More passenger trouble

[Beatthe9ers]

This is again in regards to a set of 5 Athearn heavyweight passenger cars that I purchased.

I've installed the couplers that came with the models and I am fairly certain that I did it correctly.  The problem is that the couplers wont seem to connect with the couplers on my engines.  I have a Broadway Limited Blueline Alco RSD-15 and the basic diesel engine that came with 'The American' set I got a few years ago.  I realize that neither of those should probably be pulling old school passenger trains, but that's hardly the point.

So is it common for different coupling systems to not be compatible?  The last bit of advice I got from Sheldon and others suggested that changing the trucks that came with the Athearn cars was not a great idea, which still sounds like good advice.

Any ideas?  What should I be looking at to try to fix this?

[Conrail Quality]

All knuckle couplers should be compatible; your couplers are probably broken. Kadee #148's are probably your best replacement option. Their all-metal construction makes them much less prone to breaking than the plastic couplers that come with most cars.

Timothy

[Atlantic Central]

Beatthe9ers,

Where these Athearn cars older kits in blue boxes? I ask since you said you had to install the couplers. These cars now come both in kits and ready to run with knuckle couplers but if you bought older kits (no difference in the basic car) you may have horn-hook couplers. They will not work with knuckle couplers.

You will need to replace them with Kadee #5 or #148 couplers.

Sheldon

[Beatthe9ers]

The name's Parker, by the way.  I use Beatthe9ers to sign up for stuff to preserve anonymity if I want it, and because it's always available as a login so I don't have to remember that I am parker248 one place and parkerb7 someplace else.  Pleased to meet you.

I'm at work at the moment, so I will have to check on the box thing later.  I bought them on ebay.  The couplers and windows were still in a plastic bag tucked inside the cars, unopened.

This last post makes the most sense.  I'm not an expert, but I'm almost certain the couplers are not broken and probably just of a different variety.  Sigh, one more thing to buy.

Thanks, Sheldon.

[Atlantic Central]

OK, if you got them off Ebay, and they where kits, they could be many years old. Athearn has been making those cars since the late 50's. Sometime in the late seventies the trucks went from metal to plastic (no difference in design, just material) and they added some new cars (baggage, diner, clerestory roof coach) to the original list (pullman, RPO/baggage, arch roof coach, observation).

Horn hook couplers where the industry standard until patents expried and "copies" of Kadee couplers could be made in cheap plastic - now the industry standard supplied with everything.

Get some Kadee couplers, you will be glad you did.

Sheldon

[Guilford Guy]

I have many unopened packages McHenry couplers (Cheaper plastic couplers, that should eventually be replaced with Kadee's). I can send you 10 pairs in case some break for no charge.

[Beatthe9ers]

That would be difficult to pass up.  I could send you my address to your email account if you're serious about it.

[Guilford Guy]

Yep, I'll try to send them ASAP.