I have a prewar 259 with a 265T tender. The first car I bought was a 3814 and the box couplers match perfect. Then I got a 3859 dump car and 2817 caboose which also have box couplers but do not mate up 3814. the 3859 and 2817 are clearly smaller profile also. This has made it very hard to understand what to by on line. I am currently trying to find the Greenberg book. But my desire to move into tin is growing quickly. The hand book I have just states they are O.
Rick.
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Rick, Looks like you've mistaken 800/2800/3800 series cars for 600/2600/3600 series with your 3859 and 2817 for 3659 and 657. Longer vs shorter cars and also high vs low coupler. To make matters worse I believe both series of cars can be found with high/low couplers.
Thanks for your reply, this helped a lot.
Dan65train posted:To make matters worse I believe both series of cars can be found with high/low couplers.
Ummm, The series is generally the same coupler heights... the are a couple exceptions as always. Remember that the coupler heights are only the same within the series...In other words, 2600 freights are different than 2600 passenger... but are the same coincidentally as 2640 passenger. Look at the trucks on the tender... that can be your first clue. I have a list comparing sizes of all this...somewhere. If i find it ill post it.
The height differences are addressed in this Lionen document discussing coupler adapters:
Great info. But I am dealing with box couplers on both cars and the are different heights.
hard to tell by your pics but they may need height adjustment being 80 years old. Also the 1940 box couplers are a bit different than the pre 40 couplers although they generally work together if everything is in good shape.
Thanks Dennis. This prewar is a whole new ball game compared to post-war.
58 steamer posted:Great info. But I am dealing with box couplers on both cars and the are different heights.
I guess I can lead a horse to water, but must baptize them as well... While the adapter is specifically pre to postwar, the information about the heights mentioned here shows which car series can be expected to be of the same heights and what I was trying to get across to OP:
Now, one could then also surmise that a postwar or modern car, with a differing adapter on each end can allow both prewar heights to exist in the same train. Once can also construct a special transition car.
As others have stated, there were many editions of the pre-war coupler, but all are compatible (except the earliest slot connectors)
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