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Micro Trains couplers on a Kato Dash-9

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  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Neenah, WI
  • 235 posts
Micro Trains couplers on a Kato Dash-9
Posted by sschnabl on Saturday, November 30, 2013 8:28 AM

Hello,

I have swapped out MT couplers (#2004) on an N scale Kato Dash-9 and now the couplers are too high.  I am wondering what others have done for this conversion.  If I use shims, I'm not sure the assembly will fit through the opening in the pilot.  Do I need to file the opening lower to make room for shims?  If any of you has done this conversion in the past, I would like to hear what you did to make them the correct height.

Thanks,

Scott

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,706 posts
Posted by zstripe on Saturday, November 30, 2013 9:06 AM

Scott,

I would check with MT first, to check to see, if they make a, undershank,or overshank coupler, first,before, you do any filing, or shimming.

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

Edit:http://www.micro-trains.com/ConversionsN.php

  • Member since
    June 2012
  • 2,297 posts
Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Sunday, December 1, 2013 1:29 AM

I have not converted a dash 9 but I'm curious to see if the MTL 1015 coupler would work instead of the 2004's, What do the instructions say?

SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.

 http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide 

Gary DuPrey

N scale model railroader 

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,706 posts
Posted by zstripe on Sunday, December 1, 2013 2:01 AM

Scott,

After, reviewing, the coupler,exploded view diagrams, in the link, I posted above, It appears, that Gary, may be correct. It shows the #2004, to be a underslung coupler, which would cause it to be higher, in the pocket, the 1015, is a regular shank coupler, so it will be lower in the pocket. Have a look see and you will see, what I mean. Smile

Cheers, Drinks

Frank

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Neenah, WI
  • 235 posts
Posted by sschnabl on Sunday, December 1, 2013 7:04 AM

Frank and Gary,

After reading your posts, I took a look at the coupler closely.  The 2004 is an underslung coupler where the shank connects to the coupler at the bottom, which essentially raises it.  I took some standard 1015's, which lowered the coupler to where it needed to be.  What is strange is that MT's website reccommends 2001 and 2004 (underslung), and even in the instructions, there was a paragraph or two about the Kato Dash-9.  Oh well, the couplers on there now work just fine.  The loco pulled a train last night for over an hour without a single uncoupling.

Thanks for your replies.

 

Scott

  • Member since
    June 2012
  • 2,297 posts
Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Sunday, December 1, 2013 4:57 PM

That's good, I'm always happy to help out a fellow N scale addict. 

SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.

 http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide 

Gary DuPrey

N scale model railroader 

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: Mesa
  • 38 posts
Posted by AzBaja on Friday, April 26, 2019 1:00 AM

This might be a little late,  but KATO changed the coupler pockets on later version of the Dash 9 C44-9w - If it has dich lights above the deck, in my case the pocket is higher set in the model and 2004 couplers will be too high.  On the older models without the deck dich ligts the pocket is monted lower. it can vissable be seen when both a new and old run Dash 9 C44-9w are place next to each other.  MTL/Micro Trains has bad information or needs to update it listings for KATO.  Same issue with the SD70.  it says it takes the 2004 but it realy takes the 2003.  lazy on MTL part to not keep it's product listings up to date.  This is now 2019 and the listings are still wrong on MTL product line up.  

 

AzBaja

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