Strange problem with Kadeee couplers and Bachmann Silver Series cars

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Hello

 

I have been using/adapting Kadee coupler for 30+ years and today came across a new problem I have never heard of.

 

I have 44 x Bachmann Silver Series cars (3 bay hoppers and low sided gondolas) from donkeys years ago and thought I should finally upgrade them to Kadees using the new style Kadees (143)

 

Luckily I've only ordered 5 packs to start with but I'm amazed to find that the Kadees are too 'thick' for the Bachmann box - if I tighten the screw the coupler is absolutely rigid .

 

So has anyone else heard of this? Are these new style couplers 'thicker' than the old #5's and  similar ?

 

I'm guessing that I'm going to have to file down all 88 couplers!

[davknigh]

Given the age of the stock is it possible that the coupler boxes are too thin? Might be worth doing a quick measure before hauling out the file.

 

Cheers,

 

David

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Given the age of the stock is it possible that the coupler boxes are too thin? Might be worth doing a quick measure before hauling out the file.

 

Cheers,

 

David

 

I think that is indeed the problem - just amazed that they seem non-standard - surely the NMRA laid down standards long before these were originally introduced?

[davknigh]

Check the original packaging for the NMRA warrant, if it isn’t there Bachmann didn’t conform.

 

Cheers,

 

David

[Dunsignalling]

Hello

 

I have been using/adapting Kadee coupler for 30+ years and today came across a new problem I have never heard of.

 

I have 44 x Bachmann Silver Series cars (3 bay hoppers and low sided gondolas) from donkeys years ago and thought I should finally upgrade them to Kadees using the new style Kadees (143)

 

Luckily I've only ordered 5 packs to start with but I'm amazed to find that the Kadees are too 'thick' for the Bachmann box - if I tighten the screw the coupler is absolutely rigid .

 

So has anyone else heard of this? Are these new style couplers 'thicker' than the old #5's and  similar ?

 

I'm guessing that I'm going to have to file down all 88 couplers!

 

The whisker couplers may have been made a tad thicker than older types as there is no longer a need to accommodate the separate brass centering spring, but they shouldn't be any thicker than the #5 plus the spring. 

 

My suspicion is that the draft boxes on the Bachmann cars aren't NMRA-compliant.

 

As a work-around, it may be easier to add a piece of narrow plastic strip to the edges of the boxes to increase their depth rather than filing the couplers.  

 

John

Edited January 1, 2019 by Dunsignalling