A friend gave me this great car…it can’t go through the LGB1500 radius curves. Had anybody tried to modify the coupler box to allow the trucks to turn enough? Would a KD swap work, or this just a display piece ? Thanks
I don’t remember the LGB numbering system. What is the aprox. diameter or radius of 1500’s? I have one of the frameless versions and it gets through 8 foot diameter curves just fine.
Look at the coupler box. I have had a few Bachmann 1:20 cars come with a plastic insert around the shank that limits side-to-side movement. It pulls right off allowing a lot more swing,.
roger Wilander said:
A friend gave me this great car…it can’t go through the LGB1500 radius curves. Had anybody tried to modify the coupler box to allow the trucks to turn enough? Would a KD swap work, or this just a display piece ? Thanks
Roger
Not sure if the car is a framed or frameless model but the same solutions should work for both.
Step 1 is to run the car uncoupled around the track to ensure that it will successfully go around the curve. It the trucks are to tight you may have to notch the coupler pockets where the wheels hits them. You can actually notch them quite a bit without effecting operation.
The second step is to couple the car to another car and go around the curves. Here you have to decide if you wish a high height or low height.
If high height is desired it is easy. Replace the coupler with a Kadee one and knotch the sides of the pocket to allow a wider movement.
Hope that helps.
Stan
Quote: “Look at the coupler box. I have had a few Bachmann 1:20 cars come with a plastic insert around the shank that limits side-to-side movement. It pulls right off allowing a lot more swing,.”
Embarrassed to say, took me an hour to figure out why my tankers derailed so easily. 
Cynnthia Verbrugge said:
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Embarrassed to say, took me an hour to figure out why my tankers derailed so easily.
You call that embarrassing? First of all, at least you know that embarrassing has two Rs and two Ss, and, second of all, if you think that’s embarrassing you would find some of the things I’ve had to figure out the hard way horrifying.
I like your glasswork…where can we see more examples?
Thank you John! I do have a website but it went down with the server it was on. I’ll have it back up soon!