Bachmann couplings on Ratio/Slaters/CC kits

[Martin S-C]

Hello all.

 

I have just joined the forum today and this is my first post, though I've been a lurker and a "leecher" of all the good info available on here for many a month.

 

I've bought several 4mm scale plastic wagon kits on e-Bay from a number of manufacturers. I use the newest narrow style Bachmann coupler on my railway and need to fit these to the kit wagons. My question is (and Its probably been asked and answered a zillion times before), what methods do people use or suggest for attaching the soft "bendy" plastic couplings to the hard injection moulded plastic and what spacers do people favour to get the correct coupler height above rail?

 

I am thinking of a short length of square section plasticard rod as a box to glue the couplers to but of course depending on kit manufacturer there will be different gubbins under the solebar/behind the headstock. So I'm seeking guidance on what might make the most flexible system.

 

Thanks all.

[Steamport Southport]

I don't use them myself. But I believe the Parkside mounting blocks are the ones that are recommended by quite a few modellers.

 

https://www.petersspares.com/parkside-models-pa27-mounting-blocks-for-Bachmann-36025-36026-couplings-15-pairs-oo-gauge.ir

 

https://www.petersspares.com/parkside-models-pa34-mounting-blocks-for-Bachmann-36027-nem-couplings-pk10-oo-gauge.ir

 

 

I've linked to Peters Spares as I knew how to find them. Available from most good model shops that stock PECO.

 

I think they should be glueable with normal poly cement. If not, you may need MEK (Butanone, better known as methyl ethyl ketone).

 

 

And welcome to the forum.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[The Johnster]

Yes, welcome, come and be one of us.

 

One of us, one of us...

 

I am guessing that what you want to do is to mount an NEM dovetali to accept the Bachmann couplers, and I have never done this but suspect it might be possible to build one up out of milliput or similar; if you need more than one vehicle done, it might be worth making a mould or former for them.  Make sure that all your couplings are the same height above the rail; I assumed getting them the same 'depth' below the wagon floor was sufficient when I retrofitted some of my old scale coupling fitted stock with tension locks last year.  Height and depth do not correspond in this case.  Spacers in my case tend to be built up to fit from pieces of thin card, superglued together; crude but effective, and painted matt black more or less invisible from normal viewing angles, but I am in the process of replacing these with modern Baccy chassis to attain a better degree of standardisation and performance.

 

The Parkside mounting blocks are suitable for pre-NEM design couplers, but not AFAIK for the current Bachmann NEM narrow couplers you have standardised on.

 

Some of my views on the subject of tension lock couplers can be found on the 'why are tension locks still legal' thread, and the degree of faffiness I have had with them is expressed in some of the more stringent opinions I have voiced; in short, they are appalling things but, once you've got them right, 100% reliable and I no longer possess the vision or steadiness of hand for scale couplings.  You'd have thought the trade would have come up with something better than this 1950s coupling by now, but, like them, I have no idea what it is!

Edited April 30, 2018 by The Johnster

[Steamport Southport]

 

 

The Parkside mounting blocks are suitable for pre-NEM design couplers, but not AFAIK for the current Bachmann NEM narrow couplers you have standardised on.

 

The second one linked are for NEM couplers.

 

 

 

Jason

[Martin S-C]

Many thanks guys for the welcome and yes, thanks Jason, those Parkside ones look like they will do the job. I have tried the home-made plasticard layers thing in the past but have had too many failures to want to use that method again. This time around (new railway project starting up) I'd like to do it more reliably.

 

Not going to get into the tension lock argument. I am using them because they are readily available, work 99% of the time, do not look too obtrusive in their slimmed down Airfix-design format and I have hundreds of rolling stock items so converting everything to some other system is simply a no-go.

[Il Grifone]

Firstly can I add my welcome? 

 

Each case has to resolved on its merits but I usually fix couplings with one or two nuts and bolts through the floor. Height is easily adjusted and then stays put.

Suitable 2mm nuts and bolts are available from China at economical prices. You have to wait a while but the saving is worthwhile.

[The Johnster]

The second one linked are for NEM couplers.

 

 

 

Jason

 

Which I'd have realised if I'd bothered to read it.  Thanks, Jason!

[The Johnster]

Appearance and distance between stock are the main objections to this sort of coupler, and I find that painting them in track colour makes them effectively invisible for the first point, and the second is not as bad as it used to once was.  I have achieved 100% reliability with them and find uncoupling with a shunting pole made of a small led torch with a length of rail bent to a suitable angle with a piece of stiff wire soldered to it to be easy and straightforward; the light is essential, though.

 

I find a pole easier to use than a spade as there are locations on my layout where side access is difficult.

Edited May 1, 2018 by The Johnster

[57xx]

I don't use them myself. But I believe the Parkside mounting blocks are the ones that are recommended by quite a few modellers.

 

https://www.petersspares.com/parkside-models-pa34-mounting-blocks-for-Bachmann-36027-nem-couplings-pk10-oo-gauge.ir

 

I think they should be glueable with normal poly cement. If not, you may need MEK (Butanone, better known as methyl ethyl ketone).

 

These are the blocks I use on all my kits, they will glue fine with poly cement or MEK. You need to get the cranked NEM couplers to get the right height, part no 36-027.

[Martin S-C]

Firstly can I add my welcome? 

 

Of course! Thanks very much.

 

 

 

Each case has to resolved on its merits but I usually fix couplings with one or two nuts and bolts through the floor. Height is easily adjusted and then stays put.

Suitable 2mm nuts and bolts are available from China at economical prices. You have to wait a while but the saving is worthwhile.

I have thought of that but have concerns I'll punch through the floor of open wagons.

 

These are the blocks I use on all my kits, they will glue fine with poly cement or MEK. You need to get the cranked NEM couplers to get the right height, part no 36-027.

Thanks for that. I have bags of the replacement screw-on ones to replace the Hornby wide ones and the mid-width older Mainline ones but need to grab a stockpile of the cranked ones.

Edited May 1, 2018 by Martin S-C

[Martin S-C]

I've received some packs of Bachmann couplers now and both types of Parkside mount.

 

Conclusion: Use the Parkside PA34 mount with the Bachmann 36-030 straight shaft coupler with NEM pocket. This combination can be mounted direct to the underside of the Slaters, POWsides and Ratio wagon frames. Cambrian wagons which use a prototypical "star" or diagonal timbers structure for the plastic struts representing the wooden underframe need a small sheet of ten thou plasticard gluing under the frame first, then the Parkside mount can be glued to that. You just need to shave off a few thou from the mount by rubbing it over sandpaper for a few seconds. This is because while the Slaters/Ratio/POWsides underframes are not prototypical and have two longitudinal struts that are perfectly placed apart to accept the "legs" of the Parkside mount, the Cambrian frames do not.

 

The cranked Bachmann coupler 36-027 with the PA34 mount does NOT work as the coupler loop is too low. I suspect the height difference is designed for the builder to glue the Parkside mount direct to the wagon FLOOR underside and not the FRAME underside.

 

Likewise the PA27 mount for the Bachmann 36-025 and 36-026 with the twin spigot holes also gives the wrong coupler height if glued to the frame underside. This combination also must be mounted direct under the wagon FLOOR.

 

The attached pics I hope show this.

 

1) PA34 mounts glued to the bottom of the frame of a POWside (aka Slater's) wagon frame (New Bowson No.358).

 

 

2) PA27 mount with Bachmann 36-025 coupler glued to the bottom of a Cambrian wagon frame (Sully & Co No.963).

 

 

3) Height mismatch between PA34 and Bachmann 36-030 on the left and PA27 and Bachmann 36-025 on the right.

 

 

4) Height mismatch between PA34 and Bachmann 36-030 on the left and PA34 and Bachmann 36-027 (cranked) on the right.

 

 

5) Correct height match between PA34 and Bachmann 36-030 on the left and Bachmann 36-025 fitted direct to an old Tri-ang mount on the right.

 

 

I know this old Tri-ang loco has a correct height coupler as I've used it for decades, so its a good test vehicle.

 

Sorry if this is all old news to many but I thought a few newer modellers might find these images and notes of some use.

[Il Grifone]

Of course! Thanks very much.

 

I have thought of that but have concerns I'll punch through the floor of open wagons.

 

Thanks for that. I have bags of the replacement screw-on ones to replace the Hornby wide ones and the mid-width older Mainline ones but need to grab a stockpile of the cranked ones.

 

I've never had any problem withopen wagon floors though the screws will show of course, but the floor can always be reinforced with a piece of plastic underneath. The screw heads can even be hidden this way. Removal of a section of the framing allows the couplings to be fitted properly to the wagon floor and avoids the need for cranked couplings, except in extreme cases like machine wagons with a low floor.

This method also allows a piece of ⅛" lead sheet (roof flashing) across the middle of the wagon*, which is usually sufficient to bring the weight up to about 30g, which I consider the minimum for reliable running. The NEM standard is 0.4g/mm (for H0 but applicable to 00 too)     http://www.morop.org/downloads/nem/fr/nem302_f.pdf    The NMRA advises considerably more, but IMHO they exaggerate.

 

* Easier and more reliable than messing around with lead shot IMHO. I fix it in place with a strip of plastic strip, as I have had problems in the past with glue causing the floor to warp (probably my fault for using the wrong glue but this circumvents the problem.

 

Sorry for the French (German is available but the English translation is patchy) and for waffling on....

Edited May 13, 2018 by Il Grifone

[ejstubbs]

The cranked Bachmann coupler 36-027 with the PA34 mount does NOT work as the coupler loop is too low. I suspect the height difference is designed for the builder to glue the Parkside mount direct to the wagon FLOOR underside and not the FRAME underside.

 

The Bachmann cranked NEM coupling was introduced simply because Bachmann got the NEM pocket height badly wrong on their early releases of NEM equipped vehicles.  Nothing to do with being helpful to kit builders (which is not to say that they can't sometimes be useful in that context.)

 

Having converted all my stock to Kadees, I have shed loads of Bachmann straight NEM couplings that you can have for the cost of postage if they would be useful to you - just IM me.

Edited May 13, 2018 by ejstubbs

[57xx]

The cranked Bachmann coupler 36-027 with the PA34 mount does NOT work as the coupler loop is too low. I suspect the height difference is designed for the builder to glue the Parkside mount direct to the wagon FLOOR underside and not the FRAME underside.

 

There are many ways to skin a cat. The cranked couplers do work, you just have to stop and assess each wagon you build and do a bit of lateral thinking. I first came across the PA34 mount when building a Parkside kit, then found they were available separately and bought a big stock of them for my kit pile. When I built my first Slaters kit with the wooden underframe represented on the floor, my thought process was that as the fake beams were in the way of mounting the PA34, the beams had to go. You can't see them when the wagon is the right way up anyhow. So off they came and the mounting block as then attached directly to the floor, allowing the cranked coupler to be at the right height. By doing it this way, I only have to remember one part number and keep one type of coupler in stock for all my wagons.

 

Going back to assessing each kit individually, sometimes you may need a thin packing piece underneath the block, even on a flat floor. A quick check though my built kits seem to show all my Cambrian kits with the block directly fitted to the floor, some Ratio kits without packing, some with packing, Coopercraft kits that need a LOT of packing and an older Parkside LNER van with half height underframe timbers where I forgot to remove the beams and have then cut the legs off the PA34 and fitted the resulting flat side on top of the beams.

 

The pics below show a Parkside underframe on the right where I cut out the beams and affixed the PA34 directly to the floor, giving perfect lineup of the cranked coupler with Hornby's recent GWR brake van.

 

 

 

[Martin S-C]

I apologise for the confusion I've caused!

 

Yes, of course, other methods work if you are building the kit yourself and have the option to plan ahead. To qualify my comments I was remarking on a kit wagon as supplied. If you want to begin carving away floor members to me that's another stage of the process. Its fine to do that but I have quite a number of wagons bought assembled on e-Bay and didn't want to begin disassembling them and kitbashing, so I needed, and was referencing, a kit as it comes, and in this respect the cranked coupler and the twin spigot mount do not work.

Each to his own but I find the liquid lead option very easy and quick. You just pour a little into any suitable space between the frames and dribble a little super glue on top. Job done. No cutting about chunks of lead or other material and shoehorning them into odd corners. The only drawbacks of the proprietary lead beads are cost, and a bit of a mess if you knock the bottle over! I suspect fishing tackle shops can get you small lead beads much cheaper.

 

Having converted all my stock to Kadees, I have shed loads of Bachmann straight NEM couplings that you can have for the cost of postage if they would be useful to you - just IM me.

That would be very helpful. I'll send you a PM.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Martin S-C

[Il Grifone]

I apologise for the confusion I've caused!

 

Yes, of course, other methods work if you are building the kit yourself and have the option to plan ahead. To qualify my comments I was remarking on a kit wagon as supplied. If you want to begin carving away floor members to me that's another stage of the process. Its fine to do that but I have quite a number of wagons bought assembled on e-Bay and didn't want to begin disassembling them and kitbashing, so I needed, and was referencing, a kit as it comes, and in this respect the cranked coupler and the twin spigot mount do not work.

 

Each to his own but I find the liquid lead option very easy and quick. You just pour a little into any suitable space between the frames and dribble a little super glue on top. Job done. No cutting about chunks of lead or other material and shoehorning them into odd corners. The only drawbacks of the proprietary lead beads are cost, and a bit of a mess if you knock the bottle over! I suspect fishing tackle shops can get you small lead beads much cheaper.

 

That would be very helpful. I'll send you a PM.

 

I have a feeling that fishing tackle shops are no longer allowed to supply lead weights (toxic and all that!). The pewter replacements are rather less dense.

[sp1]

I have a feeling that fishing tackle shops are no longer allowed to supply lead weights (toxic and all that!). The pewter replacements are rather less dense.

Unless it has changed very recently the smaller sizes - no. 8 and smaller - are still lead