Problem with Royal Gorge coach

[stubella]

I purchased the Bachmann Royal Gorge set for my son for Christmas. The two coaches are quite long, and they do not stay coupled. The domed coach works OK, but the other one does not. The E-Z coupling system just doesn't seem to work well. There is simply too much up-down wiggle room with the couplers. If the couplers do not line up exactly, then the one in a higher position slips upward and the lower coupler slips downward and the train separates. After experimenting on several occasions, I cannot get the train to stay coupled -- quite frustrating!

Is there any way to fix this? I tried calling service dept and left a message, but got no response. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[ABC]

By a Kadee coupler gauge or an NMRA standards gauge and line all your couplers up according to the gauge. Is it possible that a little "rough" handling affected the couplers, and are you running on a level layout or do you have grades?

[Tylerf]

And of course swapping the ezmates out with kadee metal couplers all together with completely fix that issue. However this usually doesent happen on shorter trains, its usually not an issue on flat layouts and under about 15-20 car trains.

[stubella]

Tylerf and ABC -- thanks for the advice on replacing the couplers. Is it a fairly easy replacement? I checked on the Kadee website and they have fairly specific directions for each make/model, but only for a small subset of units on the market. I plan to check with my local hobby shop to see if they can help.

Interestingly, the 2 coaches from the Royal Gorge set have different coupling mechanisms. The end of the  coupler on the Skydome coach pivots inside a little black box with a small screw facing downwards. The second coach that I am having problems with has the E-Z Mate coupler that is attached to a piece of plastic that fits inside a y-shaped groove on the bottom of the coach and is anchored via a spring. Seems like I would have to replace the whole coupling system?

I'm running with only two locomotives and two coaches (that's all we have so far) on a flat sheet of plywood with no grades. I checked the tracked many times to make sure it was connected correctly, but that's not it. I don't think rough handling accounts for it either as I see no visible sign of damage.

[ABC]

There wouldn't necessarily be any damage, but the coupler could have been affected (ie. height). If it was handled by a younger child there's always the chance for a bit of rough handling.

[GCTTowerA]

I, too, have the Royal Gorge set and have notice on occasion that the second coach separates from the dome coach. I also noticed that the two coaches have different couplers (the regular car has an E-Z Mate Mark 2-with springs and the dome car has the regular E-Z mate coupler without the springs).

This problem also occurs on the McKinley Explorer set. I noticed that the track must be perfectly flat or what was described (the couplers shifting up and down) happens. I was simply planning on replacing the couplers with the Kadee couplers.

[Joe Baldwin]

No coupler gauge is going to fix this problem.  I have a new set from this past Christmas and the coupler mounting on the observation coach is very unsuitable.  When I get around to it, I'll be replacing the couplers and mounts to something that is capable of doing the job.  Bachmann needs to re-engineer this car.

[Doneldon]

stub-

It sounds to me as though your couplers aren't stable in their draft gears (coupler boxes). Couplers will often separate if one can shift up and the other down. Vertical curves aggravate this. You need couplers which freely pivot side to side but move not at all up and down. I'd replace the present couplers with Kadees and new Kadee boxes, all of it mounted to spec with a coupler height gauge.
                                                                         -- D

[Desertdweller]

The KD couplers will probably solve the problem.  Before you buy them, you might try shimming the couplers in their boxes with very thin sheet plastic.  This won't cost anything, and may work.

Les

[Joe Baldwin]

Changing just the coupler will NOT fix the problem.       And adjusting the height is not a solution either.

The problem is with the coupler box mounting. 

According to the Kadee website, you must replace the stock bachmann coupler box with Kadee PN 454 http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page454.htm and the coupler with a #37 coupler.

Find the correct   facts at this site http://www.kadee.com/conv/pdf/b39.pdf

[Doneldon]

The problem is with the coupler box mounting. According to the Kadee website, you must replace the stock bachmann coupler box with Kadee PN 454 http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page454.htm and the coupler with a #37 coupler.

Stub-

As I mentioned two days ago, "replace the present couplers with Kadees and new Kadee boxes, all of it mounted to spec with a coupler height gauge."
                                                                                     Doneldon

[Joe Baldwin]

The problem is with the coupler box mounting. According to the Kadee website, you must replace the stock bachmann coupler box with Kadee PN 454 http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page454.htm and the coupler with a #37 coupler.

Stub-

As I mentioned two days ago, "replace the present couplers with Kadees and new Kadee boxes, all of it mounted to spec with a coupler height gauge."
                                                                                     Doneldon

Don, one must replace the PIVOT mechanism which is the root problem and different from the coupler box. Replacing the coupler box as you said two days ago would NOT fix the problem and is rather impractical because of the production bell crank.  All of this is explained in the referenced PDF.  The Kadee 454 kit appears to be hard to find, perhaps going out of production.  It is listed as while quantities last and my LHS is out of stock. I got what was listed as the last one on Amazon. 

Joe

[utdave]

this is what i have done with bachmann passanger cars    i put kadee 118 or 119 SHELF couplers.    what i found that doing this i can do a 15 full dome passanger cars with no promblems of uncoupling hills/switches/curves .    i use 4 coaches on a smaller steam loco  and they seem to do alot better with each other.      my full domes are mostly silver series .    trouble with shelf couplers  if one car falls on its side they all follow  and harder to uncouple  even with a skewer   just a little more work with the shelf couplers.              remember joe when you buy train sets you dont get the better cars or locos  ill post some things on your other post that ive done .    Dave

[Doneldon]

trouble with shelf couplers  if one car falls on its side they all follow  and harder to uncouple  even with a skewer

Dave-

True, but then passenger trains don't get shuffled around nearly as much as freight cars. Even the big boys
mainly keep their passenger trains assembled. This is how some railroads were able to justify tandem cars where
two cars use only three trucks. Little need to uncouple, less weight and slightly better efficiency.
                                                                                                                                                 -- D

[Joe Baldwin]

UTDave,

I'd never heard of shelf couplers and was skeptical of your suggestion but I went to the LHS and got a couple of sets of Kadee 118 & 119 (difference in length) and put a set of 119's on my Royal Gorge Dome coach and you are so correct!  That car is connected and I'm sure it is going to stay that way.  I did have to trim the bottom of the diaphragm to clear the upper shelf on the coupler else the couple would lock in the extreme angle hung up on the bottom of the diaphragm.

Thank you for a very good tip! 

Joe