Hi does anyone know how to take the coupler box off this model?
It can't be that involved, I don't have a Walthers car like that, maybe post a nice clear and up-close picture of the draft gear, so all can see.
Diagrams of Walthers cars are almost non-excisting.
Mike.
My You Tube
That car looks similar to the old LifeLike (Proto-No-Thousand - originally Varney) tankcars.
The one in the photo below is a Varney car, with a few added details and some new lettering.
Back when I first got the car, in the mid-'50s, it was equipped with Kadee K-type couplers, like these...
...but mounted in the tank car's own original plastic draught gear box.
The couplers worked pretty-much the same as those available today, but were uncoupled by a diamond-shaped ramp which could be elevated mechanically by remote control, the diamond-shape spreading the pins, and thereby opening the knuckles.
As you can see in the first photo, the car now has Kadee #5s, mounted in the same draught gear boxes as the earlier version.Mine has the plastic pin, on which the coupler swivels, protruding through cover, and it's been deformed slightly (probably by the heated tip of a small screwdriver), thereby holding the cover (and the coupler) in place.If your car is similar in that respect, use a sharp blade in your X-Acto to carefully cut-away the deformed portion of the pin, leaving as much of the pin intact as possible, as you'll likely need to repeat the deforming process when you re-assemble things.
Since your car is likely much more recent than mine, a photo showing the underside of the coupler box would be useful in enabling us to suggest alternative methods if the assembly differs from mine.I'd guess that the coupler box won't be removeable, only the lid. Of course, if you're concerned because the couplers are too high (as they appear to be), you may have to carve or file-away the existing draught gear box and then mount the Kadees in their own boxes, shimmed down using sheet styrene. Another alternative is to use Kadees with overset shanks (22, 32, 142), which lower the coupler head.Wayne
doctorwayne That car looks similar to the old LifeLike (Proto-No-Thousand - originally Varney) tankcars. The one in the photo below is a Varney car, with a few added details and some new lettering. Back when I first got the car, in the mid-'50s, it was equipped with Kadee K-type couplers, like these... ...but mounted in the tank car's own original plastic draught gear box. The couplers worked pretty-much the same as those available today, but were uncoupled by a diamond-shaped ramp which could be elevated mechanically by remote control, the diamond-shape spreading the pins, and thereby opening the knuckles. As you can see in the first photo, the car now has Kadee #5s, mounted in the same draught gear boxes as the earlier version.Mine has the plastic pin, on which the coupler swivels, protruding through cover, and it's been deformed slightly (probably by the heated tip of a small screwdriver), thereby holding the cover (and the coupler) in place.If your car is similar in that respect, use a sharp blade in your X-Acto to carefully cut-away the deformed portion of the pin, leaving as much of the pin intact as possible, as you'll likely need to repeat the deforming process when you re-assemble things. Since your car is likely much more recent than mine, a photo showing the underside of the coupler box would be useful in enabling us to suggest alternative methods if the assembly differs from mine.I'd guess that the coupler box won't be removeable, only the lid. Of course, if you're concerned because the couplers are too high (as they appear to be), you may have to carve or file-away the existing draught gear box and then mount the Kadees in their own boxes, shimmed down using sheet styrene. Another alternative is to use Kadees with overset shanks (22, 32, 142), which lower the coupler head.Wayne
Well they told me I have to remove a Plastic part glued on.
What kind of stupid design can't let you change the coupler without damaging something?
Their Box and Stock cars had the right Idea with a screw, and I thought their gondolas with the clip on coupler box was stupid but, this is even dumber.
Hi,
I've come across several manufacturers where the bean-counters out voted the production people and won a campaign to eliminate fasteners and "streamline" assembly.
For example these two cars:
Tank_draft-z by Edmund, on Flickr
I do not recall the manufacturer of the tank car but it may be similar to yours. The B&O cylindrical hopper is Atlas.
Tank_draft2 by Edmund, on Flickr
In the case of the atlas car they simply glued (quite securely, I might add) the draft gear cover on. Using so much glue that the box was distorted in trying to pry the cover off. I avoit Atlas cars for this reason. They went cheap on the bolster, too, by using a flimsy press-in pin This is on their premium line, too!
Tank_draft1 by Edmund, on Flickr
If this tank car is similar to yours, the draft gear can be opened by removing the trucks and the center screw which frees the entire sill cover and, in turn, the couplers.
Tank_draft1a by Edmund, on Flickr
You can see I slightly pried it open here.
Tank_draft by Edmund, on Flickr
Life-Like was using glued draft gear housings on many of their earlier Proto 2000 cars. I would always drill and tap for a suitable screw to secure the coupler.
The Proto 2000 tank cars are designed with a screw-on cover. You may have to carefully cut and pry with a sharp blade if your covers are glued in place. Remove the trucks anyway for improved access.
Hope that helps, Ed
Oregon_SteamerSimilar but still different.
Looks like you have some surgery to perform soon. Tank cars are tough, too, since you can't very well hide a nut on the top of the draft gear. You might get lucky enough to gently pry the cover off after running a blade around the seam.
Worse case scenario is you use a Kadee box and a flat head screw, countersunk from the top, then put the nut on the bottom. I've found some very thin 2-56 hex nuts. After painting they won't show too much.
A Kadee 262 box is narrow profile, snap together and doesn't have the Mickey Mouse ears on it.
https://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page262.htm
They're made for the whisker couplers.
Good Luck, Ed
Or I could just glue those plasic pieces back on after I remove them.
Oregon_Steamer Or I could just glue those plasic pieces back on after I remove them.
I've done that, too. Once you install a Kadee you'll never have to mess with it — unless it takes a trip to the concrete canyon.
Cheers, Ed
Actually It's Sergent engineering couplers I am using.