bachmann 44 tonner, leave coupler pocket on?

[Anonymous]

has anyone placed kadee couplers in bachmann's HO scale 44 tonner's coupler pockets without any modifications of the coupler pockets? in a 1989 issue of railroad model craftsman there is an article on modeling one of Middletown & New Jersey's 44 tonners using bachmann's loco. the article says to shave off the coupler pockets on the bachmann 44 tonner and make new ones from stryene. i am going to just screw my kadee couplers into the bachmann's engine's stock coupler pockets. why do more work than needed?

[Jetrock]

That's what I did--admittedly, the brass coupler springs stick out a bit, but I just painted 'em black. They don't hang down and snag the track like the ones included with the kit.