I have just purchased my first train set. I also bought some freight cars from Model Power. I have just learned that there is a difference!
Can I change the couplers on the Model Power cars to work with the EZ-mate ones on my Bachmann set?
If i am not mistaken, Model Power comes with horn hook couplers. You can replace those with Kadee #5 couplers. They are a wee bit expensive compared to Bachmann EZ mate couplers but being made of metal will last you for a long time.
The fastest way to convert the cars is a pack of Kadee #212 Talgo adapters and some EZ-Mate MK-II couplers. The talgo adapters fill in the difference between the small pin in the coupler box and the large hole in the EZ-Mate couplers.
Len
:D
The Bachman EZ Mate is a fine coupler, but I recommend you make KD your friend for any further conversion projects. As noted, they're a little more expensive, but virtually indestructable in normal use.
Horn Hook couplers can also be wedged into the knuckle on KD and other couplers and you'll darn near need to run the train through inverted-corckscrewing-Loop for those to THINK about letting go.
The Model Power website indicates that new production has knuckle couplers. Items can be ordered directly from them.