Warren's custom services?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I picked up some of coupler Warren’s custom services mounting pads (#8000) at a train show. I like how easily they are installed and add a good mounting point for couplers.

Anyone hear about this company and know what happened to them? I searched with google and got nothing.

If someone else makes the part, I’d like to know who.

Thanks for reading.

2

Bump

No one knows anything? Guess I’ll use the DW pilot buffer plates for the rest of my BB SD40-2s if I can’t find more of these.

3

So far as not knowing anything, I admit I don’t know what happened to Warren Custom Services. But I do, or did, have some of the buffer plates I think you’re talking about. It was a piece with a rectangular opening that was made to slide up into that notch in the pilot that Athearn has in the BlueBox diesel bodies to allow removal of the body shell without having to remove the couplers. There was an extension that slid back into the opening to which a coupler could be attached. However, if I remember correctly, you had to cut off the extension of the frame on the Athearn chassis. In effect what happened was that the coupler became shell mounted instead of chassis mounted. The installation gave a more prototypical look to the model.

You mention the Details West pilot buffer. If you mean their part number BP-195, I was going to mention that to you. However if the picture of the part is accurate, it does not seem to have the coupler mounting pad I think you’re looking for. Here is the picture from the Walthers catalog: http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/235-195 I think you’d have to see if the original coupler mounting could be used, and whether or not you’d have to use a longer shank coupler to get enough stick through to get the coupler through the buffer without interference.

I did see where Details West is showing as “coming soon” a scale coupler buffer plate for GE locomotives. I don’t know what the difference between the new part and the BP-195 is. But here’s the announcement if you’re interested: http://www.detailswest.com/coming_soon.htm.&nbs