getting rid of dummy knuckle couplers

[randbo]

hello all. i recently came back to n scale railroading and purchased 3 bachmann train sets, the explorer, the empire builder and the thunder valley. i also purchased some other stuff and i purchased a mtd plymouth diesel. the key thing here is all of this was purchased LAST WEEK. new stuff.

my problem is those pesky, annoying dummy knuckle couplers on all the rolling stock and the locos in the sets. i want to replace them with mchenry or mtl or accumate. ANY GOOD KNUCKLER. now the mtd plymouth came with those beautiful mchenry couplers on them. GOOD MOVE BACHMANN. the problem with mchenry is that they only seem to ship one standard type of n scale mchenry and it supposedly will fit in an accumate or mtl draft gear box.

how can i get mchenrys on the bachmann rolling stock with the dummy knucklers on them?
i will take accumate or mtl instead. HOW DO I DO THIS? what parts are needed to modify the rolling stock?

there are no useable drawings anywhere that i can find for this. i have done alot of research on this and have found ways to get mtl onto my locos, the northern 484 tender, the f7 a and b and the emd gp40, so i am not totally clueless. but i do have like 20 plus rolling stock.

while i am on the subject, the drawings that came with the locos are OUT OF DATE. they show square couplers, not rapido, WITH SQUARE COUPLER PART NUMBERS 9722 series, and are mounted with those stupid dummy knuckers.

now i dont mind converting the rolling stock in the train sets, BUT I DO PLAN ON BUYING ALOT ALOT ALOT MORE ROLLING STOCK AND ENGINES from bachmann. i would like to see the coupler problem SOLVED before i jump in with the megabucks.

one last thing bachmann, PLEASE TELL US THE COUPLERS ON ALL OF YOUR N SCALE PRODUCTS on your website. ok? you have a big future customer here.

can anyone help me here?

[simkon]

If you wait until Bachmann releases their new working knuckle coupler, all your troubles will be solved.

[randbo]

not gonna do me much good for the next 6 months. i want to do trains like now.

[brokemoto]

Many of the freight cars will take MT 1133s.  They are easy to work with, but do purchase the MT coupler tweezers, they are a must if you plan to work with 1133s.

[Albert in N]

From my experience, the only way that you can switch cars is using MicroTrains couplers with Kato or Atlas track that has MicroTrains magnets between the rails at uncouple points.   Bachmann E-Z track lacks individual number 6 turnouts, half curve sections and magnetic uncoupler sections.  If you run trains and do not remotely switch cars, Bachmann dummy couplers are neat. They do not uncouple when running; they are cheap and mate with MicroTrains, Accumate or other knuckle couplers.  However, they do not mate well with Kato couplers.  You can use a car with MicroTrains or Accumates in between to get around this.  Accumate (and clone) couplers often lose their trip pins, derailing trains.  Also, they do not reliably uncouple.  Kato has scale size couplers, but again they do not reliably uncouple and often lose trip pins. Also, you have to install the trip pins yourself on Kato.  At least, these are the observations from my first-hand experience.  From photos, the new Bachmann working knuckle couplers and track magnet sections are going to be nice!  

[randbo]

yes i cant wait for the new bachmann couplers. but until then i need something to work.

[Ol' 4449]

I, too, have a mixture of old and new Bachmann rolling stock, and the two types of couplers aren't compatible. Is the 'dummy' knuckle coupler the one that looks somewhat like a real nuckle coupler, and the newer couplers have a sloping front surface? Can the old ones be replaced with the new ones? I've been out of N scale for about 15 years, and I now have a grandson who's old enough to appreciate the art form! Guess what he's getting for Christmas? ANY help will be gratefully appreciated

Ol' 4449 (in Portland, of course!)

[simkon]

Here is the older Rapido type coupler:


Here is the newer dummy knuckle, which would be compatible with the newer working knuckle coupler:


As you can tell it is the same car but two different ends, it is a transition car, which allows the two types to be mixed.

[Ol' 4449]

Thanks, I got the two mixed up. I guess I'll convert to the newer dummy knuckles! 'Sfunny, we had a bully in High School named Dummy Knuckles!