coupler upgrade to combine old and new trains

[Anonymous]

My son has a Bachmann HO scale train set with EZ mate couplers (I think that's what they're called)

My OLD train set has what I always thought of as a universal coupler (universal 35 years ago) - not realistic looking at all but they worked OK so long as I didn't backup too much. sort of a hook type thing with a barb that would uncouple when you ran over some plastic rails in the track.

OK - how do I join these two worlds into one? I see that Bachmann sells a limited variety of replacement couplers but little or no information on what they will work on. Kaydee has so many model numbers that I'm not exactly sure what will work. I did find a kaydee coupler that claims to be a direct replacement for the Bachmann units. Perhaps someone sells a car with Bachmann on one end and the old type on the other end?

My old cars have the coupler mounted on the trucks - but it would appear that the modern world has evolved to body mounted trucks.... I thought about boxing up the old cars and just buying new stock but that's more money than I can afford right now.

Has someone published a 10 or 20 page handbook of coupler upgrades?

[Anonymous]

UH... never mind - I posted this in the wrong place.... sorry, you folks are REAL trains, not toys...

[trainboyH16-44]

Don't worry, post her at www.trains.com/community/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=88
The easiest solution to your problems right now would probably be to buy an Athearn 'Blue Box' shake-the-box kit and install a Kadee #5 (Or whatever knuckle coupler comes with a BB nowadays) and a horn-hook (That's what the ones on your older sets are called) on the other.
Once you've got a bit of money in the bank, it might not be a bad idea to shelve the older cars and replace them wtih newer ones - The newer ones are sooo much more detailed, and run a LOT better (Not to mention the price, too...)

[Anonymous]

Thanks! I'm looking at the cars now. An elegant solution.

Steve

[BR60103]

Steve: you may also find the horn-hook couplers called NMRA or X2f, which is the designation that the NMRA committee gave it. Neither name is right, but they are often called that.
There was a coupler some years ago (I think by Bachman) that was supposed to mate with both the Kadee and the horn-hook. It fitted in the standard Athearn/Kadee#5 box. I have a card of them someplace in the basement.

[TomDiehl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BR60103

Steve: you may also find the horn-hook couplers called NMRA or X2f, which is the designation that the NMRA committee gave it. Neither name is right, but they are often called that.
There was a coupler some years ago (I think by Bachman) that was supposed to mate with both the Kadee and the horn-hook. It fitted in the standard Athearn/Kadee#5 box. I have a card of them someplace in the basement.

You're thinking of the Mate-O-Matic couplers. They sort of worked, if you weren't too picky about how hard you rammed the cars together (it usually took some force).

A better soultion, one that has been recommended for quite a few years, is to make a transition car, one with a Kadee coupler on one end and the style you have on the other end. As you can afford couplers and get them installed, the transition car just moves back in the consist, until you're done with the conversions.