Ok, I need some help-I just got a Kato GP7 with issues. First, the LED lamp is fried. Second, against my railroad’s SOG 2, “all equipment must have knuckle couplers in any way shape or form”, the single one is trashed, and third, I have an unwanted hork-hook coupler on the short hood. The unit has Kadee boxes, but the screwhead is internal, meaning I CAN’T REMOVE AND REPLACE THE COUPLERS. Sorry to shout, but either way, can anyone help me out please?
Most of the ‘old’ Atlas HO GP7(Kato) that I have seen have the coupler pinned on from underneath. Here is the Atlas parts diagram:
http://www.atlasrr.com/pdf/PartsPDFs/HORepairManual/HOGP7Locomotive.pdf
Atlas still has some parts for the Kato manugfactured engines, but they do not have all of them any more.
Jim
Not sure what you mean by “the screwhead is internal”?? AFAIK on Atlas engines the coupler box is/was held in by a screw or pin from the bottom. For where the coupler boxes are located, if the screw was driven from above, the screw head would be visible in the front and rear walkways.
The older Atlas engines (assuming that’s what it is) had a chassis that included the walkways and pilots. To access the interior, you removed the body (the part above the walkways) and cab which are separate parts from the frame / chassis / walkways. Be sure to disconnect the handrails from near the steps and the cab so you don’t break them when taking the engine apart.
I am assuming that this is an Atlas/ Kato GP.
Replace with the Kadee #5 and it’s box. You will need to file the pilot opening larger to accomadate the size of the new box. It has been quite a few years since doing these, I don’t remember if the existing unside mounting (under the walks) is @ the proper height or that some additional filing will be needed for proper coupler height.
The one that I have is exactly like the one in Jim’s post, although mine does have Kaydee’s pinned in it. Also, mine has a 12V Filament Lamp, not an LED. There are not any other electronics, so to LED it, one would need a limiting circuit of some sort. The shell comes off very easy, just pinch & wiggle the sides of the short hood & pull upward, after popping out the grab irons… It is a good little loco, I really like mine!
Thank you! Turns out the main attachment device was a straightforward pin, not a screw as I’d thought. I managed to pull out the pins with a small flathead screwdriver, and I’m now running the Geep with two knuckle couplers, and is now in cooperation with the SOG stated. Again, thanks for the help!