N scale knuckle couplers


M

mike in arkansas

New Member
OK—another basic question I guess (this is all N scale). I have some old rolling stock with a combination of truck and body mount Rapido couplers. They are a combination of Atlas, Life Like and some unidentifiable car a Kato F3 with knuckle couplers, I have Athern Overton set (4 old timey cars) with knuckle couplers. I would like to replace all the Rapido couplers with knuckles. What is the best way to go? Atlas has Roller-Bearing Trucks with Extended Accumate Knuckle Couplers that look like they should just bolt on in place of the existing trucks. Is that true? Is there a better way to go? Are all N knuckles compatible?

Again, Thanks. Mike
 
You would want all of your couplers to be the same. The Atlas knuckle couplers would work with other knuckle couplers. Years ago I was in N scale and everything came with the Rapido couplers. I had over 100 freight cars and a couple of dozen locomotives and I converted everything to knuckle couplers. At the time Kadee was the only company that offered them. In N scale a truck mounted coupler is the best way to go for freight equipment. You can check the Kadee web site (Microtrains) for couplers for a particular locomotive. Sorry, back when I was in N scale, it was Kadee which is now Microtrains.
 
Like Chet, years ago I was into N and I recall being vexed with the same challenge - replace those Rapido couplers with knuckle. I have been away so long I'm not sure if the patent expired on Microtrains couplers (nee Kadee) so I don't know what the clone world is like. Since so many N scale cars had truck mounted couplers, I would simply replace them with truck mounted Microtrain couplers.
 
Alas, I have looked at the Microtrains website and they don't show couplers for N-- Only HO!! I'll probably go with the Atlas trucks and see how they work. It is $4 for one pair which is not too bad since I only have very few cars! And since the Athearn and Kato couplers seem to be on speaking terms I assume the Atlas will as well.
Thanks for your input! Mike
 
[h=1]Still looking at replace couplers for old rapido ones. Is anyone familar with Kato 11-702 Buckeye Couplings? Seem cheap enough if they work with other knuckle couplers. Any thoughts? [/h]thanks Mike
 
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