Couplers too high

[Rohn1]

I purchased a new Bachmann Union Pacific SD-40 Locomotive.  The coupler on it sits higher than any of the rolling stock I currently have.  Does anyone have aany idea how to fix this??

[jonathan]

In a perfect world, you would have a Kadee coupler height gage, so you could determine if the loco is too high or your car-couplers are too low.

A very quick fix would be to purchase a set of overshank couplers --  the knuckle sits low on the coupler shank.  You could replace the coupler on the locomotive with the overshank coupler.  This would fix your alignment problem.

However, I'm guessing the locomotive is the right height and your rolling stock couplers are too low, which is usually the case.  This is corrected by getting spacers for the trucks on your cars, to raise the height of the car/coupler.  Just sayin'

Regards,

Jonathan

[HoModeler]

I'd say just get Wheel Spacers to bring up the rolling stock to same level of your engine.

[Trainman203]

Railroad Speak:  "wheel spacers."  Plain English:  "washers."

[Trainman203]

The only thing about raising the carbody with washers is that you begin to see unprototypical space and air between the truck and the car, rendering a "high water pants" effect.😂

[jward]

Wouldn't it be better to just but a coupler height guage and adjust everything to THAT?

[Terry Toenges]

If the loco is the only thing that's off, overshank couplers would be the cheapest way to go instead of having to change all the cars to match the loco. If he changes all the cars and then next loco he buys is lower then he has do more changing around.

[Trainman203]

I don't like truck washers because raising the cars makes them look like toys.  In fact, I lower some of my cars by filing down the bolsters. Yes, you then have to do undershot couplers but the cars look so much better.  Athearn blue box kit cars and Roundhouse wood cabooses are prime examples of high water pants cars begging to be lowered.

And yes, any systematic thinking says get a coupler height gauge, I prefer Kadee's, and repair the errant offenders.