Bachmann's are notorious for having non-standard coupler boxes. The higher quality models from Atlas, Kato and Life-like are a lot more straightforward.
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
Is it being said that it's easier to body mount a loco that came with truck mounted couplers (as stated in the original post)? That doesn't sound right to me. I think people are mixing up locos with freight cars.
Most N-scale locos these days come with body mounted couplers. They are generally easy to swap out for MT's (standard 1015/1016). In fact, it takes minutes if you get the pre-assembled couplers (1015-1).
The other day I converted a LL SW8 and an LL SD9 to MT's. I could not find the pre-assembled 1015-1's at my LHS, so I had to get the unassembled pack and put them together myself. 95 percent of my conversion time was spent on assembling the couplers. Once put together, they easily went into the loco without having to take off the shells.
Although it was not too hard assembling the couplers (the spring assembly was the worst part), I'd advise spending the couple of extra dollars to buy the pre-assembled couplers.
timthechef wrote:I didn't know the pre assembled ones where availabe. Next time I will have to look for them. This is the first time I've done anything with N gauge. Tonight we are going to do his Atlas SD 40. I'll let you know how that goes.
Just to clarify, MT sells pre-assembled body mounted loco couplers (1015-1) only. If you are converting an older truck mounted coupler (as you did with the Bachmann switcher), then I don't think they come pre-assembled. I don't have any experience converting these older units, but have heard that it can be a pain.
Atlas never made an SD-40 in N-scale. Maybe you're thinking of their SD-45, which is a real oldie. Good luck with that if that's what you have. Maybe you can get a newer Kato SD-40 instead and not even have to convert the couplers?
I'm sorry to say that I made a mistake. It's not an SD-40, it's a GP-40. I'm not great with deisels. I used the MT chart in the store to choose the conversion kit, but I think that I got the wrong one (1110). I was able to change the couplers but not able to use the adapter piece. The coupler seem to have too much up and down movement. My Dad is taking it home and we'll see how it works. If it doesn't I'll have to fix it when I go and see him in December.
Thanks again for all your help. I can always count on this forum to have the answers when I need them.
Atlas's GP40's are body mounted couplers and will take a 1015 with one of the supplied shims on the top of the coupler box for installation. The 1110 is, according to my MT book, at truck mounted coupler. Is this a really, old GP40?