I am looking for McHenry Couplers for Rivarossi diesel engines, Is the company still in business or did they get bought out? If so are they still made? Also what other couplers will work?
Thanks
McHenry couplers are available from a great many places, but before you go wasting you hard earned money on soft plastic couplers you should take a good look at Kadee couplers. Kadee makes couplers for everything including Rivarossi locos. Rivarossi made locos for quite a few companies including AHM.
Follow the link to the Kadee page. On the menu bar find “Conversions” and pick “HO Scale Conversions”. There you will find some 18 different Rivarossi locomotives listed with the Kadee coupler that fits them.
Thanks!
McHenry Couplers were bought out by Athearn, and I don’t think they make those Rivarossi-style replacement couplers any more.
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More correctly, McHenry Couplers were bought by Horizon Hobbies, which also owns Athearn and several other brand names. Since Walthers doesn’t distribute Horizon products, that may be the source of your troubles.
McHenry has significantly changed their product line since they were bought out.
However, I believe the other comments are more appropriate: if you’re going to replace couplers, go ahead and invest in metal ones (Kadee, Wathers ProtoMax). If you’re going to use cheesy couplers, there are several alternative brands you could use, but I don’t think the trouble you’ll have is worth the cost savings.
Which McHenry couplers do you want?
I have a few, for a few Rivarossi passenger cars, that I don’t need…I think one pair each for a couple different passenger cars. They are a simple snap in replacement for the talgo style horn hook couplers.
These parts are available brand new from Horizon, and are also being sold by them on Ebay. I bought the ones I have just recently.
You can find what you need if you look.
If provided a mailing address, I can send the couple pairs I have.
John
P.S. Also, I prefer Kadee couplers–and if one has the curves for them, body mounted Kadee couplers are the way to go–but not everybody has the curves to allow them.
Even on my 26.375" (Kato) minimum radius, full length 85’ passenger cars don’t look good to my eyes. I’m now switching to Concor 65’ cars that come with LED lights installed.
I vote for KaDee couplers also!
Here is how I knew McHenry’s were/are cheap:
I was on a tight hobby budget and went tothe local train shop to buy couplers for a Bachamnn RR car with horn-hooks on it. It was a $5 car brand new litterally. The hobby shop owner said “why would you put expensive KaDees on a cheap car…try the cheap $0.99 c Henryy instead!!!”
I DID get the McHenry taht day, but I vowed iF i every have to repalce ANY coupler, I would use kaDees!
The conversion chart for KaDees for KaDee manufacturing link is here:
http://www.kadee.com/conv/convpl.htm Select your option, it will link you to their recommended replacements.
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Yes–the McHenry coupler is a simpleton’s half-way solution to fixing a problem–or multiple problems. But it is not a real “fix”. The body mounted Kadee coupler is–but then you still have the appearance issues of long cars on tight curves.
I used to want realistic equipment–correct length, etc.–at “all” costs.
But day after day on the layout the ridiculous overhang of anything longer than a 65’ car–even on 26" radius (which actually is an “operable” radius)…well the end result just is far more toylike than if I accept the compromised car lengths available from some manufacturers.
I want an East Wind passenger train–the only PRR train not painted Tuscan Red–in 1940 and ‘41 it was lemon yellow, with silver stripes and Brunswick Green roofs. IHC/Rivarossi made the train, but most of the cars are totally wrong, and I can’t afford the brass model that is coming in a year or so…Anyway, for me, I discovered the ConCor 65’ passenger cars actually look much better on my layout than correct scale length equipment, and some fine 65’ passenger cars are also available from Athearn/Roundhouse that are actually correct for some prototype cars.
As always, others’ experiences and opinions may vary and that is perfectly ok.
John
The main benefit of McHenry couplers is that they forced Kadee to offer scale-head whisker couplers.