what kind of couplers do ll cars have? will they hook up to kaydee and others ok? thanks
Life-Like rolling stock (assuming you do not mean Proto 2000) have nmra/xf2/horn hook couplers, horn-hook couplers are not compatible with kadee or other knuckle type couplers. I guess you could technically connect them if you tried hard enough, but things would not turn out very well and you would have a ton of derailments and a host of problems. You can however, replace the trucks with new trucks and mount kadee couplers on the body of each car.
thanks
What kind of LL cars are you talking about? If they're not the latest Proto, are you talking about the shorty passenger cars, or freight, or both? I have a lot of the passenger cars and am in the same situation as you. So far, I have either changed one coupler on one car (the one that will connect to the loco) or changed the rear coupler on a loco that is going to pull different cars.
Robert
Having been a member of the NMRA for over 50 years. There is not, nor has there ever been a NMRA coupler.
Quote from: RAM on January 08, 2010, 04:03:39 PM
Having been a member of the NMRA for over 50 years. There is not, nor has there ever been a NMRA coupler.
I never said it was an NMRA coupler, a lot of people however incorrectly refer to xf2 or horn hook couplers as NMRA couplers.
look at the link below for an example of xf2s being refered to as NMRA couplers
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/hrp/hrp3011.htm (http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/hrp/hrp3011.htm)
Replacement is doeable . You can use either Bachmann Mark II or Kadee "whisker"couplers. You might need a Kadee talgo adapter for truck mounted boxes. Get their adapter insert tool if you do. Definitely get a coupler height gauge either from Kadee or Micro-Mark to insure coupler height and to make sure the hook is not dragging on the track. This also applys to body mounted coupler boxes. Did about 2 dozen life-like and older Bachmann cars. J2. Have Fun .
see post on tyco couplers. the process is similar to convert the lifelike cars to knuckle type couplers.