Silver comet set new couplings but which one

[buzz]

Hi
I have the Silver Comet set and want to put ez mate couplings on it
but which is the right one for the job.
Or do I have to do a complete truck change
Also loco is just about worn out through fair wear and tear, I don't think the set engine is worth repairing
Any suggestions for a decent analog replacement loco

[buzz]

Hi
Surely some one knows which is the right easy mate coupling.
To use as replacement for the the horn hooks in the set.
All the new locos and rolling stock appears to come pre fitted with easy mates and I don't want to condemn the whole set
just replace couplings and the Loco
regards John

[jonathan]

Hi John,

We're not ignoring you.  It is possible that no one on the forum has any experience with that train set.  Are the trucks talgo? (coupler attached to truck).

I've never seen the set, so I couldn't recommend a replacement engine.

Sorry.

Regards

Jonathan

[buzz]

Hi John,

We're not ignoring you.  It is possible that no one on the forum has any experience with that train set.  Are the trucks talgo? (coupler attached to truck).

I've never seen the set, so I couldn't recommend a replacement engine.

Sorry.

Regards

Jonathan

Hi Johnathan
The Bachmann set is about ten yeas old and consisted of an F unit (that quite frankly I am surprised lasted ten years).
three freight wagons and a Caboose all with truck mounted horn hook couplers
The loco and Caboose are labled for the Santa FE Railway
The discusting black track was replaced by a good quality nickle silver
set track some time ago as was the trainset controller

I am not that familiar with US trains, but I do know the red and silver loco suplied with the set is in passanger colours and the set is a freight one.
I didn't notice any SF coaches in the catalog when I looked and am a bit lost as to what would be a good general purpose loco just in case I move from my more normal railway modeling to US outline.
I do wonder if it would be better to just go and buy another set and start from there.
But It seems wasteful to condemn what is still usable in the old set.
Its done an excellent job of entertaining visiting children and keeping them away from my railway.
And also entertaining me during times of no model railway due to house move or just took mine apart to start the bigger better next one
regards John

[jonathan]

Bachmann has two F units (FTA) available, both with Santa Fe "Warbonnet" Red and Solver coloring.

#60102 (DCC) or #11702 (DC)

I'm sure they both run well, as all my Bachmann engines run well.

As far as couplers go, I have been able to get EZ mates into truck mounted coupler pockets, depends how they are configureed.

Regards,

Jonathan

[buzz]

Hi Jonathan
Thanks for assistance.
Anything I need to watch out for during coupler change over

Had a look at the on line catalog saw two F red and a blue possibilities thanks for tip 
also saw a Fairbanks Morse H16-44 in SF livery what where they used for??
regards John

[jonathan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FM_H-16-44

Here's a wiki site with a brief history of the "Baby Trainmaster".  I love 'em.  I own two B&O H16-44s.  I use them to haul coal.

Sorry, I tried to post a more lengthy response but got thrown out for some reason.

I don't own any Bachmann freight cars, so I'm not sure which type of coupler pocket they have.  I have experience with two kinds:  one is a simple tab type.  Just lift the tab a little and the old coupler falls right out.  The other one is tricky.  Requires more manipulation.... and prayer.  Hope this helps.

Jonathan

[jward]

a good general purpose locomotive, appropriate for any era from the mid 1960s to to-day, would be the gp40. the gp30 and gp35 are also good bets, but most disappeared in the 1990s though many shortlines and a few larger lines still have them. the gp38-2 is also a good general purpose locomotive from 1972 on. all are in the bachmann line, and all are available with dcc.

as for your old freight cars, you really don't have to change the trucks and couplers on all of them, or any of them. probably the easiest solution is to buy a cheap kit car like athearn and replace one of the knuckle couplers with a horn hook type that will work with your old train set cars.

[FECfan]

Yeah, a Dual coupler car, I have a few of those for those old freight cars that can't be converted to Knuckle Couplings, and a Freight Car with one Horn-Hook and one Knuckle coupling.

[buzz]

FECfan
Well there are only four wagons to do so I might just as well do all of them.
All new stock from a large number of manufacturers all seems to have their version of knuckle couplings pre fitted.
I might just put metal wheels on them while I am at it.
regards John

[buzz]

a good general purpose locomotive, appropriate for any era from the mid 1960s to to-day, would be the gp40. the gp30 and gp35 are also good bets, but most disappeared in the 1990s though many shortlines and a few larger lines still have them. the gp38-2 is also a good general purpose locomotive from 1972 on. all are in the bachmann line, and all are available with dcc.

as for your old freight cars, you really don't have to change the trucks and couplers on all of them, or any of them. probably the easiest solution is to buy a cheap kit car like athearn and replace one of the knuckle couplers with a horn hook type that will work with your old train set cars.

Hi jward
The list of locos is getting longer  .
Which would be the right SF livery for the fifties or sixties
regards John

[jward]

for road switcher and switcher type locomotives, the paint scheme of the 1950s was a black and silver scheme known as "zebra stripe." bachmann made the h16-44 in this paint a few years back. this would cover any of these types up until about 1960. gp7s and gp9s, alco rsd5s and rsd15s, the h16-44, up to the sd24, all wore this paint.

from about 1960 on until the early 1970s, the paint was solid blue with a big yellow santa fe on the side, and yellow ends. this would include the gp20, gp30, gp35, gp38, sd40 and sd45, plus the early sd45-2 models. older units were repainted into this scheme as they were shopped so that eventually just about all hood types wore this paint.

an adaption of the "warbonnet" using blue and yellow was used from the 1970s on.

for cab type locomotives, like f7s, the paint was basically the red and silver warbonnet for passenger service, and solid blue for freight service. in the late 1960s, veriations on the warbonnet started to appear, using blue or yellow in place or the red.

this site has plenty of photos of santa fe locomotives during this time period.
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/atsf/atsf.html

[Jhanecker2]

You should have no trouble substituting E-Z Mate  I or II for the horn-hook couplers. I have replaced couplers on both Bachmann  & Life Like freight cars with E-Z Mate on truck mounted boxes. You could also use Kadee couplers , check out their website . Since freightcars don't change that much over time , you should be able to use any type of SF freight loco .  Since North American Railroads interchange cars you could use any N.A. Railroad loco and still be prototypical .  I live across the street from freight line track and see cars from Mexico , Canada , and assorted  US railroads . Tracks are currently owned by Union Pacific but were formerly  Chicago Northwestern and you see locos from all the lines currently owned by Union Pacific.  Good Luck and Have fun . John  II.

[Jake]

I remember having one of these sets as a young child. (About 10 years ago, It was my first train set actually.) Only the locomotive and caboose were painted for Burlington Northern instead of Santa Fe. I would recommend swapping out the trucks for Athearn or Intermountain trucks, as the ones included with the set had plastic wheelsets and probably did not roll very well, and adding Kadee couplers to the cars. If you buy talgo trucks then I would recommend Kadee #148s, which are #5s but with metal whiskers used to center the coupler instead of a brass spring. If you choose to go with body mounted couplers, I would recommend Kadee #5s and Kadee draft gear boxes mounted onto the car underbody.

--Jake

[buzz]

Gentlemen
To all of you thank you for the assistance will let you know how I get on
and what decisions I make.
One thing is for sure it is almost certain that metal wheels will be fitted to the stock while there is only four of them.
knuckles will defiantly be fitted some how again best done while there are only four wagons to do
The loco is going to be a tougher decision it would be easy to just get another F unit because it has very little in the way of fiddly little bits that break and would therefore be good with children.
But having seen some of the other units available some of which I like
its going to make that decision harder, particularly having been real dumb and looked in the real locomotive section  oop's I mean steam section of the on line catalog as well.

One last question does Bachmann still put that disgusting black track in
the sets or have they now put nickle silver instead of steel rail in the sets
regards John