Coupler adapter

When everything else fails.......................

Jushavnfun posted:

I didn't know that Lionel and American Flyer trains that MTH made for Lionel LLC. had unique couplers.

Now I  know better.

Has anyone made an adapter to connect the 2 different devices together.  No paper clip or bailing wire, duct tape versions accepted. 

Just wondering what if.?

Odd, the MTH versions of the couplers are just like the original versions....I would think the MTH Lionel couplers would couple to the original Lionel couplers and the MTH American Flyer couplers would couple to the original American Flyer couplers.

Maybe an Ives car in between would solve the issue?  No wait, Ives cars have different couplers too!

I am not sure, but I think if you couple a Lionel car to an American Flyer car, that one of them explodes!  Kind of like anti-matter and matter being brought together.  Don't the cars come with warnings?  LOL!   

I would suggest that you swap couplers on one end of a car so that they will couple together.  

A lot of the MTH couplers are screw mounted.  Could they be swapped?  Coupler heights might be an issue though... Like NWL, be wary when mixing brands.  Kinda like putting a Ford engine, with a Chrysler transmission into a Chevy...guaranteed to explode!

I put a Flyer coupler on a 390T and pulled Flyer STD gauge cars with it and my 390e. The 390T had a coupler pocket, and if I remember, the hole was a little small for the Flyer coupler, but I was able to modify it without too much trouble to make it work. The 390T has Lionel 500 series trucks, which are the correct height for Flyer.

Are you talking about STD gauge or O gauge? I assume STD gauge, because I don't recall MTH making any Flyer O gauge.

George

wild mary posted:

When everything else fails.......................

 

A Lash-Up!

Ron

A similar attachment.  

H10 coupled to L1s.  

Couple to the SAME kind seems to be the message here.

Rob English post:      Kinda like putting a Ford engine, with a Chrysler transmission into a Chevy...

If any retirement age folks who were gear heads in their youth remember,  the  J.C.Whitney Catalog had a bell housing and motor mounts to do just that.  And it worked! Remember the Lasalle transmissions?

Many of the gear heads of the 50's and 60's are the model train mechanics of today.

We who spent our fortunes at Chris' K&G speed shop years ago now go up his stairs to foster our RR dreams  in his well stocked train room.

Tom Tee posted:

Rob English post:      Kinda like putting a Ford engine, with a Chrysler transmission into a Chevy...

If any retirement age folks who were gear heads in their youth remember,  the  J.C.Whitney Catalog had a bell housing and motor mounts to do just that.  And it worked! Remember the Lasalle transmissions?

 

Blasphemous! 

Nation Wide Lines posted:

Jushavnfun posted:

I didn't know that Lionel and American Flyer trains that MTH made for Lionel LLC. had unique couplers.

Now I  know better.

Has anyone made an adapter to connect the 2 different devices together.  No paper clip or bailing wire, duct tape versions accepted. 

Just wondering what if.?

Odd, the MTH versions of the couplers are just like the original versions....I would think the MTH Lionel couplers would couple to the original Lionel couplers and the MTH American Flyer couplers would couple to the original American Flyer couplers.

Maybe an Ives car in between would solve the issue?  No wait, Ives cars have different couplers too!

Add Dorfan to the mix, another odd ball.

Steve

I had great luck fabricating adaptors for the old school Ives cars to Marx scissor couplers, Marx slot and tab to Lionel latch, and Ives to Lionel latch in the past using old sections of rail. If anyone wants to post some pictures of the different couplers in question I might be able to figure something out. 

Mine haven't exploded yet, but I wear safety goggles, and a hard hat just in case.  Here is my adapter for Lionel to American Flyer - someone else came up with the idea, I add the little wire wing things too keep it from twisting and coming loose.

Here is my adapter for Ives to Lionel.

If I use both adapters at the same time (asking for a really big explosion) I can couple Ives to American Flyer!

Mr Fixit

Since I'm new to all of this I really appreciate your support. 

What gauge metal do you sculpture your adapter with?

BTW. I really appreciate everyone's contents and ideas,, this is wholly different thinking than O Gauge.

It still amazes me how big and heavy everything is.  So romantic,  nostalgic  & toy like.

By the way (btw) this is a great forum chat room.

I'm hooked reel me in.   LOL

Mr Fixit posted:

Mine haven't exploded yet, but I wear safety goggles, and a hard hat just in case.  Here is my adapter for Lionel to American Flyer - someone else came up with the idea, I add the little wire wing things too keep it from twisting and coming loose.

 

Here is my adapter for Ives to Lionel.

 

 

If I use both adapters at the same time (asking for a really big explosion) I can couple Ives to American Flyer!

I created one like in the top photo, I used a zip tie to keep mine from coming out. 
Here is another one I made from a long shank combo coupler. I beat the hole end into shape and bend it as desired. Many of the Flyer male couplers have a slot in them that this inserts into. Can hook up to Lionel latch couplers or tab couplers. Being as the tenders have male ends, gives you lots of options without modifying the tender.

Steve

George S posted:

I assume STD gauge, because I don't recall MTH making any Flyer O gauge.

George

Yessir. Standard Gauge