Kadee coupler help needed

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avarua

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Hi - I'm new to this forum, and just getting back into model railroading after a few years absence. I have acquired a number of Blue Box Athern locomotives, specifically SD45, GP40-2, C44-9W, and AC4400. I am wanting to add a few details, specifically plows where appropriate. This has raised a couple questions I hope to get some help/opinions with:
1) Pros and cons of chassis mount vs. body mounting the couplers. It seems that body mounting would make shell removal much easier, or is this a non-issue?
2) Which Kadee coupler should I look at for these locomotives. I am assuming the addition of plows will require a longer coupler?
3) If body mount is the way to go, are there any threads or websites that can help with the best method of accomplishing this?
Any help or opinions would be appreciated. Thanks
 
I would contact Kadee at www.kadee.com and ask them. Each of those locomotives requires a different coupler so they would be able to tell you which is the best for your application.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum. I don't know of any Athearn engine that doesn't have body mounted couplers so that should be a non-issue. As was pointed out, Kadee has an extensive reference on their site for the correct type of couper for each locomotive model. Most of the time they are #5's but there will be an occasional oddball so it's a good idea to check first.
 


Actually these are all oddball couplers. #37,38, 27 and 28.That is why I think you should ask Kadee. The only one I have used is the 28 for my Difco dump cars.
 
Hmm....Except for a few of my Athearn BB locomotives, I've always used #5's but the chart shows mostly #37's #38's. The only apparent difference between a #5 and a #37 is an underset shank. The #38 is the same as the #5 but about .015 inches longer. I guess I'm lucky the #5's have worked OK but using the correct one is certainly the way to go.
 
I like the kadee chart , but I always determine what I need by using my Kadee coupler height gauge. The chart is a good reference and can always help. You can download the chart from either Kadees site or the last time I looked it was on the front page of the Walther site too. Under technical resources.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
avarua said:
Hi - I'm new to this forum, and just getting back into model railroading after a few years absence. I have acquired a number of Blue Box Athern locomotives, specifically SD45, GP40-2, C44-9W, and AC4400. I am wanting to add a few details, specifically plows where appropriate. This has raised a couple questions I hope to get some help/opinions with:
1) Pros and cons of chassis mount vs. body mounting the couplers. It seems that body mounting would make shell removal much easier, or is this a non-issue?
2) Which Kadee coupler should I look at for these locomotives. I am assuming the addition of plows will require a longer coupler?
3) If body mount is the way to go, are there any threads or websites that can help with the best method of accomplishing this?
Any help or opinions would be appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

My OPINIONATED answer lol.. :D

ans. 1) I perfer chassis mount for stronger and reliable placement and for those long hauls...:D

ans. 2) If you go to the website that is posted you will seee that there are many different couplers for each situation. Some are long shank for those plows and radius on passengers cars or auto cars etc. Some are short, some are proto typical. Just look at them. If you are unsure you can by the variety pack and go from there.

ans. 3) See answer 1. I avoid body mount as much as possible.


my 2 cents
 
Alcomotive said:
My OPINIONATED answer lol.. :D

ans. 3) See answer 1. I avoid body mount as much as possible.


my 2 cents
Click to expand...

I think you meant truck mount here, correct? There's nothing worse than trying to back a string of truck mount AHM passenger cars more than a few feet and not having one of them come off the rails. :)
 
Thanks

Thanks all for the great info. I did check out the chart on the Kadee website and it was most helpful.
 
I know an old-timer who said that there isn't a model out there that he can't get a #5 to work, even though the chart says otherwise. Maybe shimming or a bit of grinding, but he can get the #5 to fit the coupler gage.

Kennedy
 


UP2CSX said:
I think you meant truck mount here, correct? There's nothing worse than trying to back a string of truck mount AHM passenger cars more than a few feet and not having one of them come off the rails. :)
Click to expand...


Oh man, same on the Athearn passenger cars. :)

I don't think it has been mentioned directly but Kadee has a compatibility chart that crosses their couplers to specific chassis - it is pretty useful. I believe it has been referred to here by a few people. Try here to see what you need.

Mark
 
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