I recently bought a new Atlas GP 40 in CN colors. it is a great runner. i was adding the details and after I added the snow plow, i noticed when trying to couple with another car,the trip pin on the other car hits the snow plow at the same time its trying to couple together and it frequently uncouples. It appears as if the snow plow is two low and protrudes out slightlly more then it should. Any ideas would be welcome
The problem is that the prototype does not use trip pins! They get caught on snow plows all the time. If you are not using the magnetic uncoupling feature, just clip them off and you will not have any problems. If you need to use the magnetic feature, you are going to have trouble coupling up cars, or raise the snowplow so you have clearance(which usually results in the engines trip pin rubbing on the plow!).
Jim Bernier
If the trip pins cause problems when facing away from the car, they can be turned 180 degrees and left under the car. I started doing this when I started running passenger cars with diaphragms. 0-5-0 uncoupling would fequently cause the trip pins to tangle. Reversing them cured the problem.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
You also might want to try a coupler with a longer shank, like a Kadee #46.
Nick
Or. just shorten them if you do use them. If your good, you can het it low enough to work and high enough to avoid theplow. Another trick might be to turn the tip around 180. But then, I’d just cut them off too.
Here is a suggestion. This is from RMC July 1976. The couplers are HO scale Kadee 711 old time couplers but the idea might work with the other couplers. I used standard paper clips. Very hard to see normally on the layout. I emphasized the light to show the pins.
Rich
Thats what I had to do with a Dash 8.
I had the same problem with my Proto 2000 GP38-2’s. I just cut the trip pins off.
Thanks for the information
Dale