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Kadee Coupler for Bachmann Spectrum EMD F40PH DIESEL #6425 (VIA) ITEM NO. 87022

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  • Member since
    June 2020
  • 57 posts
Posted by UnionPacific8444 on Friday, July 24, 2020 5:38 PM

thanks

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Posted by UnionPacific8444 on Friday, July 24, 2020 5:38 PM

yes, thats what i did.

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Friday, July 24, 2020 3:40 PM

I used to have a pair of Bachmann F40PH's but I noticed the couplers would give a fairly long coupling distance than was realistic.  I don't know if Bachmann has improved the F40PH's since mine from around 1992.  If not, a short shank Kadee might improve the distance a bit making it not so long.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

  • Member since
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  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
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Posted by wjstix on Friday, July 24, 2020 2:03 PM

I'm pretty sure I just used #5s on mine, but that was one of the earliest ones years back. I have found that sometimes where a regular #5 won't work because the coupler box is too narrow, the 'whisker' #5 will.

BTW the 'standard' sized coupler box many models come with was I believe designed to fit the NMRA standards for the X2f coupler. Kadee created their couplers to fit in the box. Anyway, I don't think a company would intentionally do an odd-sized coupler box just to force modellers to use their couplers and not Kadees or some other brand.

Stix
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Posted by UnionPacific8444 on Friday, July 24, 2020 7:20 AM

sorry i did'nt clarify, but when i said "filing and cutting", i meant for the coupler socket, not the coupler itself. Anyway, thanks for the information!

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Posted by UnionPacific8444 on Thursday, July 23, 2020 7:35 PM
Thanks for the info!
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Posted by UnionPacific8444 on Thursday, July 23, 2020 7:35 PM

oh! I didn't know that! Well, the Kadee #27 worked quite well with some filing and cutting, but maybe I'll use an E-Z Mate instead of it when I'm able to get my hands on a bachmann loco again if it doesnt require much filing and cutting.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
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Posted by hon30critter on Thursday, July 23, 2020 12:21 AM

UnionPacific8444
thanks! i was able to apply the coupler on the loco.

Great!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    June 2020
  • 57 posts
Posted by UnionPacific8444 on Thursday, July 23, 2020 12:16 AM

thanks! i was able to apply the coupler on the loco.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 11:36 PM

UnionPacific8444
thanks for the advice! i will try.

I'm glad to here you say that! Somebody once said that "....if you tell yourself that you can't do something then you will be right every time..."! Or words to that effect.

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    June 2020
  • 57 posts
Posted by UnionPacific8444 on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 11:22 PM
thanks for the advice! i will try.
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
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Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 11:17 PM

Hi UnionPacific8444,

I'm pretty sure that, if there was a coupler that fit the situation without needing to be modified, then Kadee would have listed it.

Without wishing to sound like I am lecturing you, I would say that a major part of this hobby is learning how to do something that you haven't done before. In your case I would suggest that you study the instructions carefully and then try to do the modification. Take it a bit at a time, and test fit the coupler frequently, and you will eventually get it to work. Then you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you did it yourself and you will also likely be more willing to try other stuff that you were leary of too.

One question: Do you have a set of 'needle files'? Anyone would have a hard time modifying a coupler if all they had was a 10" mill file. The proper tools make the job much easier, and you will find that a set of needle files will be regularly used in the hobby.

Here is a typical set:

https://www.micromark.com/mini-hand-tools/files

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    June 2020
  • 57 posts
Kadee Coupler for Bachmann Spectrum EMD F40PH DIESEL #6425 (VIA) ITEM NO. 87022
Posted by UnionPacific8444 on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 10:41 PM

I want to change the coupler for my F40PH loco to a Kadee one, but from what the Kadee website says, I have to use a Kadee #27 coupler and file down the coupler socket. I have a #27 at home, but I really don't want to file down stuff because I'm not really good at doing these kinds of stuff. Am I able to use a #5/#148/#158 instead without filing stuff down?

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