Hey Y’all;

Over the weekend enjoyed making progress on yet another HLW Mack modification project (To me there isn’t quite enough sawing and drilling to call it a kitbash) which gets worked on for a while then set aside for a while since it gets made up as it goes and there are other projects going. Such as the background stack of my HO locos to run at club: we don’t have a G layout or either indoor or outdoor space for one.

Want the ends to suggest this kind of rounded cast shape http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/whit7.jpg

Since the couplers will now stick out far enough to displace quite a bit laterally on very sharp curves and the cars are either HLW 4-wheelers or standard with truck-mounted couplers which stay closer to track center line I have an idea to make a swinging coupler mount for it, inspired by this Kadee HO coupler mount.

Believe it or not, the coupler is going to be the hookless HLW loop coupler which comes with it and it will be screwed to the end of the pivot shaft.

Now, we are not talking interurban style radial couplers, just something which can swing around 15 degrees each way because even the loop couplers have a limit to how much sideways displacement they can handle.
And because I just want to play and find out if I can successfully make the thing, and what happens in use.

Will keep yellow for body color, but painted. Probably silver frame and keep roof black.

For a bit about the different locomotives built by Mack Trucks, see https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33657-mack-rail-%E2%80%93-the-locomotives/

I like your project. The link to the Mack Trucks showed many different possibilities and bashing potential. Good stuff.

I use hook and loops and have faced issues like yours and being able to make a loop swivel to the left and right and then getting the loop to center itself.

I’m interested in how you will make this work.