Coupler Question

I've noticed that a lot of vintage HO model locomotives and rolling stock (mostly from the 1970s and 1980s) have a completely different coupler than the more realistic knuckle style my modern Bachmann's have.

What is that coupler called, and how can I change it out to the modern knuckle-style? I've noticed an '80s Bachmann Union Pacific caboose, at first glance, looks identical to a modern one, but the trucks and couplers, as well as how they're mounted is completely different

 

Horn-Hook, X2F, or if you really want to upset the nmra, call it the "nmra coupler".
As I said in another post, for now just make one car an adaptor car, different couplers on each end, until you get the hang of changing them out and have available funds to do so.

 

I think I'll do just that. Change the lead car to having front horn couplers, then the Kadee Couplers normally used by Bachmann on the back, so I can use my existing cars until I can purchase more rolling stock.

 

Also lifelike (walthers) has some couplers made to fit in the horn hook coupler pocket as well. I have taken two of my cars cut off the court pocket from the trucks and attached a kadee #5 coupler pocket and coupler to the frame. Worked great looks great. Got many more to go too.


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There ya go. Proper couplers. Dave

 

Cody, another thing you can do in the mean time is slice off part of the horn hook which resembles the claw part of a hammer or what looks like "Alien's" back of its head !! Also the pin pointing straight down. In other words you're removing all the plastic which you can, top and side views, so as to be somewhat more like a knuckle coupler. In 1950s the pin slid into a track device which opened them. Since you are not going to 'go there' any longer and are moving to Kadee and other makes of knuckle couplers you can go ahead and do it to as many as you like. They will still couple up. ( 1:1 scale are or were built by, Janney, and called this today. There have been dozens and dozens of coupler types/attempts for improvement and safety. I believe Janney, though old now too, are what RRs eventually agreed to use to universalize the country's rail system. My ballpark theory. ). "Kadee" is two twin brothers Ken and Dale that gave the hobby this prototype Janney looking and operating coupler, eventually replacing the hooks...They passed away not that long ago.

 

And you kill them by doing so. You know what a "shelf" coupler is? The X2F is a shelf coupler. Those parts hanging below keep them from lifting out of connection. Being spring loaded closed. the long "alien's head" wing allows you to actually couple them. Cutting just the round peg off eliminates any possibility of using and uncoupler...ramp?...on the layout. All my nephew's stuff has X2F's and they work just fine.

 

I think I have some. They mate with Maerklin or Fleishmann....can't remember which right now...but those were two others.
John Allen preferred modified Bakers. I have a whole bunch of those I mailed off to a guy several years ago who used them. I have several old Kadees that are not magnetic. They have straight whiskers hanging down off the knuckle.
Once when I talked to Kadee about a part for a customer, I mentioned those...moment of silence..then asked if I wanted to get rid of them? Seems they have guys call them all the time looking for them to match what they started with all those years ago.

 

I pick them up whenever I can. Put them on all my stuff.

You ought to see SilverStreak wood boxcars with them mounted.

One thing always drove me crazy about the Kadee philosophy....if the coupler height is too low, use the Kadee truck shims to raise the car. If the car is the correct height, why would you want to do that? I always mill out the bottom when the coupler mounts to make it correct there. No matter what coupler.

Dave

 

ScaleCraft, you must have not read his 2nd post ...He is going to convert one, one car with a Hhook (Ok, NMRA ) remaining on front to couple with the Hhooked engine. He's going to put one Kadee on other end and slowly convert to all Kadee. We're talking one hornhook, one, shaved down to look a little better. He is not going to be needing a HHook uncoupling ramp for just the one because for the time being this car will be behind the engine all the time. If it doesn't work for him he has a plethora of Hhook cars left. I said nothing about the 'shelf' part being removed, just the pin and the unsightly parts originally critical but very soon, no longer to him, praise be...And yes, I know very well what modern shelf couplers are; developed to prevent the puncturing of tank cars ahead or behind them in a collision..I bow out here, to infinity......Mark (HOer since 1956, ye olde horn hook days )

 

Yeah...who do you think suggested the one car adaptor car?
It wasn't the thread originator who suggested whacking the X2F to bits:
"Also the pin pointing straight down. In other words you're removing all the plastic which you can, top and side views, so as to be somewhat more like a knuckle coupler. "

So, if you're going to suggest killing the coupler, at least remember you did so.
Thanks.