To note: the blue box kits you have are the much older straight-to-metal versions not the better bronze bearing version. With the bronze version, the frame does not conduct into the couplers, which results in no short circuits. Also, Kadee makes plastic-type shanks to resolve the short problem. I like the idea of drawbars as the real railroad did attempt this on the FT series and a few SW series models.
in addition to just filing off some paint and a tiny amount of metal (pending each unit). drill and tap a hole for a 2/46 screw to hold a kadee couple box in place. there is even a kit for doing this. and a set of brass holders to drill straight. even into a plastic frame car. no cheap plastic clip is going to hold like a screw can. in the club i am in i have pulled 250 cars, all weighted as per the nmra standards. i used 10 blue box locos. fastest one in front slowest in the rear so no bucking. this is how good kadees are built. but i have found (club standard) is the micro mark kadee "block" gauge. it is a go - nogo thing. sets up a better standard for the couplers to be in. aka. less free play. no droop allowed. and the old number 5 coupler can be adjusted by even a 0.005 spacer. (the couple spring box- on top or bottom of the coupler shank). i am not quite a rivet counter. but i have found being very picky on setting the couplers just makes every thing work great.
I ordered a dummy loco (blue box PA-1) that has horn hooks installed. I want to exchange for knuckles. Is it as simple as taking the horn hooks out and replacing them or is it more involved like this is? It looks like a different setup than this, but I don't know.
@@kurtstrains it does have truck-mounted, and it seems it's a sandwich type setup. There's a pylon that drops down from the top, the coupler goes on that, and then the "box cap" goes over that. through the hole in the box cap, you can see the bottom of the pylon when done.
It's Things like this that makes me wish Catherine would have made KV covers more accommodating to their locomotives and that hole needs completely drilled out and tapped and with streamliners I find Katie number 7's work very well it's a shorter shank and slightly different design... I also recommend number seven coupler for Jeep lines
If the pin Is to long use the couplers pilers by Mirco mart. Aslo instead of using the crap kadee #5 install the # 148 . Aslo all blue box coupler box will fit all kadee 148 with very minor or no work on the coupler box's.
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To note: the blue box kits you have are the much older straight-to-metal versions not the better bronze bearing version. With the bronze version, the frame does not conduct into the couplers, which results in no short circuits. Also, Kadee makes plastic-type shanks to resolve the short problem. I like the idea of drawbars as the real railroad did attempt this on the FT series and a few SW series models.
and Baldwin with the Centipede.
in addition to just filing off some paint and a tiny amount of metal (pending each unit). drill and tap a hole for a 2/46 screw to hold a kadee couple box in place. there is even a kit for doing this. and a set of brass holders to drill straight. even into a plastic frame car. no cheap plastic clip is going to hold like a screw can. in the club i am in i have pulled 250 cars, all weighted as per the nmra standards. i used 10 blue box locos. fastest one in front slowest in the rear so no bucking. this is how good kadees are built.
but i have found (club standard) is the micro mark kadee "block" gauge. it is a go - nogo thing. sets up a better standard for the couplers to be in. aka. less free play. no droop allowed. and the old number 5 coupler can be adjusted by even a 0.005 spacer. (the couple spring box- on top or bottom of the coupler shank).
i am not quite a rivet counter. but i have found being very picky on setting the couplers just makes every thing work great.
I ordered a dummy loco (blue box PA-1) that has horn hooks installed. I want to exchange for knuckles. Is it as simple as taking the horn hooks out and replacing them or is it more involved like this is? It looks like a different setup than this, but I don't know.
It probably has truck mounted couplers. You should just be able to replace with Kadee #5s. But check the height, if it is too low use a #47.
@@kurtstrains it does have truck-mounted, and it seems it's a sandwich type setup. There's a pylon that drops down from the top, the coupler goes on that, and then the "box cap" goes over that. through the hole in the box cap, you can see the bottom of the pylon when done.
@@kurtstrains I have Kadee center shanks.
Did you not look at the Kadee suggestion for which couples and boxes to use on Athearn loco motives! Huh did you??
It's Things like this that makes me wish Catherine would have made KV covers more accommodating to their locomotives and that hole needs completely drilled out and tapped and with streamliners I find Katie number 7's work very well it's a shorter shank and slightly different design... I also recommend number seven coupler for Jeep lines
Do you still need to file when using the #23?
Yes, without filing the coupler won't move freely. The #23 is just shorter than the #5.
@@kurtstrains Thanks. I will plan on filing these down a tad!
If the pin Is to long use the couplers pilers by Mirco mart. Aslo instead of using the crap kadee #5 install the # 148 . Aslo all blue box coupler box will fit all kadee 148 with very minor or no work on the coupler box's.