I Need Help With BACHMANN NEW YORK CENTRAL 1601 DieseLOCOMOTIVE MISSING COUPLER

[Steve55]

 Hi,

 I am new here, and don't really know my way around yet, please bear with me. : )

I bought a Bachmann "Made In Hong Kong" New York Central #1601 all black diesel train engine off ebay two days ago.  The ad said that it is "Missing the coupler" but from all appearances, it's missing the entire coupler housing, broken completely off the chassis.   I just wondered if I were to post a picture the train, maybe someone would recognize it and perhaps be able to help me.

I wrote to Bachmann, and they determined the engine is about 40 years old, and that they no longer make parts for it, so suggested I post a comment here in the forum  to see if anyone can possibly help me.

 Thanks ever so much.

  Steve Barber

[Len]

Looked at the pic on eBay and it appears to be missing the coupler pocket:
https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68_203&products_id=5855
Which is, unfortunately, currently sold out.

You also need the coupler snap that holds the coupler in place. It's still available:
https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68_203&products_id=5896

Len

[Steve55]

Hi,

Thanks so much for the fast reply!  

I am attaching two pics of the engine, side view, and the owner posted a terribly blurry image of the rear of the trains, showing the missing pieces.  The front of the train has a different type of coupler I'm not familiar with (it has been many, many years since I had an HO train). It looks like it is a more realistic coupler, with hose attached, etc. as you can see in this side view of the engine.  

After seeing the "Rear" picture, I was afraid it wasn't going to be possible to repair.  

Can you tell by looking at the blurry image ( I even tried to de-blur it) whether or not it still contains the part that the coupler pocket attaches to. 

NOTE:  I tried to post the two images I mention, and It wouldn't allow me to post them due to size. So , I shrunk them down to required file size, and by then it said the folder is full, and that I need to contact the adminictstor)

Thanks so very much.

[Terry Toenges]

Will this Kadee conversion do it?
https://www.kadee.com/ho-scale-couplers-c-274_276_284/452-ho-scale-bachmannplus-f7-coupler-conversion-kit-p-360.htm

[Steve55]

 Hi,
The ad at the bottom of the page on the right for $4.50 looks like it could be the one.  Unfortunately, I have to wait until I get the engine in the mail to see what the area  looks like where the coupler fits on the engine.  There's absolutely nothing there where the coupler and whetever it is that holds the coupler belong, and the picture the seller provided on ebay is rather blurry, so I can't really see that area of the engine clealry.  So, I'm waiting to see what it looks like. 

I deeply appreciate you responding and providing the link and informations, sir.

    Regards,
Steve Barber

[Steve55]

 
Hi All,

  Got the Bachmann engine yesterday.  

Unfortunately for me, the entire coupler device is broken completely off the engine, and I don't know how it could ever be repaired--or if it even can--unless someone knows of a way to attach a whole new housing.
It's a "dummy" engine, so it weighs next to nothing, but like the person at the "Parts" store at Bachmann told me, the engine is about 40 years old. I discovered it is also missing both horns.

Does anyone have any knowledge in this area on how I might find an entire chassis for this 40 year old engine?  The coupler--front and back--are part of the chassis.

 Thanks very much for your time in reading this.

Best regards,
  Steve

[jward]

The FT, F7 and F9 share a common chassis. It has changed a bit over the years, but the latest version should be available in the parts department.

[Steve55]

 
Thanks very much for your  reply.  I looked up the info you gave me, but nothing is available as far as the chassis for this "dummy" engine.   

I failed to mention that the person at the parts store told me that since the engine is so old, they no longer make parts for it.

I noticed that the coupler on this train engine "dummy" is its own piece,  screws onto the chassis, front and back. I thought it was all molded into one piece, but was wrong.

[Len]

If the piece the screw goes into is still there you should be able to mount a Kadee #5 or #158 coupler and coupler box to the existing mounting pad. If the coupler sets a bit low, just file the pad down a bit.

Len

[Steve55]

Hi Len,

   Thanks you so much for your help, and giving me information.   

Whoever owned this engine, they glued a #5 onto the front of the train to the tiny bit of remaining original mounting pad that's attached by the two screws.  It fell off during shipping.  The screw holes aren't wide enough to fit the #5 onto the train, and there is no center screw, just the two.

  I was wondering if there are any trucks out there that have couplers attached  to them as they all do nowadays--that would work ?  With people owning vintage HO trains, I would think that Bachmann would have kept this stuff in stock, but I was told by a person at the parts department that they no longer make parts for this 40 year old dummy engine.

  It seems like there has to be some way to get this thing to work.     

   Steve

[rich1998]

Steve
This is all part of model railroading.
It cost a company a lot more than you think to keep parts for different model trains.
Bachmann makes a lot of locos for the USA and other side of the Pond.

Good luck

Rich

[Terry Toenges]

It's not much different than going to a car dealer and finding all the parts you need for a 1980 car. You probably won't.

[jward]

 I was wondering if there are any trucks out there that have couplers attached  to them as they all do nowadays--that would work ?  With people owning vintage HO trains, I would think that Bachmann would have kept this stuff in stock, but I was told by a person at the parts department that they no longer make parts for this 40 year old dummy engine.

 It seems like there has to be some way to get this thing to work.    

  Steve

Truck mounted couplers are something that manufacturers have gotten away from over the years, with good reason. As a matter of fact, I use that as a criterion for deciding whether I want to buy a locomotive or car. If it has truck mounts, unless i REALLLLLY want that item I'll pass on it. Your best bet is to get a 2-56 drill and tap set, and drill a center hole for a new coupler box. Look at the mounting used on most locomotives and freight cars. They are set up that way for a reason.

[Steve55]

Thanks for your comment.

I was away from trains for 50 years, until about a month, when I decided I needed something to keep me busy.  I've always, always been afascinated by the train layouts I see. 

  When I bought this engine off ebay a few weeks ago, I had NO idea what I was in for.  Vey few details in the ad, hust that it is "Missing coupler", which I thought I could easily replace.  Then, I find out the hard way, I can't even use it. 

There isn't anything left of the coupler itself. Whatever it looked like before it and the front coupler were both broken off--is gone.  All that is there is the part connected to the chassis by two small screws, and a small, flat vertical piece of square plastic that extends downward that measures from top to bottom 3/16 of an inch by 1/4 inch wide.  Is this what you are referring to that I could drill tiny holes into?  I 'm at a loss with this. I have dreamed of having an actual all black New York Central engine, because this is how I remember the real thing when it used to travel through my hometownin the late 50's and through the 60's.  This, and the distinct horn that I love and found on YouTube which someone posted a sound byte of from long ago. 

  Anyway...sorry to rattle on here.  Thanks so much for your suggstion.

   Steve

[jward]

There needs to be a horizontal pad of some sort to drill into. Vertical isn't going to do you any good. It would help if you were able to post a photo but you need an account on a photo hosting site like Flikr or Imgur to do that.


I've found that you can often get better deals at train shows than on ebay. And you get to actually see what you're buying and even test it before you do. But it really helps to know what you're looking at. And what to look for.

New York Central locomotives are pretty plentiful. Lately I've seen alot of Mantua GP20s on ebay in the solid black paint of the 1960s. I think I've alluded before that you should be able to use your FT body on another FT, F7 or F( chassis with minimal modifications. Bachmann had changed the way they mount the body over the years and there are a few different variations but overall the dimensions are the same. Personally, If I am buying a Bachmann unit I look for the ones in the blue boxes as they are the more modern ones that run better. I found my last one on ebay for $25 plus shipping which is a good price. That's similar to what i've seen them go for at train shows.