Coupler switch

[Anonymous]

Hello. Does anyone know the short and sweet answer to the following? What number Kaydee or McHenry coupler would I use to convert some of my old Tyco and LifeLike NMRA(horn hook) equipped rolling stock to? Thanks for the help, as always!

[Anonymous]

Depends on the rolling stock,Steam,Diesel, Freight cars.
Go to the following Kadee Coupler Conversion Site,www.kadee.com/conv/list.htm

KD presently produces 40 different coupler and hardware sets in both metal and acetal plastic,
conversion kits,shims,washers, coupler height gauge,trip pin,wheelsets and four uncouplers.

As you will see the KD#5 is not applicable to all equipment and KD has developed the 20-series,30-series,40 series and the 452,453,&454 to cover those special situations.

In addition to the KD#5, there is also a new KD#58
overall smaller in size and closer to scale dimensions as the common prototype E coupler except for its overall length over the coupler.

This new #58 will work well mixed with the older KD coupler, but you would have two different style heads coupled together.

You will need the trip pin and height gauge when converting.

Happy railroading.
Charles-Grand Raoids Mi
[e-mail]
You may see a picture of the KD#58 by going to the following site.
www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/001/551ytafb.asp

When you place your mouse pointer over the coupler, CLICK and you will get an enlargement

[Anonymous]

Matt, you can also go to this home page
and on the left hand side type in COUPLERS in the search box and it should take you to other coupler topics-suggestions.

The next possible up-grade you may wi***o consider is metal wheel sets, since the wheel drag is reduced and the free folling is increased.

[Anonymous]

If they're like the ones I have done....Cut the horn hook coupler pockets off of the trucks and mount kadee #5 boxes and couplers to thwe floor at the outter edge. If you get some that are to high/low they can ussually be corrected by switching to overset or underset shank versions from kadee.

[Anonymous]

I have also done the same as Ross and it work pretty good. If the coupler is to heigh, I shim it with verious thicknesses of sheet styrene. If the coupler is to low, I have shimmed the trucks, But the best is to go with a different over or under coupler from Kadee. And as Chuck said with the recomendation of re trucking the car with Kadee's or a metal truck, that is up to you but wuold greatly improve the freerolling of the car, thus your loco can pull longer trains. Unfortunately, I don't know the # for the over-under couplers, but either the web site or another modeler will be able to help you on that. Keep 'em hooked together...........Jamie

[Anonymous]

You wanted short and swwet and didn't really get that....it's difficult to be brief.
Assume you wi***o keep cost down, here is a way:
McHenry #16 standard length -raised head, if you have 18" radius curves and #4 crossovers.
If you have larger radius curves and #6 crossovers, you should be able to use McHenry #15 short length-raised head.The above raised-head spec. helps with the fact that truck-mounted couplers are lower than they should be. You should still check the mounts with a Kadee gauge
and nip off a little of the uncoupler wire if necessary.
The wheels on these cars are terrible and need changing. Another cost saving element...if you are changing some Athearn or MDC cars over to Kadee or P2K wheels, save the original wheels and put them in the cars you are fixing up.Try to adjust the press-in plastic plugs that hold the trucks on, so that one swivels but does not rock, and the other can rock just a tiny bit.While you are at it, try to add some weight to the cars as low down as possible, as they are way too light, also.
good luck & regards / Mike