hi guys
i have a question regarding kadee couplers. Looking at the conversion chart on their site it appears that most of my rolling stock will take a number 5 or the 148 whisker coupler. My question is though will a number 5 fit on locomotives ? I don't see some of mine listed. I know some locomotives need insulated gear boxes, Is that of your running locos back to back? I only ever run one at a time.
ive read some guys say they can get a #5 to fit anything. thoughts would be awesome
thanks
Jeremy
Hi Jeremy.
It may depend on what kind of loco and who made it. I had to put couplers on several older Yellow-Box Atlas models. They have a narrow hole in the pilot, so you use the box that comes with the Ol' Reliable #5, and cut the ears off flush with the box using a sharp exacto knife or your sprue cutters. Once this is done, the box will just squeeze through the hole in the pilot. Note that cutting the ears off a #5 box leaves the copper spring mechanism exposed and could theoretically result in some concerns about shorts, but I've never had a problem with that.
I don't know anything about what's required for locos running back to back, but someone here does.
Good luck!
-Matt
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
I believe the concern about using metal couplers is with older locomotives that use the chassis as part of the electrical path. This could wreak havoc on passenger cars with less-than-track voltage interior lighting.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Ya unless you have Athearn diesels and Mantua steam engines from the 1980s, you shouldn't have to worry. Pretty much all engines - steam, diesel or electric - have coupler boxes that readily take Kadee No.5 couplers...although I've found that some have narrower coupler boxes that make it preferable to use the 'whisker' couplers rather than the old bronze spring version.
Thanks for the help guys. I do have some athearn blue box locomotives, not from the 80s though
Yes, you have to be careful with engines which use the metal frame as part of the power circuit. I have a few Athearn engines from the fifties like that. If you just mount metal Kadee couplers, they become part of the circuit, too, and if you run two such locos back to back the couplers will have opposite polarity and will short. Not good.
On these engines, which I run as dummies, I replace whatever coupler boxes came with them with Kadee plastic draft gear boxes. The couplers are then isolated from the frames and they work fine.
If you are putting a coupler on the nose end of an Athearn F7, you will need a long shank model to clear the pilot. Yeah, Kadee thinks of everything.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley Yes, you have to be careful with engines which use the metal frame as part of the power circuit. I have a few Athearn engines from the fifties like that. If you just mount metal Kadee couplers, they become part of the circuit, too, and if you run two such locos back to back the couplers will have opposite polarity and will short. Not good. On these engines, which I run as dummies, I replace whatever coupler boxes came with them with Kadee plastic draft gear boxes. The couplers are then isolated from the frames and they work fine. If you are putting a coupler on the nose end of an Athearn F7, you will need a long shank model to clear the pilot. Yeah, Kadee thinks of everything.
thanks Mr B, would the short only present itself if running two engine together ?
Two locomotives would be the most likely situation. However, I've also had old passenger cars with Talgo trucks and couplers, and they could have the same problem if the cars were illuminated and used the truck frames to complete the circuit.
Kadee #148 whisker couplers with their #242 gearboxes are a winning combo for just about anything. The plastic gearboxes insulate so no electrical problems and the snap together boxes provide a perfect enclosure for the 148s. If needed the 140 series also offer short, long, underset and overset models. I've converted all kinds of old Talgo type cars to body mounting and routinely add the 148s to all rolling stock, powered or not. Either glue down the larger poirtion of the 242s or fit them with 2-56 screws. Easily done.
Charlie - Northern Colorado
MisterBeasleyYes, you have to be careful with engines which use the metal frame as part of the power circuit. I have a few Athearn engines from the fifties like that. If you just mount metal Kadee couplers, they become part of the circuit, too, and if you run two such locos back to back the couplers will have opposite polarity and will short. Not good.
LION uses plastic drawbars between the locomotives, so only needs to worry about the couplers on the ends. Said locomotives are wired in a train line, and I put trucks from powered locomotives on the dummy, they track much better that way. Lots of wheels to pick up power, and since I use a track gap to stop the locomotives in they yard, I have to get the entire locomotive across the gap before it shuts down. Gap is bridged with a recrtifiwer, so an outbound movement is not a problem.
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I don't have many older Athearn diesels left, but I always cut off the frame extensions meant for the mounting of couplers.I then used a stack of sheet styrene, cemented together with liquid cement meant for plastic, then affix it to the underside of the front and rear platforms on hood-type units.
Once the joints are secure, I drill and tap holes in the stacked styrene, then screw-mount the Kadee couplers, in their plastic draughtgear boxes. No chance of shorts between units, but it also allows a more prototypical filler below the opening for the couplers.
...and an Athearn U-boat with body-mounted couplers...
On this one, the area beneath the coupler is filled in, just like the real one...
Wayne
Thanks again for all the tips fellas and Wayne thanks for the pics. Always enjoy seeing pictures from your layout