Loose power shoe on milk car

The shoe repair is a fairly typical easy repair with all parts available.  The couplers will need adjustment, which may involve bending the armature plate and armature spring into original alignment, and then if still needed, replacing the 480-8 spring.

That is a very common car and not hard to get.  Unless it was advertised as defective I would return it.   That's way to many problems.  They are all fixable but not worth it to me when so many nice cars are available.  JMHO.

As for broken couplers, you only need one of the couplings connected between two cars to work to separate the cars.

I have many cars that have one or two non working couplers as well as several with a broken couplers wired shut.

With many in those conditions, I am happy to have one working coupler per car.  That is except for the rear of a diesel or a coal tender.  My "To Do List" is too long already.

Charlie

you could also just replace the coupler with the slide shoe assembly. Lionel has them as do many parts dealers. I like to keep a couple spares on hand, myself JIC.