Adding Kadee compatible couplers to the pilot of MTH Premiere F & E units

MTH F3s and Kadees | O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum (ogrforum.com)

MTH Scale Wheels Truck Question | O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum (ogrforum.com)

By mention of the replacing the front coupler. I’m guessing this is more for cosmetic reasons. Do you want the pilot fixed to the chassis or just the coupler changed out ?

I’ve only done a DL109. I made the spacer out of aluminum. Works well. Involved some trimming.  But you need a 70ft car to run behind them if using them as a double A with the geometry of the engines or very big radius curve.

Not having an F3 I’m not sure what’s available as to off the shelf parts to go this route. I’m sure one can be made or 3D printed. Just don’t know what’s involved. Maybe a Scale Atlas one can be adapted.

If you just want to swap out just the coupler. You can remove the coil coupler. You will be left with the hole that mounted the coupler with T Bar and clip. You can fab up a bracket out of 1/2 wide brass stock. Drill and tap your holes for the Kadee and then do I believe an 8 32 to mount the bracket to the truck.

I’ve done this on the fronts of my 0-8-0 switchers. The same theory will work for diesel trucks. The coupler still pivots with the truck but is not really noticeable size wise when leading a consist. I used a Weaver I had on the DL109. No exposed spring and no mounting holes showing. A 740 Kadee will look good. With an 805 you can even couple to some 3 rail couplers if needed.

Thanks Joe and Dave. I will read those earlier posts and give this some thought. Am preparing to sell my home so I might not be able to get to this as soon as I'd like. My intention is to run an aluminum K-Line baggage with Kadees already installed behind the ABBA and to equip a die cast scale gondola with one Kadee to use as the 1st car in a freight consist.  The gondola will give a better view of the trailing A unit.  The ABBA pictured will initially have the scale coupler on one A unit and the stock coupler (that I might pull off anyway - it's SO large) on the other A unit so I can pull with either one as the lead A. Would like to convert most of my equipment to scale couplers eventually.  I'm too old now to switch over to 2 rail. Time's a-wasting!

Here's my custom-bashed GM&O DL-109, with fixed and shimmed pilot and non-O-gauge coupler from the parts box. This does not operate anymore than a front scale coupler does on one of our 3RO scale steamers. You could probably mate the coupler to a scale or Kadee unit, but even 072 curves would not cooperate. I did mine for looks and to use only at the head of a train (like a 3RO scale steamer). Too late for me to start this Kadee madness, much as I admire it.

The front of this loco does look really good, I must admit. How about those literally hand-made, hand-cut one-off early GM&O wings? Excuse the shallow depth-of-field photo.

Anyway, it's an option, if function is not critical.

Thanks to the OP. This is good stuff. I like the electro couplers and they are easy to ignore on the front of most switcher and GP engines and I occasionally use them but they look awful on the F series engines. I've often wondered how to swap in Kadees for a better look.

Sam, first thing I do is swap out the pilot. P&D hobby offers freight and passenger pilots for E and Fs and fix them to the frame or body. Also Lionel has a scale freight pilot for the Fs.

As for kadees, early on I bought all the styles in the 700 series and try them to see what works best. Most use medium centerset.

P&D passenger pilot.

Lionel Freight Pilot.

Pete

Has anyone heard from Sam? ……his region got socked by that storm, …..praying he’s ok!…and for all those affected by that disaster!…

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

Has anyone heard from Sam? ……his region got socked by that storm, …..praying he’s ok!…and for all those affected by that disaster!…

Pat

Was wondering also, believe he lives in Asheville.

Sam is OK. Last word he still has no power only cell service. Note that he started this thread yesterday.

Pete

@Norton posted:

Sam is OK. Last word he still has no power only cell service. Note that he started this thread yesterday.

Pete

Thanks Pete for the update here but please note it was last month on the 2nd that I started this thread. I've been out for almost a full week now!

Greeting guys - SO nice to be back!  Thanks for the concerns and kind comments. Got stranded about 70 miles SE from here last Wed after the storm came in washing out a few area roads and knocking out widespread cell and internet as well as power - literally hundreds of thousands of people out!  It is a mess. Praise to the Lord Jesus that I am home again safe in Maggie Valley (just west of Asheville) and power was restored last night. Internet just this afternoon. You can't believe how refreshing it was to take a hot shower last night after 6 days.

Anything you guys can do to donate to relief operations like Samaritan's Purse in Boone, The 700 Club's Operation Blessing in VA Beach or one of my new favorites - The 'Cajun Navy' from south Louisiana. They are up here helping in nearby 'Chimney Rock' a beautiful little town that was completely swept away into Lake Lure. They say you can 'walk across the lake on the debris from the town'!

Sad..

Sam, it's good to know you're okay. I went to Maggie Valley to the Wheels Through Time Motorcycle Museum about five years ago.

@Norton Pete, is that Lionel freight pilot "ready to use," i.e., did you have to make some kind of spacer to achieve a prototypical height above the rail?  Would you mind please sharing the part number?  Thanks!  And glad to hear that @c.sam is okay!