with a cut off wheel and will have to do a lot of grinding where the couplers fit to the locomotive body until they are at the correct height (you may even have to whittle out some of the locomotive shell also with a hobby knife) … another thing, you’re not going to get a nut on the end of the coupler mount if you use a nut and a bolt because it will also interfere with the locomotive shell and it won’t go on the locomotive frame…my suggestion is that you purchase 2-56 wood screws …they’re wider than a regular 2-56 bolt and they hold relatively well…you’ll have to whittle out any plastic that interferes with the mounting…like the old gear box and drill out the hole with the proper drill bit (I use the bit that comes in the Kadee 2-56 screw tap and drill set ) you might even have to glue the draft gear box to the frame…(don’t know the number of the tap and drill set right off hand)…you’ll also need the Kadee height gauge…there’s nothing worse than cars that separate while going down the track because the height of the coupler is not correct…they have to be dead on accurate …if the coupler is too high when lined up the the height gauge, you’ll need to use a piece of sheet styrene and shim between the draft gear box and the car body…if the coupler is too low you’ll have to add a shim between the truck bolster and the frame…athearn BB stuff is notorious for misalignment when installing kadee couplers …they don’t play by the NMRA rules regarding coupler height and a lot of work has to go into them for them to line up properly…chuck
This may sound like the hard way, but it’s the same process I used for my GP-35’s and a other BB Locos and rolling stock. I think it’s still worth the trouble, in the end you’ll have trouble free operation.
Didn’t Kadee just release a “whisker” return spring type of coupler similar to the McHenry under part #143? I haven’t gotten any myself yet but would anyone else have tried them yet and relate their experience with the new coupler on a BB Athearn?
I’m not the one with experience to answer your locomotive question, but I definetley found that body mounting couplers is much better than truck mounting.
I always body mount my KDs on Athearns. Cut off the frame lug. Make a secure mount from plastic. Attach the coupler to the mount ,then adjust the height. Glue the mount to the body.
Not sure what’s going on with your BB Jim, but after about 35 BB’s in my fleet, I’ve had no problems with the retainers for the couplers with mounting #5’s on them.
One thing I do know is the retainer has to be facing the correct way according to the parts diagram Athearn supplies with the loco.
I found that out with the GEEP’s as they are mounted the opposite from the SD’s
Jim,
Yuor BB freight can be done with the #5, and the easier way is to just us the bronze centering spring and drop it into the frame pocket on the car, then put the metal cover back on. I have had really good luck with the Kadee #5’s, just finished up the rest of the BB Freight this week, and they work great. Some remove the old coupler box on the frame of the freight car, but I didn’t really feel it was nessecery to do so, they seem to be at the same hieight as the others and the guage shows they are good to go, with a bit of trip pin adjustment needed.
The BB GP35 and some of the other GP loco’s, I have found that grinding down the frame mount a bit helps to get them to the same height, and you cane use the #5 with the draft gear box. Drill a hole all the way through and tap hole to the size of screw.
I think I’ll leave the McHenries on the Athearn until they start to misbehave. This particular engine is an Athean BB that I purchased 6 years ago, so not the new RTR version. When I put on the #5, they were a bit low. They sit on top of the frame, so a shim could fix that. The whisker type kadee might be just the ticket. I bet I could glue on the #5 in its box pretty easily with a modification of the shell.
jim the walthers catalog has a coupler section and kadee has a conversion chart there showing what number coupler works with a particular manufacterers loc and rolling stock.
there also has been numerous articles in model railroader and railroad model craftsman over the years on how to mount couplers on locs. as far as your older talgo trucks i found an easy way to convert to body mount couplers.
i pop the trucks out and drill the bolster 3/16 in super glue a piece of styrene 3/16 tube into it cut flush depending on the styrene type you may or may not need to drill out the 3/16 tube to 1/8. then i add a piece of 1/8 styrene tube and cut till just a very small piece is sticking out of the 3/16. on the couplers i take a kadee #5 box with the small lip on it super glue that to the car floor and drill that 5/64 that hole takes a 2-56 with no extra effort and assemble the rest of the #5 box.
I have found that the coupler box clip needs to be “dressed” and burnished to remve any burrs on the edge of the stamping that may impede the swing of the #5. A little graphite in the pocket and possibly adjust the “uncoupler/airhose” and the KayDees give good service.
Will
Tom,
What you describe is exactly what I did with 2 old cars and the 3/16 and 1/8 styrene tubing. One car I used kadee trucks with integral couplers. Unfortunately, the little screws that hold the coupler box togeter stripped out immediately. After the 2nd reassembly, I wrapped celophane tape around the coupler boxes, and the little buggers are working good now. The second car, I screwed the #5 boxes to the car - much more professional I like that much better. It was lots of work, and about $7 for parts per car, and these cars are old atlas and tyco (toy grade) cars. Rather than spend the time and money to upgrade them, I think I’ll spend the money on new model-grade cars. One funny problem I have now is the reworked cars roll so much easier, that they tend to take off by themselfs when I uncouple over the magnetic strip! Go figure!
Nigel,
I like the looks of the kit. Actually, I bought most of the components separately. It’s a good list of odd-size couplers to “have around” in case of spots which need height adjustments (like the engine, for one). I’ll pick up a similar assortment next time I get a chance.
Will,
Thanks. I’ll do a little more research, and maybe try again.
You want to be careful with Kadees in Athearn engine coupler boxes. Since they are part of the frame they are uninsulated. If you run two BB engines back to back AND they are run with the cabs at each end you can short them out through the couplers. If you run them elephant style there isn’t a problem since the same side of the pick up is going to both frames.
Absolutely! The best solution for the use of #5 is to drill a 2-56 hole in the coupler pad and mount the #5 in its box but, like Jerry said:Please refrain from using common sense or encouraging others to do the same. It will only discourage you and confuse others…I will add “why complicate the easy” ? Geesh!
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