Connecting Baschmann locos to Kato rolling stock

[ngadlin]

Can anyone advise on the best way to connect a Bachmann GP50 diesel locomotive to a Kato passenger car?  The connector on the back of the loco sits higher than the Kato connector and the two will not stay connected when running.

[Ken G Price]

Is it with both the front and rear GP50 couplers?
Do all of the couplers on all of the cars mismatch or is it just one coupler or just one car?

[Albert in N]

Do both locomotive and passenger cars have the old style Rapido couplers, or the newer knuckle couplers?  The old style Rapido couplers are large and ugly and will not mate with knuckle couplers and often tilt up causing disconnect.  If you have old style Rapido couplers, try to level them as best you can.
If newer knuckle couplers, Kato couplers are smaller than Bachmann dummy knuckle couplers or newer working knuckle couplers.  In fact, Kato knuckle couplers are near scale size and smaller than MicroTrains, Accumate (Atlas), or McHenry (Athearn) couplers.  Bachmann knuckle couplers are slightly oversize.  You would need to convert your GP50 to MicroTrains couplers and shim to correct height.  Other options would be to get a Kato locomotive (not using the GP50) or use a MicroTrains coupler equipped car between the GP50 and Kato passenger car.   Another solution would be to add an Athearn (has McHenry knuckle couplers) express baggage car or box car between the GP50 and Kato passenger car.   When I run my Bachmann Standard dummy knuckle coupler locos with matching Bachmann freight cars, I usually add an Athearn, Atlas, or MicroTrains car between the loco and Bachmann cars to prevent derailments on 11 inch radius curves.