Hello, I'm new here, and one of my train passions is the older styles of engines, like the John Bull, or the Lafayette, or Dewitt Clinton... so I have managed to track down, and purchase all of them (even the Pegasus, and the Prussia)
My only issue, is how much of a pain in the tuchus it is connecting cars. Now, I realize modern couplers would be a bit dumb on something like a Dewitt Clinton, but the rest of them... is it possible to replace the hooks with EZ couplers, and if so, how would I do it? What would I need? I figured I'd ask here, because I can't be the first with this idea... mayhap I can learn from others?
I have the Dewitt Clinton, John Bull, and the Lafayette.
John Bull has horn hook couplers so that wouldn't be hard to change.
The Layayette could possibly be done. N scale EZ couplers would be better than HO I think because HO ones would look too big. You might have enough room to mount an N scale pocket on the frame.
By looking at pics of the Pegasus and the Prussia, that would be the same way as the Lafayette.
With the DeWitt Clinton, you might be abler to slide an N scale coupler pocket between the two bars.
If you did that, I would remove the "glad hands" on the Lafayette, Prussia, Pegasus and DeWitt Clinton couplers. I think it would look better.
Warflight, if you are the handy sort of modeler.... Looking at my DeWitt Clinton, I would either copy the metal drawbar used between the engine and tender, or a piece of fishing line or micro chain to link the cars and engine together. It's a bit more work, and semi-permanently couples the train together, but it would limit the frustration factor without stretching reality too much.
Ooh! I never even considered N scale.
I think my biggest issue, is how to attach it all. My John Bull, sad to say, didn't come with horn hooks (I could work with that, if it had)
That's a FANTASTIC idea with the Dewitt Clinton. I just got mine a couple of days ago, and though it was new stock (factory sealed, and all that) it didn't have the engineer. I'm assuming that because the box was still factory sealed, that it was either forgotten when it was made, or, because it IS from 2004, maybe they didn't have a driver that year? Either way, I've been trying to contact the service department to see about a replacement (even if I have to pay for it.... I mean, how much could it possibly be?) but unfortunately, this site seems to hate me, and it won't let me register. (I had the same issues here for the forum, but fortunately, the Facebook rep for Bachmann was able to help me out... nice person... a real mensch. Very helpful!)
This is what mine looks like. I guess it's kind of a modified horn hook.
(http://www.sarget.com/sitebuilder/images/jbull1-180x208.jpg)
(http://www.sarget.com/sitebuilder/images/jbull2-175x200.jpg)
Yeah, mine are the same draw-bars you would find on the Lafayette, or the Pegasus. I have seen the John Bulls in eBay auctions with the horn hooks, but it seems it really depends on what year it came out. (I remember the horn hooks on it in the 80s... mine is from 2013... or at least there's an advert for the 2013 Bachmann catalogue with the paperwork, at any rate)
I remember way back, in the 80s, I was told not to buy trains like the John Bull, due to quality (which, didn't concern me, as I wouldn't be running that often, and it was prettier than the Pewter ones the Franklin Mint was selling at the time) but the quality on these ancient engines they are putting out today? WOW! This 2013 John Bull is on par, quality wise, with some of the Spectrums I've seen and drooled over.
I've only actually run them a couple of times. Most of the time they reside on the ledges around the dining room.
Mine sit on a bookshelf mostly, but only because I haven't a layout yet... but every so often, I'll set up some track, and let them go! (I love the fact that with EZ Track, I can just set up a loop, or so on a bed, or anywhere in just a few minutes)