How to Change out OEM Couplers on Bachmann Thomas the Train to MT
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Speaking of Thomas out on the main line pulling a unit coal train ...
A fellow club member brings his son to the layout occasionally to run his HO Thomas train. It's my observation that the unit is rather light weight. I haven't found online anyone that has talked about improving the performance of the Bachmann Thomas line. In fact, other than videos of the sets on YouTube I haven't found much discussion about them at all.
Does anyone know if it would be easy to upgrade the Thomas line to be better performers, and what all might be required? Motors, wheels, weight, DCC, detailing?
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Fisting Anal
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I'm assuming this N scale, correct? Do the engines and cars presently have the normal big N scale hook coupler? Depending on that information, you have a couple of possible courses. Some of the Thomas sets have large buffers between the cars and the best thing to do is live with the stock couplers. If the buffers are short, you can go to the Micro Trains web site and look up the company and see if they have a conversion chart for your set. The engine will need to have the stock coupler pockets cut off and new MT coupler pockets glued or screwed on. The passenger cars can have body mounted couplers doing the same thing or you may be able to slip an MT coupler in the present truck mounted coupler pocket. Since the Thomas sets aren't usually made to scale standards, it will probably take some experimientation to come up with the right combination. The MT web site doesn't show a specific coupler conversion for any Thomas set.
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OK, that was a lot of work for nothing. MT only makes couplers for N scale so your title made me assume you had an N gauge set. Stating your gauge first helps get correct answers.
You want to change from horn hooks to Kadee knuckle type couplers. If that's true, please get back to me and I'll do some more research.
You want to change from horn hooks to Kadee knuckle type couplers. If that's true, please get back to me and I'll do some more research.
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macjet
Member
Jim, if he has what I have it's these hook and loop couplers.
http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-78979
http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-77049
These are attached by two mounting posts and two screws. A conversion would require removing these posts and attaching Kadee coupler boxes. I'll have to look when I get home but I'm not sure where the Thomas couplers sit height wise versus a Kadee coupler.
dlobmwm3, I run a Thomas setup on my shelf layout for my 3 year old. We have left the Thomas couplers intact and just run Thomas as a separate train.
http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-78979
http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-77049
These are attached by two mounting posts and two screws. A conversion would require removing these posts and attaching Kadee coupler boxes. I'll have to look when I get home but I'm not sure where the Thomas couplers sit height wise versus a Kadee coupler.
dlobmwm3, I run a Thomas setup on my shelf layout for my 3 year old. We have left the Thomas couplers intact and just run Thomas as a separate train.
Mac, forgot about those hook and loops but you're probably right, since that's what Bachmann uses for Thomas sets so they'll match European standard couplers. I've read about few conversions for these but they involve some major surgery. Kadee doesn't list a specific coupler conversion for the Thomas sets but I assume something like a #16 long shank coupler that's made to replace hook and loops would be the best choice in terms of clearing those buffers. I'd be prone to take your advice - just run the Thomas set with the existing couplers since I don't think Thomas is going to be out on the mainline pulling a unit coal train. 
Mac, forgot about those hook and loops but you're probably right, since that's what Bachmann uses for Thomas sets so they'll match European standard couplers. I've read about few conversions for these but they involve some major surgery. Kadee doesn't list a specific coupler conversion for the Thomas sets but I assume something like a #16 long shank coupler that's made to replace hook and loops would be the best choice in terms of clearing those buffers. I'd be prone to take your advice - just run the Thomas set with the existing couplers since I don't think Thomas is going to be out on the mainline pulling a unit coal train.
Speaking of Thomas out on the main line pulling a unit coal train ...
A fellow club member brings his son to the layout occasionally to run his HO Thomas train. It's my observation that the unit is rather light weight. I haven't found online anyone that has talked about improving the performance of the Bachmann Thomas line. In fact, other than videos of the sets on YouTube I haven't found much discussion about them at all.
Does anyone know if it would be easy to upgrade the Thomas line to be better performers, and what all might be required? Motors, wheels, weight, DCC, detailing?
________
Fisting Anal
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kjd
Go make something!
I made an adapter car, whatever coupler on one end, KD #5 on the other. It's been awhile but it was pretty easy as I recall but also permenant.
I just went and looked at the car I did. The stock coupler mounts on three pins, remove the middle pin and screw in a KD5 in its box and done.
Locos, I don't know but probably the same. If you look in the beginning of the latest issue of Model Railroad Hobbyist (Sept-Oct 2010) on page 17 there is a model I did as a joke for SP4449 fans. It has a KD coupler on the rear.
I just went and looked at the car I did. The stock coupler mounts on three pins, remove the middle pin and screw in a KD5 in its box and done.
Locos, I don't know but probably the same. If you look in the beginning of the latest issue of Model Railroad Hobbyist (Sept-Oct 2010) on page 17 there is a model I did as a joke for SP4449 fans. It has a KD coupler on the rear.
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Well, if you double-headed Thomas with another unit like Gordon you could run some MU cables between them to keep him powered all the time. Or for a lot of work you could put contact wheels in one of the coaches and run power to Thomas from there. But I was thinking it would be fun to have long, 30 to 40 car, train using the Thomas line. Sounds like it's definitely not an out-of-the-box endeavor, though.
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diburning
AlcoHaulic
But prototypically, Thomas would never run with Gordon! Thomas pulls his local and Gordon pulls his express 
Well you wouldn't need the MU cables. If Thomas was to lose power, he is light enough for Gordon to push him until he picks up power again. Or, you can use a different engine. If the leader loses power, the trailer pushes it until it picks up power again, and if the trailer loses power, the leader pulls it until it picks up power again.
Well you wouldn't need the MU cables. If Thomas was to lose power, he is light enough for Gordon to push him until he picks up power again. Or, you can use a different engine. If the leader loses power, the trailer pushes it until it picks up power again, and if the trailer loses power, the leader pulls it until it picks up power again.
But we both know that Thomas is only good as a jumper when a power district won't reset
Thomas pulls Annie and Clarabel....i thought you knew that.....
Thomas pulls Annie and Clarabel....i thought you knew that.....
But prototypically, Thomas would never run with Gordon! Thomas pulls his local and Gordon pulls his express
Well you wouldn't need the MU cables. If Thomas was to lose power, he is light enough for Gordon to push him until he picks up power again. Or, you can use a different engine. If the leader loses power, the trailer pushes it until it picks up power again, and if the trailer loses power, the leader pulls it until it picks up power again.
Wow.....Thomas hauls coal now??? When i followed Thomas(YEARS ago), that was Percy's job. Thomas almost NEVER hauled anything but Annie and Clarabel....they were his.
My how times change.
My how times change.
diburning
AlcoHaulic
With the new CGI Thomas and Friends, Thomas hauls coal, while Percy breaks down every other episode. In the other episodes, Percy doesn't break down ONLY because he's not in the episode at all!
Also, half of the show involves the railway, the other half of the show involves a narrow gauge railway.
Also, half of the show involves the railway, the other half of the show involves a narrow gauge railway.
diburning
AlcoHaulic
Besides Gordon? Nope. James pulls the mail train, and the rest do odd jobs like haul coal or haul other random commodities like balloons. And to justify the weird commodities, they always say it's for the children waiting at some random Station
I remember the good old days... when they used to haul cows on those flat cars with stakes that form a cage. The train would derail, the cows would jump out, and then Thomas would be like "OH NO!"
Like with the old episodes, every week someone derails into a pond.
I remember the good old days... when they used to haul cows on those flat cars with stakes that form a cage. The train would derail, the cows would jump out, and then Thomas would be like "OH NO!"
Like with the old episodes, every week someone derails into a pond.
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