I attempted to run my Kato A&B units with my Santa Fe El Capitan passengers cars last night for the first time. It appears the loco coupler is not compatible with the passenger car coupler. Maybe not surprising to most, but it is to me since both are made by Kato. I typically will switch my cars and locos over to Micro Train couplers, but I'm a bit baffled as to which MT coupler to buy for this. I was able to run a couple of other locos with MT couplers latched up to passenger cars, so it appears there are no problems with the MTs coupling to the passenger car couplers. From what I can ascertain, it appears I need to get a MT 2000-1 coupler conversion kit. Is that correct? I'll likely always run the A&B units together, so really only need to convert the front of the A and back of the B in my opinion. Dave
You may be happier with Unimate couplers between the A and B units for two reasons. 1 - they will never "give way" between the A and the B units. And 2 - the will also pull the locomotives closer together. And if you put one on the back of the B unit, the passenger train will not pop free of the lash up and also will have a reduced spacing.
DITTO! all of my Kato F units get Unimate short shank couplers on the 'B' ends, and MT Z scale 905s in the pilots (mounting 905s in the new mechanism units requires a bit of modification, but the appearance and performance is well worth the effort) ~Bruce
There have been three different generations of Kato knuckle coupler. All are compatible with each other although they do look different from each other. The 2nd generation Kato coupler was a failure as it was not reliable. It did not remain coupled with each other much less any other type coupler in service and was rather fragile, having the habit of disassembling when bumped. I have found the 3rd generation Kato coupler quite reliable and have left them on all my El Cap and Super Chief cars. The F units though are another issue. If you try to mate the B end with a Unimate to the new passenger car coupler they do not mate very well unless you trim off a short portion of the "thumb" extension on the Unimate. Otherwise the Unimates work nicely between the As and B units.
Agree with both Arbomambo and DCESharkman - the short shank Unimates on the Kato F unit rear of A, both ends of B - is much improved from a unit-unit spacing standpoint. In case some folks would like to see how putting in these short shank Unimates is done, here's some photos: http://www.pbase.com/atsf_arizona/kato_n_scale_unimate_install Hope that helps if this is the first time you do this worthy modification.
To illustrate my post above, here is a photo showing the couplers I was referring to. On the far left is the first generation Kato coupler. Functional, reliable, compatible with MT but kind of funky looking. Second from the left is the second generation Kato coupler. It came out on the Kato cement hoppers, some locomotives, the first runs of Budd passenger cars and a few other things. They are still out there on older cars and need to be replaced. Third from the left is the newer style Kato coupler. Many times it is installed with a clip that holds it into the coupler pocket. On the right is the Unimate coupler. The red Unimate has the "thumb" trimmed back so it fits the new Kato couplers.
Thanks for the info, especially on the Unimates as I've never used those before. One question. In lieu of using a spring, is there a reason why one wouldn't CA the coupler in place? Would it simply be future removal if necessary?
With the truck mounted couplers and wide radius curves there should not be much issue with gluing the couplers in. However, CA does not adhere well to the engineering plastic used in the truck frames and couplers. I used to use CA to mount Unimates in Con Cor passenger trucks all the time but I had to place a shim between the back of the coupler T and the pocket to keep the glue bond from breaking in normal use. One thing that I don't know is if the Kato F truck with rigid mounted couplers could make it through a tight S curve like two Kato #4 turnouts crossing over between two parallel lines.
Huh! I've got Kato's F3's, F7's, & E units pulling Kato's S Chief and El Cap and have never had uncoupling issues. All original equipment couplers. Unless they are the problematic 2nd gen couplers that Straw refers to, I wonder what the real problem is? Are your curves too tight? Are you the original owner of the locos? Are you sure they are the original couplers? It's my Life-Like locos that I have had to replace with Unimates because the Katos have always been rock solid. So I never replaced them, despite the closer-coupling benefit. In that regard, anyone know which Kato part numbered F-Units got the poor 2nd gen couplers?
The second generation couplers were with the passenger cars not the locomotives, or at least that has been my experience. These would have been the first run of the corrugated sided cars.
I am running my Kato F-3 and 7 B units with MT 1128s which is the short shank version in the 1128-29-30 series. I also have AML diaphragms on all of the ends and the spacing is just fine. That said I have had problems with Kato's couplers and most of them are gone now replaced by MTs. My next choice of a coupler for the end of an A unit and the B units is the short shank Unimate.
What LifeLoike engines are you talking about? I equipped all of my FA/B1's and FA?B 2's with Unimates on the B's and rear of the A's and run them with no problem. They really draw the locomotives close and functionally are excellent. The front of the A units get a MT. I have standardized on using MT couplers on all my equipment and I find that using a standard coupler provides a constant level of operation that is lacking when mixing different couplers together. The same is true for car weights and trucks/wheelsets. I am always adding weight to cars I purchase to bring them up to the NMRA standard or a little above. Standardizing on MT trucks (with couplers) really helps to avoid "striglining" incidents are curves. That is extremely important when running long trains in a public venue.
Lingo, language and ... Oh $#!+ what new lingo have we come up with...NOW? "RP" and "S" what? With regards to the Kato couplers. They do ok on the flat but when they start my hill climbs and then slide back down them... Oh gosh, you better have a whole lot of patience. They come uncoupled on almost every trip downhill. I've already changed some of them to Micro-Trians and will eventually get them all changed over. On a lighter note. I weight my cars so they are a little lighter then NMRA standards or what they recommend. A proper weighting is the best weight for a train car. I was reading where some one was talking about a "Reverse Curve". What is that? A curve the trains have to back through to get to the prescribed destination. What the hell? I just thought I'd toss that in here. We used to refer to such as a S curve. Oh well.hboy:
Careful Rick... I hear the drone of the NMRA Compliance Ninja Helicopters off in the distance....LMAO !!! :teeth:
They've already landed and are critiquing my layout as I write. Don't tell them I'm typing this up as quickly as possible. Oh, That was no drone that was a NMRA approved Huey. Darn, me thinks they are having way to much fun with my sub standard stuff. They keep asking what's with this freaky Cahtoo stuff. How come only three locomotives run on DCC? How come it shorts out when we take DCC equipped over into Analog DC territory? How come we can't run the Batchmon stuff? That isn't a 17 inch radius that's a 16 and 3/4 inch radius? Is it always this hot in your tin shed? One guy is running around with a scale rule and comparing his measurements with everything in a note book, he has. Asking me are these really Micro-cosmic train cars? Another guy is weighing everything while yet another is checking the gauge of the wheels. Leave my track alone, it it ain't broke.... Oh they don't like those Rapid-ow Couplers and it appears I will end up being thrown into the NMRA brig, if I don't change them. How come there isn't any scenery and what you have is poorly done. Bragmon what foam? Gosh I'm beginning to wonder if these guys know anything about Model Railroading. Duck, and run I just heard the duck tape break loose. Gag order in place and I won't be able to share anymore as they are trying, struggling to take my comp....away....from me. Bye....zzzzip.
But, are there some Recommended Practices that are Standard? Inquiring minds really don't want to know. I think I will just go and have some fun.
LOL and still COL. Hey, I managed to get them all drunk, surrounded them and escaped. RPS ok that makes sense. Royal Postal Service, yep I can deal with that. What? What? What did I say?
