Conversion

Looks good, got any 90degree side-on shots, particularly a truck/pilot closer-up from the side.  Is the pilot a separate piece or molded as one with the frame?

I am working slowly on a Lionel U30C in D&H Lightning Stripe, the paint job persuaded me to have a go.  The Atlas U23B has a 1/8" spacer piece for 2-rail between the pilot and the deck so I've started a couple of copies of it for the U30C.

Presumably you used the MTH 2-rail 42"(?) wheelsets product, what did you actually have to do for 2-rail pickup - remove rollers, etc...?  Are there useful instructions with the product or elsewhere?

From memory(!) the Lionel U30C truck sideframes are scale length, are the MTH sideframes scale length?  I have an older MTH 20-2179 Dash-9 (more accurate as a Dash-8) and the sideframes are about 1/2" too short.  Cut 'em about for a session (or two?) on my son's 3d printer or shorten the body and use FB2 trucks for a B40-8?

Aaaah... 2-rail O-scale
Jason

Wheels are from another Mth loco that is in for service, that was originally a factory 3 to 2 loco.  this one was 3 rail specific, but capable to change out wheel sets.  The pilot was attached to truck and had holes for kadee coupler boxes.  I think this might have been older version, not sure! Will post side pics soon, so much for a relaxing hobby, hope this helps Jason.

Well the engine SD60 First Responders unit was tested at the club. Ran beautifully with all DCC functions!

So I decided to add a consist of freight cars mostly modern box cars. Great, train starts off not more than 8 ft and the first car after the engine came uncoupled! My worst fear confirmed, scale couplers on a swinging pilot do not work very well.

Looks like a little extra work can't be avoided as to making pilot permanently fixed. More to follow Later!!

Talgo mounts with Kadee's and MicroTrains couplers have been around for years.  If you had an uncoupling, it might be premature to put it all on the swinging pilot.  I would check coupler heights and there is also the occasional coupler that is not up to snuff.  If everyone else at the club is not having any issues going over that section of track you can eliminate that as the problem.

Is the gap between the bodyshell and the pilot on level track measurable?  If yes, cut some bits of soft foam that thickness to mount in between them, not glued - just thick and firm enough to stay put.  That's the test - shaping a spacer and mounting all on the bodyshell probably comes next.  On freight cars I've found early MTH cars rode with 1/8" higher bolster centres than Atlas.
Jason

I think I might try a kadee 700 series shelf type coupler and if that dose not  work, its on to spacer, drilling and tapping!!

That I was trying to avoid.  I think the truck floats upland down more,  exaggerating the up and down of the coupler. making it lift out of connecting coupler!

My suggestion around test foam was a quick'n'easy to see if it cut vertical truck float.  If yes, then the more permanent spacer work can start.  I was using a stout pin to trace the Lionel U30C's bodyshell, but then the lazy man suggested I use an Atlas U23B spacer (Atlas spare part).

Kadee 7xx series are smaller than 8xx, but in the same coupler box, so probably not worth trying, just my guess.

Jason

Frank, bite the bullet and fix the pilots to the frame. With the complex trackwork at the club. You'll be glad you did.

You are Right Chris!!!!