I pulled out all my HO models of 20 years ago out of the attic to sey up around the tree. Now I got bit by the bug.The engines were made by an Italia firm, Rivarsio, or something like that, Athern,Tyco,and lifelike.They all have horn hook couplers. I want to get realistic here. I would like to inslall the kadee couplers,with the unccoupler accessory so I can shunt cars about,like the real thing. What size kadees do I get??? What do I ask for??? Thanks to all. Easter
Try this: http://www.kadee.com/conv/ho.htm Make sure you buy the height gage.
Jim
Rivarossi is the name you are looking for and they made good equipment. For steam locomotives back then, they probably made the best plastic shell equipment although it was quite pricey by standards of those days. I remember their Big Boy at one time had a MSRP of $500 although you could probably get it from the discounters for half that.
The Athearn equipment was/is good equipment. A notch just below Atlas in quality.
The Tyco and Life Like are junk although if you still have the original boxes, the Tyco might fetch you a few bucks on e-bay. There are Tyco collectors out there.
kadee #5 is about the standard, also the #58 is popular, get a few #28’s (#26?) too in case you have problems with long cars jumping the track in curves…the #28 (or was it #26?) anyway the one with the long shank… a very long shank coupler can usually stop the problem of them going off the track…i put them on my passenger cars and they don’t jump the track anymore…I’ve also found that the mchenry delayed action magnetic uncoupler works better than the KADEE version…you’ll also do well if you get the height gauge as stated above because the couplers must be dead on accurate where the knuckles line up so the cars won’t pull apart…if the coupler hangs too high than you’ll have to add a styrene shim between the draft gear box and the rolling stock body,…if the coupler hangs too low then add a shim between the truck bolster and the rolling stock frame…another good tool is the kadee coupler pliers… it is handy because once in awhile you’ll get one of the MU hoses on the kadee couplers that are too low and will catch on a turnout causing a derailment…the pliers adjust the MU hose so that this won’t happen…chuck
Thanks all for the valuable input. Can’t wait to get started. Easter
One other thing, get some green and red KD washers to put between the trucks and bolster. They raise the body up.
Jim
Let us know how you make out “shunting cars” around with your new couplers.
Kadee does have a really good conversion chart and Aethern too.