Today was the first time I really took a good look at my Walther's catalog (won't be the last). Up to this point in my young model railroading career I've only had atlas cars that have accu-mate couplers. I don't have any experience with any others. I have a few questions about things I noticed today in the catalog as well as a couple others: 1.) I was blown away by the number of cars that still come with rapido couplers. I thought they went the way of the dinosaur years ago. which brings me to number 2. 2.) Do any of you guys still use rapido couplers either exclusively, or in conjunction with other types? If you use them with other types, how do you go about it? A car with a knuckle on one end, and a rapido on the other?? 3.) Can you change a car with a rapido coupler to a knuckle coupler, or do you have to change the entire truck? 4.) I don't really do intermodal, but I think the well cars are neat and was thinking about buying a few of the "stand alone" type that Walther's sells under their name, just for laughs. I noticed that they only come in rapido couplers even though the other walther's cars come with knuckle couplers. Is there a reason for this? I mean, is there a reason knuckle couplers won't work, or won't work as well for those cars? 5.) Accumates and Microtrains... These will work together correct? I probably will seldom pull a connsist longer than 12-15 cars on my small layout, wasn't sure how well they'd work together. 6.) Up to this point I have never had a problem with accumates. For whatever reason, if I ever decide to go the microtrains coupler route on everything, you can just change out the accumate coupler for the mt correct? You don't have to do the whole truck assembly right? In other words, can you use a mt coupler on an atlas truck meant for accumates? 7.) Why does atlas use accumates on every single atlas car I've ever seen (in recent years), yet they use microtrains couplers on some of their caboose models?? Is there a reason for this? Thanks in advance -eric
1. Not sure exactly on this one but one would guess some companies just haven't caught up and other may not deem it financially viable. 2. I use nothing but MT's but then again this a personal preference after having issues with Accumates and rapido's just don't look right. But for some people that have older and large collections they have made conversation cars that do exactly what you said. 3. You can but the easiest way is to just change out the entire truck and coupler. You end up with a better truck that usually runs better specially on older rolling stock. 4. I would say it's a matter of these cars are old stock that they haven't changed anything on them as of yet. Probably when they do a new run with different numbers and names they might end up going to a knuckle coupler. But these cars will take a MT 1035 without issue and work great. 5. Yes they will work together. Pretty much all knuckle couplers will work with each other, not always perfectly but will work. 6. I have read of guys putting accumate couplers in MT trucks but not the other way around. But again you have to do a lot of testing to get the right coupler to work in the truck so in the end just switching trucks w/couplers is the easiest way to go. 7. Because some of these cabooses have body mounted coupler pockets and Atlas hasn't designed a t-shank coupler to fit these so it's either MT or rapido for these cabooses. The one's using accumates have truck mounted couplers.
Hi Pete! That all made sense to me, AND on the first attempt! BRAVO! I will be saving this to my notes for sure. THANK YOU!!
Man, I'm tryin to get something started. Another trainboard member has been helping me design a track plan since I'm mentally challenged in that area. I'm hoping to get rolling real soon. In trouble? Me? HAHA! The scary thing is I'm actually starting to understand the concept of atleast some facets of this hobby. It's been a long road as you know.... LOL. If it were not for you and the other members here, I'd given up a long time ago. Thanks to all! -eric
