Do double-ended couplers/coupler pocket drawbars exist?

[Flare]

I'm looking to permanently connect a car to my locomotive, but I'm unable to find any products that will mount inside the existing coupler pockets.

Have you guys ever come across something like that?

[jonathan]

Shop for a "drawbar" on eBay or the like. Also, I have made my own drawbars out of an old credit card, using a hobby knife and drill bit. Easy to make...

Regards,

Jonathan

[Ken Clark]

   Precision Scale make 3 lengths of drawbars, for this purpose. I make up my own, quicker and cheaper to couple up cars in block of 3.

   Ken Clark
    GWN

[Len]

I make my own out of Kadee long center shank couplers. I take the knuckle, and a bit of shank, off two couplers for loco pilots. Then I notch the remaining shanks and super-glue them together to make a drawbar.

Sort of like this (very rough & not to scale):



Len

[Trainman203]

You "do" need a "hole" at either end

HAWHAWHAWHAWHAW!!!  Reminds me of when I used to do drafting work all night long beating a deadline, and leaving out the most important thing because you were half asleep and on auto pilot.

You could also just "Goo" together two couplers, which would still look like ..... "two couplers."

[Len]

I did say the diagram was "very rough". Which is another way of saying I was too tired to mess around drawing circles.

These are shanks left over from using the coupler heads, and a bit of shank, to replace dummy couplers on the front of steam locos. It occured to me I could use the remaining shanks to make drawbars for some F3A/B sets I planned to leave tied together. And it actually worked!

Len

[Trainman203]

How were you mounting only heads of couplers on steam engine pilots?  Without a shank?

[jbrock27]

Could the same thing be done with a couple of old horn hook couplers, the head and plastic spring in the back trimmed off, using the holes in them for screw mounting to the locos?

[Len]

How were you mounting only heads of couplers on steam engine pilots?  Without a shank?

I think you missed the part where I said, "...shanks left over from using the coupler heads, and a bit of shank, to replace dummy couplers on the front of steam locos."

I had a bunch of long center shank Kadees laying around in the junk box and used them. I cut off the coupler head, and enough shank, to mount to the loco pilot beam. The left over ends with the mounting holes got turned into drawbars.

Len

[Len]

Could the same thing be done with a couple of old horn hook couplers, the head and plastic spring in the back trimmed off, using the holes in them for screw mounting to the locos?

Theoretically, it could. The problem is most horn-hook couplers are made from Delrin, which is almost impossible to glue together so it holds under load.

Len

[jbrock27]

Thank you Len.

...most horn-hook couplers are made from Delrin...

Len

Perhaps, but not all, no?  Are some not made from ABS plastic?  Like ones that come off of AHM and old Bachmann cars?  I have had luck using Testors Model Cement to glue the plastic half axles from the wheel sets into the kingpin holes, when modifying those cars from Talgo couplers to body mounted knuckle couplers and better wheelsets.  I would much rather burn a couple pos horn hooks for this process than a couple of Kadees.

For the purposes of the draw bar, could you not also slip a piece of shrink wrap over the two ends you are gluing and shrink it over the joint for added strength?*

*Have no experience BTW with model glue reacting or not, to shrink wrap.

[Len]

If they are ABS, then they should be glueable with the proper glue. Can't say I've ever tried shrink wrapping a glued joint.

Most of the time I just use a piece of strip brass or styrene to make drawbars. When I used the Kadee shanks, it was only because they were left over from the loco pilot coupler project and I hate throwing out left over bits and pieces. Mainly because I always think up a use for them the day after I toss them out.

Len

[Trainman203]

I have a brass engine with a pilot coupler pocket so narrow it could a best take a long shank coupler, with the mounting hole part cut off, glued in.  It's a 4-4-0 so there'd be a lot of "hang over" in front, on a curve, so it probably would push any coupled-up car sideways pretty hard  and force a derailment.  Because all I do is switch, i need the front coupler all the time.  I've never done anything with this engine and will probably sell it.

[jbrock27]

I hate throwing out left over bits and pieces. Mainly because I always think up a use for them the day after I toss them out.

Len

I hear ya there; ain't that always the way?

[brokenrail]

I use old Athearn blue box diesel motor pic up bars that get tossed in the good junk box when it is hardwired. It has strength with a little flexibility. Measue ,cut and dill out the holes and done. Recycle parts is a must in this hobby!
Johnny