Large Scale Central

Couplers for USA Wood Reefers

Modeling
#1

Rather than use Kadees for this car, what I have done with mine in that body style is to take the USA coupler and file off a bit of the tang so it will fit through the coupler pocket. You have to do a bit of shimming, and then for security you can drill through the boxcar floor so you can through bolt the coupler, but it works great!. The coupler comes out the pocket, just like it is supposed to do, and you don’t have to buy any Kadees.

It has very easily gone around 10 ft diameter curves on my layout, but I’ve had it fail (derail) on a 6 ft diameter at a friend’s layout. I’ve run several cars back to back on the same ten foot diameter curves without problem. It matches the height gauge very closely, close enough that I’ve had no problems with uncoupling. And, it looks GREAT!

#2

Neat idea Steve.

Any possibility you can file out the pocket to allow more swing?
Either that or slim down the coupler shank a tad?

#3

Either way should work. Another idea might be to move the pivot point closer to the opening (coupler pocket).

SteveF

#4

If only I had read this earlier!!! like about an hour ago when I cut off the thing to mount Kadees. Good Idea

#5

The only problem I’ve had with USAT couplers is that they will pop open if there is a strain on them…long trains etc. The ones on the passenger cars tend to do that when running longer consists.

#6
Warren Mumpower said:
The only problem I've had with USAT couplers is that they will pop open if there is a strain on them....long trains etc. The ones on the passenger cars tend to do that when running longer consists.
That's why I run these at the back of the consist. :D
#7
Marc Bergmueller said:
If only I had read this earlier!!! like about an hour ago when I cut off the thing to mount Kadees. Good Idea
Mark, you can use this idea on your next car. These cars are addicting. You can't have just one. :D

I wonder if it would be possible to preform a similiar surgery on a coupler tang from a Kadee 830 so that it would fit through the opening, then mount it in an 835 box? I’ll have to give that some serious consideration. I share Warrens concern about the USA coupler, but I just hate to hack up this car.

SteveF

#8

Warren I guess I must be lucky as have not had a coupler issue with the USAT couplers on my Passenger train. How many are you running? Later RJD

#9

If I run only 5 cars I’m usually ok. But if I run my complete 10…it gets in moods and the couplers sometimes pull open. 5 seems to be the limit wihtout problems. More than that is iffy. Doesn’t happen all the time…just when you least want it to…:frowning: It’s not as bad as…say Bachmann…where all you have to do is look at them and they come apart.

#10
Warren Mumpower said:
If I run only 5 cars I'm usually ok. But if I run my complete 10.....it gets in moods and the couplers sometimes pull open. 5 seems to be the limit wihtout problems. More than that is iffy. Doesn't happen all the time...just when you least want it to..:( It's not as bad as...say Bachmann...where all you have to do is look at them and they come apart.
Warren, A member of our club swears buy painting Bachmann couplers with red rust primer. Just enought to give them some traction that prevents them from vibrating open. I tried it with fairly good results, but have since changed to Kadees. You don't have to take the couplers off the car. You just cut a piece of cardboard or use the cardboard out of a Bachmann box to allow only the coupler to stick through and give it a quick shot of the primer.