Has anyone considered cranking out a design for short dummy couplers for linking passenger cars, multi-unit engines, etc.? I see many people looking for these, but I haven't found any designs, it seems these would be fairly simple for someone with CAD expertise. 
Replies sorted oldest to newest
John,
I know that they are not dummy couplers but I have used Kadee couplers between engines, have also used some O gauge Kadees for transition of lobtser claw to scale couplers in S gauge.
Dummy couplers are available in S but regular Kadees do the job in a pinch.
Ray
The problem there is no one size fits all. I have shortened them on older and new Lionel diesels as well as old and new Lionel passenger cars. All required a different coupler. I did use kadees on one but truck mounted.
If everyone used A,B,C mounts that is common on most tenders but on diesels and passenger cars as well, it would be easier.
Pete
John, a great idea! If someone chose to do this how about making it having a long shank with prick punch marks spaced at 2mm intervals along the shank. That way the user could select the shank length for their specific application and drill their own mounting hole, cutting off any excess if desired. Hence one size would fit multiple applications.
I just posted this on a 3rd Rail F3 topic:
That is 6 scale feet. Having a dummy replacement would be great.
@modeltrainsparts posted:John, a great idea! If someone chose to do this how about making it having a long shank with prick punch marks spaced at 2mm intervals along the shank. That way the user could select the shank length for their specific application and drill their own mounting hole, cutting off any excess if desired. Hence one size would fit multiple applications.
I like the idea of being able to "size" them. Even if you couldn't, it wouldn't be hard to change the shank length and have multiple sizes available.
This short dummy coupler came with my Son's MTH T1 in case he wanted to double head. I don't know the P/N but that popular auction site will give you some options if you type MTH STEAM ENGINE FRONT COUPLER DUMMY. I'm sure it could probably be used/attached to other types of engines cars if you try hard enough.
I'm imagining you doing it John and it sounds easy to me. 
Ron
I used Scale City Designs dummy couplers to close-couple my Aerotrain cars. The shaft has 2 holes and you can cut it to length. I ended up drilling a hole halfway between the other 2 and tapping it for a 6mm long M3 screw. I applied Locktite to the screw then mounted it to the existing MTH coupler mount. And at $7 for 6 couplers, the price can't be beat.
Bob
I could make some up if I had one to measure. Do you have one you could measure or send me @gunrunnerjohn? I could try it with my FDM printer but I suspect a resin printer would be better. I do believe @AlanRail is the man with the resin talents.
I don't personally have one handy right now, but I see this request all the time here, so I'm sure there are couplers available. My only concern is the variability of the design of attachment points of the coupler.
sure I can print these but the better the measurements in decimal, not fractions, the better the print will be.
A napkin drawing will do too. Better would be dimensions on a top and side view photo.
I made a model (in the repository) to convert the old Atlas O cars with the HO type claw couplers to ones that would connect to today's couplers. Changing the shank/hole size would be easy. I can send anyone the model if they want it.
That funderframe looks more like AHM?Rivarossi than Atlas/Roco. Or the trucks do.
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
