Not Couplers Again?!?

I don't recognize those bolsters. Where did they come from?

According to the instruction sheet, they came with the kit.

The ones that came in the (unbuilt) kit I got a few weeks ago however, has this type:

Mark in Oregon

What brands are the kits?

Thank you for your interest, Chuck. I find this kind of stuff fascinating, even if few other do.

All "Midgage".

First up is the Santa Fe Reefer I got the other day:

Next is the MDT Reefer (bought at the same time). This is the one I put the MDC couplers on:

Both of these have that heavy cast bolster/coupler pocket set up you asked about.

This is the kit I got earlier (last month I think). Please note the car number (34859) is the same as the car in the first photo:

This kit has those stamped steel bolsters, and does not include trucks. Apparently this was sold under "The House of Trains" brand, yet you can see it is also marked "Midgage". Perhaps this "House of Trains" bought the remaining Midgage stock to sell under their name(?)

The instruction sheet for this kit (printed on an 8/12" x11" sheet) looks to be of a much newer vintage and has no date. The address is pre-zip code ("Chicago 15").

It is completely different from the sheets that came with the 2 (already built) cars I got last week. Those are on 11"x17" paper, are far more detailed and have a copy write date of 1946.

I can take more photos if needed. 

Mark in Oregon

I had not heard of Midgage, so I looked them up in the NASG product gallery. I see that legendary S scaler Dick Karnes has some of these. These must be some of the earliest attempts to create scale model kits in 1/64th.

BTW - if you are trying to figure out which couplers you like best, I suggest you try these... http://www.sanjuancarco.com/ev...oupler-brown-2-pair/

They also come in black.  Althouh they are On3, they fit fine in S scale coupler boxes and are compatible with Kadee 800/802's.  I exclusively install these now although most of my stuff still has Kadee 800/802's.

Strummer posted:

Mark in Oregon

These are commonly used to put postwar Lionel trucks on these wooden kits.