Atlas Master Line Freight Cars and Kadees

@Justin Acuna posted:

Just bought a couple Atlas Master Line cars and saw that the mounting pad holes for the screws aren't matching up with the holes on the Kadees I have.

Atlas, in their questionable wisdom, has their mounting pads designed for their own O Scale couplers. Thus, the holes do NOT align with the mounting holes in the Kadee gear box.

Do I have to buy a special mounting pad to put Kadee couplers on Atlas Master Line freight cars?

I always just drilled new mounting holes in order to have the Kadee gear box set all the way back on the mounting pad. Just be very careful drilling the new holes, as some Atlas products have some sort of metal inside that underarm, which is NOT easy to drill into.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Thanks.

@Hot Water posted:

Do you know the part number?

@Justin Acuna posted:

Do you know the part number?

Part number of WHAT?????

@Hot Water posted:

Part number of WHAT?????

Sorry, I meant the part number for the Atlas couplers you mentioned.

@Justin Acuna posted:

Sorry, I meant the part number for the Atlas couplers you mentioned.

I have no idea, as in my opinion, they were crap, and I refused to use them. Every single piece of rolling stock (including locomotives) I had, were all up-graded to Kadee couplers. I suppose you could visit the Atlas O website and search for their O Scale couplers.

Justin I asked a fellow member of the forum who lives near me in Mass.  about this same topic when I started converting to Kadee's last winter 2021.   He has done his entire fleet of cars.   Here's the recommendation he emailed me (copied and pasted below):   His method definitely has worked out well for me....    On certain cars, specifically, the H21a Hoppers,   I have altered his approach and just drilled new holes using the Kadee coupler box and a shim as a guide.  It's not that his method didn't work, I just wanted the couplers up under the frames more to move the hoppers as close together as they could go.  With new holes, the right angle stop on the Kadee coupler box cover is flush with and right on the car frame.   If you don't want to have to start drilling out every car, then the following procedure works with minimal effort. 

@Hot Water posted:

I have no idea, as in my opinion, they were crap, and I refused to use them. Every single piece of rolling stock (including locomotives) I had, were all up-graded to Kadee couplers. I suppose you could visit the Atlas O website and search for their O Scale couplers.

I think I'll stick with Kadees, they're pretty sturdy.

@chris a posted:

Justin I asked a fellow member of the forum who lives near me in Mass.  about this same topic when I started converting to Kadee's last winter 2021.   He has done his entire fleet of cars.   Here's the recommendation he emailed me (copied and pasted below):   His method definitely has worked out well for me....    On certain cars, specifically, the H21a Hoppers,   I have altered his approach and just drilled new holes using the Kadee coupler box and a shim as a guide.  It's not that his method didn't work, I just wanted the couplers up under the frames more to move the hoppers as close together as they could go.  With new holes, the right angle stop on the Kadee coupler box cover is flush with and right on the car frame.   If you don't want to have to start drilling out every car, then the following procedure works with minimal effort.

Yes Atlas decided to drill their holes slightly off for their own coupler. The easiest solution. Pick up some 2mm threaded screws. I use www.MonsterBolts.com.   They have blackened,  Phillips, pan head screws. After your coupler is assembled. Drill the front and rear hole out slightly bigger with a #43 bit. The 2mm screws thread into the Atlas holes. The screws are a little smaller than a 2 56. Between the size difference and reaming out the holes in the Kadee.  It should give you a little wiggle room. The trick is to use a longer screw than needed. Works good with boxcars. Catch one screw by a couple threads. Now get the other screw in the hole and angle the coupler or force the screw to stand straight in the hole. This is why a Phillips is a must. Catch the second screw. Now alternately tighten each screw and the coupler will walk it’s way on. It sticks out slightly but it’s really not noticeable in operation. Beats the heck out of drilling and tapping. One Micromark shim seems to be the standard on every car.

They only car that should require drilling and tapping. Is the Atlas outside braced boxcar.

Thank you!

I generally used a #43 drill to elongated the rear hole on the Kadee coupler box.   basically make it a slot toward the front of the box.    then I  use the 2x8 mm screws as mentioned above.    I don't like to force the screws in at an angle, just for my own piece of mind.

Atlas #7039 is their p/n for the 2 pair set of their scale couplers. I have found that they aren't as bad as some people say but admittedly I don't do tons of switching. It's also possible that I have some of the newer vintage. Sometimes you can find eBay lots for cheap money. I have used their couplers or Kadees on their cars depending on what I have on hand. I sometimes set a Kadee with one screw and don't mind the box protrusion too much.

Monsterbolts is a great source for JIS metric fasteners. I use them a lot for my projects.