I have a problem with coupling the tender to the USA trains passenger cars. It seems that the coupler on the tender does not articulate enough to mate with the passenger cars on an 8' diameter curve. I was wondering if anyone else has this problem and there solution. I have the cars linked with a wire tire right now since I am not sure what to do. I was thinking of cutting the coupler off the wheel set on the tender and then mount a usa trains coupler directly on the tender.
Thanks
chris
Sounds like you have the solution, Chris. Those USA cars are very long (33 inches?) and running them on 8 foot diameter track is really squeezing it tight. I heard they don't even run well on 10 foot diameter track so I have not purchased any for my railroad. They are really meant to run on 16+ foot diameter track.
-Brian
They are 33" long but have not had a problem with the cars just the one that couples to the tender. Although one coupler trips very easily they run extremely smooth on the 8' diameter. I was going to get the aristocraft cars which are a little less expensive but they don't have the detailing or interiors that the USA cars have.
Try the KD coupler webb site and see what they might have to replace the one on your tender, I run these cars on 10 foot diameter curves and switches in my yard areas only, with minimum of 11.5 foot on the main lines, they run well and I pull up to 18 of them at a time behind the USA F-3's ABBA lashup. Thats a train about 60 foot long, however on the vestibule side of the car, with the doors and steps, you need to beef up the screws into the bottom side of the floor at the ends as they will pull out at times, and the plastic rips through, a thin plate of metal across the three screws helps alot to strenghten the plastic vestibule screw holes.
Byron
I also pull a few of them with an Aristo Mallet with no problems, the vestibule screw pull through problems come about, due to the 2.5 to 3 percent grades on my line
Well I am still around everybody and have even had some recent time to do re-vamping of the track in the rear and side yard, as well as working on the ponds and pump system and all, will post some new pictures at a later date. Hope all have been well and doing fine....
I always had a problem with Aristo craft couples.
They uncouple a lot.
Intermixing brands (Aristo, USA, Bachmann, LGB) of couplers are a total pain. The best knuckle couplers I worked with are USA and llok good next Bachmann, except Bachmann are so large.
I do get different brands to go together by dropping the closed coupler together.
My Pacific pulls the Aristo Streamliner around 8ft curves with no problem. Aristo knuckle couplers are used on both. The streamliner coupler mount is shortened 1/2in. The Pacific is also used with Sierra cars - no problems. Have you tried changing the lead car of your USA concist to see if it makes a difference?
JimC.
i will try and change the first coupler on the usa car to see if it mates any better.
Chris
Get the Garden Railways newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month