Older cars and couplers

[murfling]

Hello all;
I was just wondering if anybody knows of a Kaydee or knuckle type coupler that will replace the horn hooks from the older Bachmann and Lifelike cars that fit on the trucks, and have the itty bitty hole in them.  Know what I mean? I have a few "specialty" cars that i would like to keep, but I don't want to have them limited to being with each other.
Just wondering
Jonathan

[Stephen Warrington]

Hi Jonathan,

Kadee does make couplers for truck mounting but IHC's Magic Mate couplers tend to do the job just as well on older 40' cars especially truck mounted. I got several sets on older seldem run cars like a 1960s AHM crane and boom tender and all my older 30' IHC work cars also the Magic Mates will couple to both Knuckle and Horn Hook couplers.

Just a suggestion.

Stephen

[HOplasserem80c]

kadee made a very short run of couplers that connect to both types of couplers at the same time. i grabed a lot of those so really i have universal train cars

[Stephen Warrington]

Umm Plasser,

Kadee has never made such a coupler, why would they care if knuckles and horn hooks worked together when their business depends on hobbyists swapping over to better couplers in the first place. Kadee does make a coupler for truck mounting but not one that will couple to both knuckles and horn hooks.

Stephen

[HOplasserem80c]

yes they do

then why do i have a bag of them on my workbench hmmmmmm

[Stephen Warrington]

Well it depends on if your lying again or telling the truth. I know Kadee has never made such couplersI have been buying their products since 1985 yes a year long before you were born. I can easily answer that question by sending Sam a Email at Kadee.

Stephen 

[Jim Banner]

I have been using Kadees ever since they used trips pins instead of magnets and have never seen or heard of one that was designed to mate with an horn hook.  There have been other brands that were touted as coupling with both Kadee and horn hook, but in practice, they never uncoupled properly.  HOplasserem80c, how about posting a photo of what you have so that the rest of us can see them.

[murfling]

Its not so much the trick mounted part as the ITTY BITTY hole in them that I was concerned about. Sorry to open up such a hornets nest.

[Jim Banner]

Its not so much the trick mounted part as the ITTY BITTY hole in them that I was concerned about.

I have some Kadee couplers that came with a plastic insert.  The insert fits in a standard size hole in the coupler and has an itty bitty hole in the middle.  Although I no longer have the envelope they came in, I suspect they are Kadee #28.  You might want to visit Kadee's website and peruse their charts on Coupler Conversions.

http://www.kadee.com/index.shtml

[Stephen Warrington]

Murfing,

I agree with Jim if you want Kadee then go to their site and look up the proper ones,I just threw the Magic Mates out there to you so you would have one more option.

And Plasser please a photograph is worth a 1,000 words.

Stephen

[kevin2083]

I have a(not plural) coupler that does what HO is describing, but I have no idea where it came from.

[Len]

Converting those cars to knuckle couplers is very simple, and the only tool actually required is a sharp X-Acto knife. A small needle file and Kadee Talgo Adaptor Pic tool can be handy if your doing a bunch of them.

I like Kadee couplers, but don't like messing with the bronze springs for these truck mounted talgo conversions. So I normally use the medium length center shank Bachmann EZ-Mate Mk-II couplers with the built in centering springs. If you don't mind messing with the springs, Kadee's are fine for this also.

What you will need:

1. A pack of Kadee #28 couplers, even if you will be using the EZ-Mate MK-II's. You can always use the Kadee couplers in a car with body mounted coupler pockets.

You need a pack of these to get the instruction sheet. It explains how to install the #212 Talgo Adaptors, and which bits need to be trimmer off different vendors coupler boxes in order to install knuckls couplers. Most of these coupler boxes have stops/blocks in them to make the horn-hooks work correctly. They aren't needed for, and get in the way of, knuckle couplers.

2. However many 12- packs of Kadee #212 Talgo Truck Adaptors you need to convert your cars.

3. A #1 X-Acto knife (or equivelant) with a sharp #11 blade for trimming those bits out of the coupler boxes.

The process:

1. The pin that holds the horn-hook coupler in place is usually on a short tab extending back from the front of the coupler box. Use a fingernail to pull it down slightly while twisting the coupler towards the side with the plastic spring on it. It should pop off the pin, and with a bit more twisting, slide out the front of the coupler box. Or you can take the direct approach, and once the coupler is off the pin just snip it in half with a pair of nippers. The pieces will just fall out.

2. Using the information and diagrams provided by the Kadee #28 instruction sheet, trim the unneeded bits off the coupler pocket with the X-Acto knife.

3. Take an EZ-Mate MK-II (or Kadee #5 and spring) and use one hand to insert the shank into the coupler pocket until the hole is centered on the pivot pin.

4. Use the other hand to press a #212 Talgo Adaptor through the hole in the coupler shank, and down over the pivot pin. Those Kadee #28 instructions show the correct position of the adaptor for this. You may have to rotate the adaptor just a bit to get it through the coupler shank hole.

5. Place the bottom of the coupler box against a firm surface, e.g., table or work bench top. Rotate the #212 Adaptor 90 degrees and press down firmly until the adaptor snaps in place. It should now fill the H-shaped opening in the top of the coupler box.

6. Verify the coupler recenters when pushed to either side, then do the other end.

7. Adjust the trip pin height so it doesn't snag on switches, etc.

8. On to the next car.

On paper it looks a lot more complicated than it really is to do. And once you've done a couple, if it takes more than 2 minutes per car your paying too much attention to the TV instead of your railroad.

Len

[Derek O]

My son wanted his colourful Bachmann cars converted to body mounted Kadee #5's for shunting.

I used the Kadee #246 tap & drill set, a 2/56 plastic screw and where needed on the gondola cars shims cut from plastic tabs off bread bags. Snap off the talgo mount from the trucks, trim the round eyes from the top of the kadee gear box (allows trucks to turn properly), cut the screw and shims to size with pliers and you're ready to go.

Derek

[Stephen Warrington]

  Thats really the best way to do older rolling stock and don't forget to add metal wheel sets they will roll 100% better and keep your track cleaner.

Stephen

[Len]

Stephen,

I agree totally that body mounting the couplers is best. But the talgo conversion works for those in a hurry, or that don't feel up to the body mount conversion.

Even with the talgo conversion, backing and switching moves are much more reliable than with horn-hook couplers.

One caveat I forgot to mention in my original answer. DO NOT couple longer cars with body mounted couplers to cars with truck mounted couplers. Even after the conversion, when the end of the long car swings out on curves the body mount coupler will pull the talgo mounted one with it. Result = derailment.

Len