I recently obtained a very well used Lionel #53 Rio Grande Snowplow without the plow. It didn’t run but after a good cleaning and lube it now runs. I hope to repurpose it as a yard switcher and forget about the missing plow. It came with the trucks that you see in the attached photos. I want to have functioning couplers on front and back sides. How do I make that happen or do I have to purchase new/used trucks with the couplers already installed? Thanks for your help.
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You could piece together the missing bits to complete the truck with the parts added, but it's much simpler to just acquire the entire 41-50 CouplerTruck.
Thank you for your reply. I’m still a rookie so I have much to learn. I love tinkering with these trains wanting and thinking that I can do it myself. I’m like a toddler 😂. I’ve been scouring YouTube and every site that pops up looking for instructions on how to repair couplers and attach a head back on the coupler - I have a used coupler head rattling around in a parts box. Anyway , in my search I came to the conclusion that you shared. The entire truck with coupler is $14 tax and shipping on TRAINZ. Seems to be the way to go…although I’d really like to put that head on this coupler just to feel accomplished.
Thanks again
As an FYI, the front coupler was left off from the factory so that the plow will fit.
Mitch
Thank you Mitch. I saw that in my Greenberg’s manual but I want to use this little engine as a yard switcher with functional couplers front and back, Looking at the #53 it looks like it should all fit. I have a Lionel Canadian Pacific 8264 snowplow and a Lionel Rio Grande 8459 for when the snow comes!
Good info though.
Jim