Prairie 2-6-2

[Joe323]

Related Question what Kadee Coupler fits the 2-6-2 Mine came with a truck mounted but useless horn hook.

[jonathan]

Hmmm,

I can't find an example of a Prairie with a talgo truck on the tender.  That must be one dated loco...  If it were me, and I really liked the loco, I would cut off the coupler assembly and mount a Kadee #5 under the tender body.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Doneldon]

Joe-

Cut the Talgo arm off of the tender truck or replace the truck and body mount your knuckle coupler. Kadee #5 comes with two pairs of couplers and the draft gear (the box which holds the coupler, also called the coupler pocket). Make sure your coupler is centered on the car and, critical issue alert, at the right height. A coupler height gauge is the best way to check this. While you're at it check that the wire which curves down from the coupler head just barely clears your railheads. Depending on your preferences, you can also use the so-called whisker couplers and go with regular (oversize) Kadees or scale size Kadees. They have all of the information you need, plus a guide on shank length and offsets (whether the coupler is mounted to the midddle of the shank or offset high or low) on their web site:

                    http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/coupler.htm

Oh, yes. Something I always remind people of when talking about couplers: Remember that up and down are reversed when you're working on a car upside down. This is analogous to telling a friend that s/he has a new zit but not knowing whether to say it's on the right or left side of the face. Or maybe just a little jelly at the corner of the mouth.
                                                                                                                            -- D

[Joe323]

Actually the 2-6-2 i have had a body mounted coupler so modifying the trucks is a moot point.  When I bought it at flea market I had a lot of cheap horn hook talgo truck cars.  Since then I have exactly 3 left  (for display only)  but this loco is a pretty good runner so I'd like to get it back into service.