tooters scooters...

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Hey, that's the very first kit I built. :)

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All of the Kadee parts are very well made, fit well, and were easy to assemble...

...except the coupler springs.:rolleyes:

Greg
 
After the caboose, I did come up with an easy way to do the coupler springs while putting together six Kadee log buggies.

Assembled them on a big magnet... ;)
 


I really like the old stuff, and couldn't pass taking a chance on this 43 year old untested Fleischmann for only $17 on ebay... :)

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It needs a good cleaning and a lube job... but it runs! :)
 
Easiest way to do coupler springs is to hold the coupler closed with your left hand, and with your right hand, pick up a flathead screwdriver, and slip the screwdriver into the end coils of the spring, then carefully slip the spring over the cones on the kadee coupler.
 
Sorry, I wasn't specific. It was assembling the shank spring on the #15 couplers. A magnet holds it in place while it's being compressed to wedge it into the box. :)

Greg
 
Here's what the Fleischmann looks like inside...

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There's no pinion worm gear and the gear ratio is reduced 3 times from output shaft to axle. It's geared really low. :)
 
I adapted a Kadee #49 coupler so that the European loco will mate up with all the American rolling stock... :)

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Just finalized the couplers...

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I decided to just go all Kadees with any of the European trains I get so that everything will hook up to everything else. The frame is exactly at the height of a centered coupler shaft so the offset Kadee #49's work perfectly... :)

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I used draft boxes from some #148's, shortened them, put the couplers and brass retainers in them, flipped them upside down with no lids and glued them right onto the top of the frame.
 
Everything became simple once I abandoned prototypical reality... ;)

(by the way... here's an advance sneak preview of a coming scooter... ;) )

roco63228.jpg
 
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Great looking engine Greg, dirty it up some and put some junk on it and it would look like it belongs on a mining or logging operation.
 
I'm all excited... :) should arrive any day now. It really has that old time narrow gauge look. Meanwhile... the little eloc got a new paint job...
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Greg
 
That's got to be just about the oddest little engine I've ever seen. I like it though. :)

Do Euro couplers really look like that? Or is that their horn-hook equivalent? Looks a bit like Edward Scissorhands got hit by a train. :D
 
RW&C said:
That's got to be just about the oddest little engine I've ever seen. I like it though. :)
Click to expand...

So do I. :)
The detailing on the drivers is exquisite...
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European engines are generally classified by Epochs:

Epoch I 1835-1920
Epoch II 1920-1945
Epoch III 1945-1970
Epoch IV 1970-1985
Epoch V 1985-Present

That engine is an Epoch I.

Do Euro couplers really look like that? Or is that their horn-hook equivalent? Looks a bit like Edward Scissorhands got hit by a train. :D
Click to expand...

They're absolutely hideous... :eek:
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I'm already trying to figure out a way to put kadees on them without irreversably butchering them up. Especially the engine because I want to use it to pull a string of 50 year old Model Engineering Works Log Buggies.

Greg
 
Greg,
You can use the Euro Kadee coupler replacement that just snaps in to those coupler pockets. They don't always line up w/the American coupler heighths though.
On my Euro cars w/Kadee's I have 1 engine that I set up just to pull these cars because of alignment problems.
What's nice about Euro cars & engines is the spring loaded swing coupler arms. Most will turn on a dime(tight curves).
I'm going to list some short 2 axle highly detailed passenger/freight cars next month that you could probably use.
 
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Wow, THANKS Larry! :)

Do you know which Kadee number will work? (edit: I just found it! #18 medium couplers.)

And please do give me a heads up on your listings, I'd be interested in looking at them. :)

Greg
 
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