I picked up a new Con Cor Budd split window coach at my local hobby shop and noticed it came with Microtrain couplers installed. According to their web site there is an additional $5.50 charge for this "service." I am not impressed. They used an MT-9 long "T" shank coupler installed in a short 1128 metal clip. All this is glued with what appears to be Walther's Goo into the coupler pocket on the standard Con Cor truck. There is way too much vertical play in the coupler causing unwanted uncoupling on my Unitrak test loop. There is no way this will be reliable in NTRAK service. From now on I will go back to the useless CC coupler and replace it myself. Once I swap out the wheels with Intermountain 36" passenger wheels and change the couplers, it rolls sweet and stays coupled.
Thanks for the heads-up Russell. I think I'll stick to doing my own conversions too. Like you, I know what coupler works on my layout and will stick with them.
Russell “Once I swap out the wheels with Intermountain 36" passenger wheels and change the couplers, it rolls sweet and stays coupled.” What couplers do you use and do they maintain the close coupling between the cars? On my Concor cars I “crushed” the knuckle arm down against the knuckle and lightly glued the coupler shank in the pocket. This stopped the vertical movement that caused all the uncoupling and maintained the close coupling of the cars. It’s this feature that I want to retain if I do change out the couplers. Otherwise I guess it’ll have to be body-mounted.
I use the old first generation KATO knuckle couplers. They are no longer made but every now and then I still find a pack in an out-of-the-way hobby shop. I have to modify the Con Cor coupler pocket by shaving away the inside face of the pocket so that the coupler will extend out further. I cut away about half the thickness of the vertical strips that the spring pushes the T shank against in the pocket. This allows very close coupling on large radius curves. (anything over 19") I run a 16 car train of Con Cor Budd cars at most NTRAK shows that I go to and it is rock solid. Either the medium or long Unimate, I can't remember which, will also work. You have to cut off the bottom flange on the diaphragms to make room for the Unimates.
Russ, you recommended this to me way back when I was still using AOL. I followed your advice and my Concor cars roll like Kato's. The coupler is the old Kato 11-702 semi automatic which I understand has been discontinued. The Concor streamline cars need no modifications. The Budd cars have a problem with clearance of the molded diaphragms. That is easyily cured either by the way you described or by removing one of the diaphragms between two cars.
