FT A/B DC Locos un-coupling-Solved

[jbsmith]

I just bought a Bachmann FT-A and B unit locos,,the DC versions, New York Central System.
Over all,I have found these to be well made locos.

There was one small problem. The A and B units would come uncoupled,
the A unit being a wee bit faster than the B unit. It was quite amusing the
first time, watching the B+consist chase the A.
Then it became consistent. A brief test showed me the couplers were easy to pull apart.
Did this with the power off and just used my hands and it did not take much effort at all to pull them apart.
I have noticed this about knuckle couplers on rolling stock before.

What to do?

I remembered that i had some old school Horn-Hook couplers!
If nothing else, those old school horn hooks are Reliable.
So I removed the knuckle couplers between the A and B units and replaced them with the horn-hooks.
Made a test run, about 20 laps.
No more uncoupling incidents!

So there it is, just one possible and simple solution.

[pdlethbridge]

or better yet, a switch to real Kadees.

[lmackattack]

were the couplers that came with the locos made of plastic. if so did they have the plastic wisker that was intended to keep the knuckel closed? If so those are Junk IMO. put metal Kadee on and they will not only look better,perform better but also you can use the A unit only hooked to your train without the B unit.

the plastic knuckle couplers are not that good. they bend easy under load. if you do use a plastic nuckel use the ones with the springs that hold the knuckel closed. they are much better than the plastic wisker.

just my .02

Trent

[jbsmith]

i have read many good things about those kadee couplers.
I'll have to keep an eye out for them in my LHS or maybe even
just order them online and try them out.

But those horn hooks, i already had them on hand and they were
"free" so to speak, they came in  perviously purchased kit as an alternative.
When the train is moving i don't even notice them unless I specificly Look for them.
And they are Reliable for the most part, I have Never had them come
apart when a train is going forward.
Sometimes they will if they are really worn out after a sudden stop or after backing up.

[jbsmith]

were the couplers that came with the locos made of plastic. if so did they have the plastic wisker that was intended to keep the knuckel closed? If so those are Junk IMO. put metal Kadee on and they will not only look better,perform better but also you can use the A unit only hooked to your train without the B unit.

the plastic knuckle couplers are not that good. they bend easy under load. if you do use a plastic nuckel use the ones with the springs that hold the knuckel closed. they are much better than the plastic wisker.

just my .02

Trent

They are the Bachmann Easymates, factory installed.

And one good thing is i can run my Old  horn hook rolling stock with the A unit if i choose too. Yep i still have my rolling stock from the mid to late 1970s and still run them now and then.
So for me it works out well.

[pdlethbridge]

If you are going to keep the A and B unit always together, make a short fiber draw bar. They will never seperate then and remember that the early F units were kept together in pairs, as AB units.On the B&M, the B units were not numbered.