Mk1's and Kadees

#2 self-tapping screws (or the original screw) and a 1.8mm drill.

Tell me about it! Actually it wasn't as hard as I thought to replace all my Hornby/Bachmann/etc. couplings with Kadees - mostly NEMs drilled and screwed in place, some No.5s, 21s and 31s.

Gosh, gasp! That would mean.......... Standardisation! Gag, spit.

In the UK? Never. ;-)

-- Happy Holidays Roger T.

of the Great Eastern Railway

I agree with the previous posts most of my Kadee's are held in place with a 2mm self tapping screws. I've just reconverted two rakes of Thompson Coaching stock. Initially due to lack of experience I had attached kadee's to the bogies, but over time this proved a little unreliable. They have now been converted by epoxying a small plasticard plate 1.5mm thick to the base of the coach. A No 5 kadee is screwed to this. I prefer using the No 5 as its cheaper and the most reliable. Bachmann wagon with NEM sockets take a No 18, just slip a small tab of double sided tape in front of the NEM box this stops the coupling drooping. With the MK1's I screwed an extension plate from plasti card to the top underside of the bogie. A No 5 Kadee is screwed to this. The height can be adjusted by bending the plate slightly up and down. The whole thing is then covered by black paint. I don't think this is the best method, although it's far superior to Tension locks. If anybody has a better way of converting Bachmann Mk1's I'd be very intrusted. The problem with shimming down the mark1's is that this method inhibits the swing of the bogie. regards R

See also:

- follow links for more info.

I attached Kadees to the bogies on my Hornby LMS and LNER coaches, as I have some sharp (2nd radius) curves. Cut off the plastic loop, remove the metal hook, mount a #20 NEM with the tail cut off on top of the flat part using a #2 self-tapping screw through 1.8mm (.07") drilled holes.

...snip... =>The problem with shimming down the mark1's is that this =>method inhibits the swing of the bogie. =>regards =>R

Must say I learned a lot from this and other posts -- will keep for future reference.

Perhaps the buffer beam should have a recess cut in it to accept the KD coupler pocket. I seem to recall that the "buckeye" couplings on the coaches are in fact set into the buffer beam, like regular 3-link couplings. Of course, if you do that, your coaches won't couple with those that have mounting pads installed. AAARGH!

It _really_ is time for some standard coupler pocket set at a standard height in (not under) a standard height buffer beam, or mounted on bogies. Since tension lock couplers can be made with NEM shanks, and NEM is one of two worldwide standards, IMO that's what should be adopted, esp. since Bachmann already uses it. Once you have a standard like this, all sorts of couplings can be designed to fit - even scale 3-link couplings (just include a small plate to cover the inevitable big hole in the buffer beam.)

HTH.

PS: I put three Triang-Hornby coaches behind the Hogwarts loco. In BR maroon, they aren't exactly the right colour, but they are an inch shorter, and so track better on the 18" radius curves under the Christmas tree. They also have interiors. And since I'm usisng Christmass village houses as scenery, the whole thing is fantasy anyhow. Looks nice!

Wolf Kirchmeir ................................. If you didn't want to go to Chicago, why did you get on this train? (Garrison Keillor)

"Wolf Kirchmeir"

Perhaps there needs to be a Kadee coupler height gauge designed for the UK market that gives the height of the knuckle centred on the buffer beam?

-- Happy Holidays Roger T.

of the Great Eastern Railway

I think I got mine at the local (Ontario) hobby shop on the Walthers display. I've also bought small nuts, bolts etc. at a train show.

NEM #19 or #20 Kadees with a hole drilled can easily be attached to Bachmann suburban coach bogies in place of the all-plastic tension locks

- I don't know if regular Mk I stock uses the same bogies.

You might also want to check out Keen Systems close couplers at

These are for semi-permanently coupled rakes; they keep coach ends close on straights, and extend on curves. Used in conjunction with Keen's floating endplates, they give a much more realistic appearance than tension-lock couplers. The standard coupler fits Hornby 57ft chassis, and is adaptable many to other types.

Not shown on the website is their new close coupler specifically designed for the Bachmann Mk I; for the latest info, drop an e-mail to snipped-for-privacy@keen-systems.com. (They also make replacement bodies and bogies for the older Hornby Pullmans.)

"MartinS" <

Martin, how well do your carriages track with the coupler attached to the bogie?

As you know, North American modellers in general frown upon couplers attached to the bogies and much prefer the couplers attached to the coach body.

All my passenger and freight cars have body mounted couplers and I have few problems with them going around a couple of 28" radius curves. The only real problem I've had, is that on some of the passenger cars, the gap between them has had to be increased by about 6" HO scale inches, in deference to the previously mentioned rather tight 28" curves. However, this will be corrected on the new GER, where the minimum radius will be in excess of 30".

As HO scale passenger cars are about the same length as 4mm to the foot carriages I wonder why not body mount the couplers on UK passenger stock?

-- Happy Holidays Roger T.

of the Great Eastern Railway

They track just fine. In my case, because of limited space I have to use curves as tight as 438mm (17.25") radius, including a couple of reverse curves in the sidings/fiddle yard, and I don't think body-mounted couplers would have enough play. Where the original tension lock couplers are screwed or riveted in place, it's a simple job to attach a NEM (underset) Kadee using the same hole. The biggest problem with Kadees on UK stock is interference with the buffers and buffer beams.