Fp-7 model power Diesel Engine

[usher42]

I have a union pacific diesel loco. fp-7 from model power that did  have rapido coupler . I was wondering if i can use a knuckle coupler. The engine still runs good. any suggestions on putting a new coupler on it.

[brokemoto]

Since magnetic coupling/uncouping is not important to me on road power, I used a UniMate of the aft; simply take out the Rapido and put the UniMate in its place.  You can also use one of the old Kato passenger car couplers, but you should remove the spring before you do that.

As for the nose, the 2004 will go and come out to the proper height (at least it did in a test fit).  You will have to do some surgery to the nose, though, to affix it.  The opening in the pilot will also require a minimum of filing to accomodate the 2004 box. 

I suppose, also, that you could simply undo the screw on the nose coupler and replace it with one of the UniMates designed for the Kato F-units, but then the  nose coupler would have no spring.

These are good runners, even the 'trainset' version runs well through the speed ranges.  Too bad that it is built using archaic and wierd construction methods.