Knuckle couplers for Bachmann Amfleet cars

[cec209]

I recently purchased 6 Bachmann Amfleet cars in the 1416x series. Five came with Rapido couplers and one with knuckle couplers.

The question: Are knuckle coupler replacements available for the Rapidos?

Charlie

[the Bach-man]

Dear cec,
They should be. Give service a call.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[Fred Klein]

I just purchased on each of the Amfleet cars 14161 and 14157 and am eager to convert them to knuckle couplers, since my other two Amtrak cars (the full-dome observation cars) came with the dummy knuckle couplers installed. So, per the message from Bach-mann above, I just got off the phone with the service department and they do not have knuckle couplers for the Amfleet cars. The lady was very nice and did a parts lookup for me and the only thing that she found was the knuckle coupler assortment (which I already have) but which does not fit the Amfleet cars. I guess I will go ahead and install Micro-Trains couplers on them.

[cec209]

Fred,

After my post I talked with at least 3 people at Bachmann. There seemed to be some thought that the knuckle replacements might be available this fall 2011 but for a simple question I didn't get a definitive answer. "No" would have been better.

What MT couplers are you planning to use and how will you mount them. Seems like body mount is the only option. I did see one article on snipping off the rapido heads and mounting knuckles but it looked a bit too delicate to last.

Charlie

[keithwarltier]

Dear Charlie,

Are you looking for Magnetically Operated E-Z Mate Mark II Couplers
Product Codes 78503 (short) 78501(long) and 78502(medium)?

Regards,
Keith 

[Fred Klein]

Charlie,

When I spoke with Bachmann service that day, I did not get a warm fuzzy feeling that knuckle couplers for the Amfleet cars would ever be available since the lady in the service department did not even seem to know that the coupler assemblies for these cars are completely different from their standard "dummy" knuckle couplers. She seemed to think that the couplers from their assortment would just drop right in and replace the Rapido couplers.

Anyway, after I posted on here, I went ahead and ordered one of Micro-Tains' un-assembled coupler assortments (001 02 000), as well as one of their coupler assembly jigs. (My nearest hobby shop with any type of decent selection is about 90 miles away so order most of my model RR stuff via internet). The package arrived yesterday and this afternoon I had a chance to assemble the couplers. Assembly wasn't too difficult following MT's instructions and using their jig. The assortment comes with 2 pair of short shank and one pair of medium shank couplers.

Using the excellent tutorial from r0bert in another thread on this same topic in this forum, I mounted the medium shank couplers to the ends of the swing arms. I chose not to mount the couplers to the body because the standard curves on my layout are 12.5" radius and the inner trach has 11.25" radius. Anyway, I cut the Rapido couplers off the swing arm and then drilled and tapped the stub in the arm. The couplers mounted to the arm with no problems and seemed to be close enough to the correct height that I did not bother to adjust the arm. Also, I only did the couplers on one end of each car since these cars will always be run as a consist and the Rapidos do a good enough job holding them together.

While I had the car apart, I also removed one contact from each wheelset to reduce the drag and formed the remaining two into a gentle V-shape that r0bert describes in his tutorial. The wheels seem to be about as free as I can get them with very little drag and the lights still function well.

Anyway, I am very pleased with the conversion and the cars seem to run very well. Let me know if I can provide any additional info.

(Sorry for the long append)

Fred Klein
Okeechobee, FL

[herc driver]

Very good information - thanks for relating it here. 

I have six of these cars and have always hoped a way to modify the coupler would be devised, and this method seems about the best.  I too think the rapido-style couplers are fine between the consist of cars...I'd just like to modify the HHP8 couplers and one coupler on the lead and one on the rear coach for appearance sake.  Bachmann did a great job of styling these coaches, there's a lot to like, but the couplers really should be changed to some sort of knuckle design.  It's my hope that the HHP8 and Amfleet couplers could be swapped out with a knuckle style coupler and be included in the newer production runs, or sold aftermarket for change out.