Minimum Diameter Curve for Kadees on 18" Pass Cars?

Might be tough, the longer the car the larger the radius required becuase the couplers no longer swivel. On smaller radius curves the outer edges of the car separate farther apart.

I saw a chart somewhere on the web describing curve radius (not diameter) requirements as it related to car length, and for body mounted Kadees to operate properly on curves, it called for the radius to be 5 times the car length. Keep in mind, "operating properly" also means coupling and uncoupling on the curve, you can get away with smaller curves if all you want to do is have the train run through, rather than trying to perform switching moves on the curve.

 

Bill in FtL

 

If you mount them on the trucks you will likely be able to negotiate the same radius as before depending on how close you want to couple the cars. Using the supplied diaphrams which are about three times as long as the prototype, and having the diaphrams touch you might be able to negotiate 042, 054 for sure.

 

Pete

I have up-graded a number of MTH heavyweight passenger cars (18" I think) to body mounted Kadee couplers, and they just barely like 072 curves. However, I have them close-coupled so that the rubber diaphragms just touch on straight track, then compress nicely on curves.

You can grind down both sides of the draft gear box ( the bottom half of the box) to gain some extra side to side travel for the couplers. Not the whole side, but at least 1/8" or a tad more. This greatly helps with close coupled cars and reverse curves, but 060.....I seriously doubt it with body mounted couplers. Truck mounted....absolutely.

I think know (I just tried it on my 18" K-Line HWs) if you get the long shank Kadees they'll go around 054 curves if body mounted.

Hi Bob,

Thanks!  I had intended to mount them to the body.  I am going to go for it.  I will use the 746 long shanks.

 

thanks to all those that commented!

Bob, 

 

Do you have pictures of the 746's mounted on your passenger cars?

 

thanks,

 

Andy

 

If you want to sacrifice the centering feature, you can mount the coupler directly with a screw.    Simply fill the slot in the shank where the spring normally with a piece of styrene rod about 1/8 x 1/8 inch by the lenght of the slot.   Then drill out for a 2-56 screw clearance (#50 drill).    You can then drill and tap the car floor or a mounting pad and you get much more coupler swing.    

Here's the K-Line 18" baggage car:

 

 

 

I'm glad you asked, I forgot about those shims needing some paint!

 

I had to add a thin shim on top of the shims I had originally put on so the coupler would not hit the bottom of the diaphragm.