There has been some discussion of adapting Bachmann knuckle couplers to other manufacturers trucks.  This is what I have done.

I drill a hole in the truck tongue right behind the coupler shank and infront of the axle.  I then screw in a "small screw eye" that I got at ACE, part number 76454.  This is a USAt Arch Bar truck.





Insert the plastic rod into the eye and then attach the coupler to the truck tongue.  The plastic rod does rub against the axle, but it doesn't seem to be a problem.  If you cut it off between the eye and the axle, the remaining stub may fall out of the eye on a tight curve.

Chuck

I think that you could insert the eye between the mounting screw and the end of the coupler shank, this would permit you to be able to cut off some of the plastic rod and still keep it in the eye.

Bill

I was wondering the same thing.  I'll start a new thread.

Chuck

Bill

I got some eye screws this afternoon.  It try to fix up another manufacturer's truck with a Bachmann coupler and spring retainer tomorrow and post some pictures.

Chuck

Rusty

I strongly agree with Bill.  Occasional running, like around the Christmas tree is fine, but constant year round running on tight curves is a real problem.  There will be significant wear on your trains and track.  Not to mention a lot of black dust that is hard to remove from your carpet under the track.  That is a mixture of brass from the metal wheels grinding away the inside of your outside rail and plastic dust from the brass track grinding down the plastic wheel on you rolling stock.

I know someone who has to replace his 4' diameter curves every few years, because the rail head is ground down enough for the engine to fall down between the rails. This also puts a lot of stress on the engines motor and gears.

If it is at all possible use 8' diameter curves.  If you can't do that LGB's R2, 5' diameter, would improve things.

Chuck

I found some B'mann couplers.  I'll try to find some eye screws at a local hardware store in the next day or so.  Then I'll post some pictures.

Looking at the coupler, the eye goes into the tongue on the truck, not the coupler.  Not enough room.


Chuck

I went to a local hardware store and found the smallest eye bolt/screw.  The opening of the eye is about 3/16", or less.

Chuck

Bill

I wish I could.  I'm now in Arizona for a couple of months.  I think that all the evidence is back in Virginia.

I'll look through my scrap couplers out here and see if I can fine anything to help.

Chuck

Bill

I have put a small eye bolt into the coupler tongue behind the coupler assembly to hold the centering spring, aka short black plastic rod.

Thinking a little more about it, I may have put the eyebolt near the end of the coupler shank.  I don't use them now because all of my couplers are at body mount height.

Chuck

Rusty

If you look carefully at your middle picture,you will see that the couple on the Porter is swiveling on the end of the shank.  It is not pointing out straight.  This lets it pull a car with truck mounted couplers around 4' diameter curves.  If it has a fixed straight shank coupler it would derail the car.

The long caboose has a solid shank on the coupler and it cannot swing very far left and right in the coupler box. You could possibly modify the box by cutting out some of each side of the box.  You might be able to use a similar coupler that pivots on the caboose. 

Truck mounted couplers stay centered over the track.  Body mounted couplers swing out away from the center of the track.  The tighter the curve the greater the swing.  It is also possible that the body mounted spectrum couplers will be at a different height.

Chuck

What cars and engines are you going to run with the long caboose?  It is a Spectrum model that is 1:20.3.  It will look very large if you are running it with Big hauler rolling stock.  Those are 1:22.5/24. 

You will definitely, need truck mounted couplers.  I have two of the Spectrum long cabooses (cabeese) and really like them.  My curves are all 10' diameter or larger. 

Chuck

I answered my solution to the same post over on MLS.

Chuck

There is nothing wrong with a backup engine, incase there is a problem with your primary engine.

Chuck

I don't recognize a YP&U locomotive.  Could it be a White Pass and Yukon engine?

Chuck

Rusty

If you can't find Bachmann cars, may I suggest LGB.  Since Bachmann no longer has these cars for sale I hope I'm not violating the rules.

They are very similar in size.  The major difference is the number of windows.





Chuck

PS the yellow engine and car are LGB.

Rusty

If you can't find the yellow D&S cars and you can find yellow D&RGW cars you could remove the lettering and add Durango and Silverton decals.  I have used custom decals made by Stan Cedarleaf on a number of projects.  They are excellent and he can do any car name and number you want.

He advertises over on <mylargescale.com>.  When I can get on my computer, I'll post some pictures of a 4 car rake of Bachmann passenger cars that I relettered for the Colorado & Southern with Stan's decals.

He has an extensive library of railroad lettering and logos.  He also will help you create custom lettering and logo for a railroad that doesn't have a prototype.  Like my "Clear Lake Lumber Co."

Chuck







I also had him do decals for 32 iron ore cars.





Custom decals