how do you get a Kadee on the front of this thing

[on30gn15]

Hey Y'all;

Working on making some mods to an 0-6-0.
Attempt at a pan shot isn't perfect but it serves to show space between cab and tender; way too much, that's gotta change.



Alright, short enough to look better but spaced enough to be able to make super sharp 12 inch radius industrial park curves, hmm . . . how to do 
Came up idea to take a foot off cab roof overhang.
Shorten drawbar by about same.



Don't have a shot of shortening the drawbar but will say that at discovering that it, and the screw that held it on, were super glued in, there were thoughts of employing some very specific hate speech. 
With assistance from some Jet Debonder got drawbar free. Started to measure but then noticed an ejection pin mark right about where the new hole was intended to be. Forgot about measuring and simply drilled new screw hole a hair aft of center in the pin mark. Used different screw to attach drawbar.
Satisfied.

--> NEXT STEP -->

Oh boy, how do you get a Kadee on the front of this thing  there isn't enough there to hold it 



And why after all these years is a switcher still manufactured without a working front coupler.
I do not understand.

[ForThemPanzerz]

i think is so they can save money i have 2 of these
i think john allan had a quote that said that "an engine without a front coupler isn't an engine at all."

[Doneldon]

On30-

Well, one can make a strong case that it isn't really an 0-6-0. It's more
like the Bachmann all-purpose six-driver steam engine. But that's still no
excuse. There needs to be a real coupler or at least a place to mount
one without building a prosthesis to put it on.
                                                                            -- D

[jonathan]

Ah, once again we have the eternal paradox:  an affordable model that peforms well, yet some of the little details aren't quite what one is looking for.  There are USRA-style 0-6-0s out there that have everything, yet at a many fold price increase.

I choose these little guys because I run my trains quite a bit.  For a few dollars, I can add a couple details and enjoy.  IF the loco falls apart, I can find another at an afforable price.



The next 0-6-0 project will include an attempt to cut out the faux coupler and put in real one.  It sounds difficult, but if I can put microscopic decals on the headlight:

how hard can it be to put a coupler on the front? Of course, I haven't tried, yet.  Maybe it's real hard. Anyone done it, yet?

Not a sermon, just an observaion.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Jerrys HO]

on30 and jonathan
hope this helps as it was my first attempt. and it works!






This one shows my next one to do.

All I did was cut front knuckle off and drill out center beam, then cut kaydee end off and glue in hole once I achieved proper height

Jerry

[on30gn15]

All I did was cut front knuckle off and drill out center beam, then cut kaydee end off and glue in hole once I achieved proper height

And the punchline is - it needs enough coupler swing to get around curves down to 12 inch radius on cramped industrial trackage.

Only things I can see at the moment are scratchbuilding an entirely new pilot; or the thought which just now happened if Kadee might have a conversion assembly.  

EDIT:

Playing in Google found Kadee's website and they have this http://www.kadee.com/conv/holist.pdf

HO-SCALE coupler CONVERSION LIST (10-01-08)

BACHMANN
STEAM
0-6-0 USRA Switcher (late)............ 34 Pilot, 33 Tender
0-6-0 USRA Switcher (newer)..............................MCS

MCS = NO.5®, 28, 58, 118, 119, 148 or 158 Medium Centerset Shank Coupler
BM = Body Mounting, CM = Clip Mounting, SM = Screw Mounting, TM = Truck Mounting, MCS? or ? = Not Verified /Converted by Kadee®

Uh-huh, "MCS" on newer 0-6-0 suggests a No.5 as style to use?
That is so not gonna happen.


Not quite sure what the percentage of embedded sarcasm is in here, but, hey, Mr. Bach-Man, how about y'all engineer a new bottom plate part for this thing that'll take a Kadee No.5 compatible coupler such as your  E-Z Mate® Center Shank 78105.
Or, on other words, a coupler pocket dimensioned just like one on this joker's tender.
And then when you get them going in production, mail me one.

[Jerrys HO]

on30
I tried the Kadee coupler and housing and like you said it just will not work without major modifications. I have not ruled it out though. I am still fitting my other 0-6-0.

[And the punchline is - it needs enough coupler swing to get around curves down to 12 inch radius on cramped industrial trackage./quote]

Wow 12 inch radius! I can not imagine anything going around that radius easily. I can say without the coupler box it pushes my rolling stock around 18's beautifully.

If and when I get the other done I will post the outcome if you have not found a solution by then (or a solution from Bachmann).

Jerry

[on30gn15]

Wow 12 inch radius! I can not imagine anything going around that radius easily. I can say without the coupler box it pushes my rolling stock around 18's beautifully.

Oh, it'll tow 40ft cars just fine around the 9 inch radius curves on my On30 layout.

Hang on a minute, be back with an illustration.

No way you'll do any coupling, or even uncoupling, while on that kind of curve, but you can ease around it both directions, pulling & shoving.

[mabloodhound]

Coupling or un-coupling on any curve, let alone your super sharp curves, is just not practical.   However, your coupler conversion to a Kadee has been done.   I suggest you post this in the On30 forum (above) and I'm sure you'll get some good answers.   Many on30'ers have done this.

[Doneldon]

On30-

Your picture looks like a lot more than 9" radius.

                                   -- D

[RAM]

a 40 foot car is 6 inches time three would be 18 inches.  So I would say it looks like about 9 inches.

[on30gn15]

Hang on a bit and I'll do a video  

Your picture looks like a lot more than 9" radius.

And the supporting evidence you have is ?

The supporting evidence I have is



And that is pretty much the absolute limit of what cars and couplers will do.
Blue is Accural with Kadee #5. Green is Bachmann Car with their stock coupler.
Would look better if both cars had Kadee 5, it works more happily on such curves than other brands which have been tried.




Here we go, video.

[jward]

perhaps on 12" r curves you'd be better off using some sort of tank engine? the docksider 0-4-0T comes to mind. with all the overhang on that front pilot i think you'll have alot of problems on those curves. coupler swing would be much less of a problem with a docksider.

[on30gn15]

the docksider 0-4-0T comes to mind.

It got converted to Gn15 a couple years ago.



It will do 6 inch radius curves.