bachmann to tyco couplers/controllers

[jbrock27]

I agree, there are some very talented modelers on the TYCO board that go to lengths to get junk to run.  A number of them, still use brass track.  I have even posted here that people should check things out over there.  But to be non-PC, to me, it cannot be worth the time or effort or resources to do some of these things they do.  And to be frank, a lot of folks over there seem to spend a disproportionate amount of time chasing down junk at tag sales, yard sales, estate sales and train shows, just to be able to post "hey, look what I got".

Sorry, but there is no comparison of even old Athearn Blue Box rolling stock to TYCO rolling stock, for the most part.  Exception, really old TYCO rolling stock, maybe.  And this from a guy who has his share of TYCO rolling stock from years ago.  I am no snob or elitist.  But, last I checked, Athearn never molded their stirrups on a solid fashion like many later model TYCOs were.  You can keep those, but I still see people who continue to buy them.  I have no idea what posses them to.

[jbrock27]

And you want to talk about talent in getting beasts running?  Check out some of the stuff Darth Santa Fe does.  Talk about holy cow!  He looks like he about 14, has a flat 4 x 8 in 2 loops but talk about mechanical skill and ingenuity!

[ACY]

you can keep those, but I still see people who continue to buy them.  I have no idea what posses them to.

Most likely because they don't know any better and don't realize they are purchasing a model that has undesirable trucks and couplers and isn't not as detailed or well made.

[jbrock27]

Agree. 
And if you have noticed, there are some here that post pictures that have recently bought them as well.

[jward]

those would be train collectors rather than modellers or operators. collectors are a different breed. rather than trying to create the real world in miniature, they seem to want to recreate the old train catalogs. I see it as similar to what the tinplaters are doing, but in HO.


there are a few old train set cars, like the 60 foot boxcars tyco made, that I could see upgrading. but the days when everything had to be built are over, so there is no incentive for me to buy cars that need to be upgraded when I can get good running stuff that's ready to roll when I take it out of the box. I think my days in n scale, trying to assemble and body mount hundreds of micro trains couplers has cured me of that kind of work.

[jbrock27]

How was that on your eyes??

[jward]

I finally got them uncrossed, but I wear glasses now.....

[jbrock27]

LOL!

I have as well, for a looooong time now.  Have an appt after the New Year to get them checked.  Seems that seeing things closer, is getting a little harder than it use to.

[Doneldon]

Doneldon;
What is a Kadee "universal" coupler?  Are you talking about the old #5s? 
Rich (SGT C)

Rich-

Yes, and the #58 couplers which seem to be the whisker equivalent.

                                                                                            -- D

[Len]

The Kadee #58 is the scale replacement for the #5. If you have a lot of 'vertical transitions' from pier sets, or other grades in the 3% or greater range, I don't recommend them. Unless you like seeing your trains left at the bottom of the hill while the loco goes up. The heads are small enough to bypass each other on standard pier set transition points. They're fine on layouts with 2%, or less, grades.

In a break from their normal numbering scheme the #148 is the built in centering spring 'whisker' coupler equivelant of the venerable #5 with bronze spring.

A couple of things to watch with Kadee's:

Some newer cars have "steps", what carpenters would call rabbets, around the coupler box lid. This lets them set lower into the coupler box so plastic couplers, with thinner shanks don't droop. When using Kadee's on these cars, flip the coupler box over, so it sits on the coupler box rim, instead of down into the box. This makes room for the thicker Kadee coupler shanks and springs.

Along those lines, Kadee whisker couplers shank are thicker than their standard couplers. This is so the shank equals the thickness of a standard coupler with bronze spring in older coupler boxes. Sometimes, even after flipping the cover in new cars, you have to hit both sides of a whisker coupler about 3 times with a fine file or emery strip to keep it from binding. Do both sides to keep it centered.

With Kadee's, EZ-Mate's, or other knuckle coupler using metal knuckle springs, sooner or later a spring is going to pop out. Run a piece of thread through the length of the replacement spring before trying to install it, long enough to let you hold both ends. That way if the new spring pops out during installation, 3, 4, or 10, times if you're like me, it will not go flying and get lost.

And here's the trick if you drop any parts and the floor and can't find them no matter how hard you look. After dark, walk across the floor in bare feet, with the lights off. Guaranteed you'll find the parts.

Len

[jbrock27]

I like the 148s.
Len I have read about the thread trick thru the knuckle spring many times but never had any luck doing so.  What do you do to get the thread thru the center of the spring?  Use as small needle?  Spit on the end of the thread?
I don't think my feet are sensitive enough to recover a spring in the dark, but I heard the dark approach is a great way to find LEGOS

[Doneldon]

Len I have read about the thread trick thru the knuckle spring many times but never had any luck doing so.  What do you do to get the thread thru the center of the spring?

Jim-

You don't have to, nor do you want to, run the thread through the length of the spring. Doing so will often result in pulling
the spring off of the nubs that hold the ends of the spring. All you have to do is run the thread across the spring's length and
maybe wrap it no more than once if you want a little more security. This is enough to corral an errant spring.
                                                                                                                                                                  -- D

[jbrock27]

Ok Doc thanks.  But isn't the space between the coils too small for that?  Would not trying to get the thread in between result in the same thing?-launching the spring into nowhere land because of exerting force of the thread downward onto the spring and if you don't hit it right...  What size thread are we talkin?  Regular sewing thread?
I have learned to use CA gel on the end closest to the car to hold the spring to the coupler.

[Len]

I use regular sewing thread with a bit of bee's wax rubbed in to stiffen it. You'll find the wax with the thread in most grocery stores. And I run it through the length of the spring, and never had any problem pulling it out after installing the spring. YMMV.

Len

[jbrock27]

The ticket sounds like the bees wax.  Thank you again Len !