Bachmann 4TC electrical coupling question

[Pete 75C]

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere, but I haven't been able to find a definitive answer.

The 4TC relies on one decoder and electrical connections between coaches... can anyone confirm that if I remove the corridor 1st to create a 3TC, everything will still work as it should? I'd like to pair a Heljan 33/1 to the TC but as a minimum space modeller, I only have a 4 coach capacity platform. 33 + 4TC = too long. Thanks.

 

 

[Erixtar1992]

Cant see why not. Aslong as you can physically couple them,  

the s stock for example used the same couplings, but you can only couple the cars a certain way round. 
 

annoyingly Bachmann dont sell these couplings either as i could do with the electrical versions like yours

[SouthernMafia]

Yes you can run it as a 3-TC, and can insert other vehicles together to make a 5-TCB too...

 

 

I'm not sure what happens if there are two Brakes in the formation though, but with a blanking plate in one I imagine it would be ok? This would only be a problem if building a 6-REP (tempting)

 

PS if you want someone to take the spare FK off your hands I would be interested in doing so

[Pete 75C]

Thanks guys, appreciated.

I haven't purchased the TC yet, and just wanted to make sure what I was thinking of doing was viable.

Rich, I shall probably hang on to the FK (likely to be Blue/Grey rather than NSE), as who knows what the future will hold and the next layout might have a bit more platform capacity.

[Kaput]

It works perfectly fine - can't actually remember the last time mine even ran as a full 4TC. I'd very much suggest Kadee couplers for using with the Heljan 33/1 as well.

 

[Phatbob]

18 hours ago, Kaput said:

It works perfectly fine - can't actually remember the last time mine even ran as a full 4TC. I'd very much suggest Kadee couplers for using with the Heljan 33/1 as well.

 

Kadee #19s for the cab ends of the 4TC and Kadee #18s for the Heljan Crompton IIRC.

 

[Kaput]

Think I have #20s on both but I do have 2nd radius curves so I tend to lean towards caution.

[Hilux5972]

To be honest though, the loco doesn’t have strictly have to be in the platform. Examples all over the place of the loco being beyond the platform. 

[Pete 75C]

1 hour ago, Hilux5972 said:

To be honest though, the loco doesn’t have strictly have to be in the platform. Examples all over the place of the loco being beyond the platform. 

 

Good point, but the board's only 50". Take a couple of inches off for the buffer stop and a Crompton and 4TC would straddle the baseboard join. 33 + 3TC fits nicely with 6 inches to spare. Just one of the perils of having limited space at the moment.

 

Edit: I took advantage of Kernow's "Exhibition Special" pricing at the weekend, so a B/G 4TC with NSE branding should arrive soon. It won't fit, I just know it won't! Just need to decide on the accompanying 33/1.

Edited April 20, 2020 by Pete 75C