Bachmann Heavy Weight Passenger Car Couplers Trouble

[mwalther]

I am having trouble mounting Kadee #27 couplers on some of my Bachmann [?]heavy weight passenger cars. The stud in the coupler pocket seems to be a bit too wide for the copper spring to fit. Yet on some cars I had no trouble. Is this just inconsistant molding? What is the fix? The coupler pocket on the rear of the observation car is different than the others. Is it just for show?

[Anonymous]

I did have some of those cars a few years back and the subject has been brought up before. There's a recommended solution out there but I can't put my hands on it.

Please try going to the www.kadee.com site for coupler conversions.

I believe there were two versions of that coupler swing .

If you can't get the proper procedure, e-mail Sam Clarke, coupler conversion specialist
thru their pop up e-mail form under"Company Contact".

[cacole]

I assume you're talking about the Bachmann Spectrum passenger cars. I use McHenry knuckle spring couplers instead of Kadee, so the bronze centering spring is not necessary. On one car, however, I did have to use a Kadee underset coupler to raise the head, and on that particular one I had no problem getting the centering spring into the pocket. I still haven't figured out why one end of one car was lower than the others. I probably could have removed the truck and placed Kadee washers between it and the car body to raise it, but I wasn't sure what I would get into with the wiring for the interior lights, so I chose to change the coupler type.

Have you ever attempted to open up one of those cars? If so, how did you do it? A light bulb has burned out in one of mine, and I can't figure out how to get the roof off without needing 10 hands.

[mwalther]

For removing roof, see http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/index.html and look up Heavy Weight Passenger Car Couplers as the search. One response

Author: RAM (---.bartnet.net)
Date: 05-26-04 21:24
Scale: HO

Turn the car over. there are three tabs on each side. two towards one end and one near the other end. What I do is start at the end with the single tab and push on it with a small screw driver. When I get it start I work my way down with the other two. The roof and windows are one unit. You can remove what you want to on the mechanism. I removed it all except for the section that hooks onto the trucks. When you get ready to put the roof back on, take care to get the little spring back in the right spot for the lights. I think the system used for the lighting is a poor design, but if you use care and do not take the car apart very much it will work.

[Don Gibson]

KaDee has 3 (actually 4) different mounting systems: The flat spring 5, 20's,40's), 30 series and the original #4 and old # 6-8. The #27 is a medium length underset shank.

They have a website recommending which coupler for what car, or you can consult the Walthers Catalog which most LHS have. Recommended couplers are for 22" and larger radii.

If you're not totally new at the hobby, check JayBee and see if he has body-mount 'coupler pads' for Bachmann passenger cars. Body mounting runs better than 'Talgo' style since they don't push on the wheels. I put on all my ConCor and Rivarossi cars. In my opinion Talgo coupling is only for super-tight 'toylike' curves (18" - 15").

[Don Gibson]

P.S. Many 'Observation cars just have a dummy coupler for 'show'. Often it's at the wrong height and lacking room for a working coupler. Sometimes a KD #711 WORKS.

[cacole]

I don't think using body mount couplers would work on these Bachmann Specttrum heavyweight passenger cars because the coupler box swivels with the trucks,. They're not truck mounted talgo couplers, but are mechanically linked to the trucks.

[mwalther]

It was suggested that I be more specific to obtain help. I am trying to fit Kadee #27 couplers to Bachmann Spectrum Heavy Weight Passendger Cars in HO, but the #5 copper spring hole is too small for some of the studs in some of the cars' coupler pockets. Here is my experience mounting them:
#89521 Combine - lead coupler spring fits fine, trailing doesn't
#89522 Coach - one coupler spring forced on, one doesn't go on
#89522 Coach - both coupler springs fit fine
#89524 Diner - both coupler springs fit fine
#89526 Observation - coupler springs don't fit
#89527 Pullman - both coupler springs fit fine
What is the fix?

[Anonymous]

If you can't obtain a solution here go to Sam Clarke. This is what he gets paid for and does best.

They are in Washington state so there may be a delayed time response.