I am in hopes that is ok to ask questions here? Just received 3 C & O E7's from 3rd rail. I noted that when placed back to back there is too much space between unit and I would like to shorten them up. I looked at the kadee site and see the 806's. Would they do what I need?
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The 806 (and 743) use a short box. If you have the space, use the 740, 804 (plastic) or 805 (metal). These use a longer coupler shank and allow the locomotive to negotiate sharper (36" Radius/O-72) curves. The 700 series couplers are the new ones that look much more realistic and are compatible with the 800 series couplers.
thank you! I forgot to mention that tight radii is NOT a problem! smallest radius I have is 36. I am running these engines on 90 inch.
A couple of things to take note of on these engines:
3rd Rail calls for a 56" (0-112) min curve on the 2 rail engine. That seems to be only a function of the body mounted coupler because the side ladders are truck mounted like the 3 rail engine (With regard to the I'm going by Jonathan's Pennsy pictures).
The other issue is the diaphragms have little or no flex and the only way to overcome that is separation between the units unless you replace the diaphragms.
You might consider the long shank centerset 745 coupler for the front.
Are these Kadee coupler kits available in bulk pricing from Kadee distributors, I have not contacted Kadee directly? I have various locomotives to changeout,if I switch to the Kadee coupler assemblies, MTH, Williams, AtlasO and Weaver. The AtlasO and Weaver should be the least problem since the locomotive basic assemblies are for 3-Rail or O Scale, what are the difficulties in applying the O Scale coupler assembly to MTH and Williams engines? Also can Weaver high rail trucks, minus the high rail coupler, be used with a scale body mounted coupler? Thanks for responses to these questions.
John
Are these Kadee coupler kits available in bulk pricing from Kadee distributors, I have not contacted Kadee directly?
John
Last I remember, you had purchase a minimum of 250 couplers in order to obtain a "bulk price discount". That's only 125 cars, so you might as well go for it!
what are the difficulties in applying the O Scale coupler assembly to MTH and Williams engines? Also can Weaver high rail trucks, minus the high rail coupler, be used with a scale body mounted coupler?
John - I don't know what year MTH started, but engines made after about 2007 or 2008 may already have coupler pads for Kadees. I only know through reading about it. All my MTH engines are of an earlier vintage.
If you haven't installed any, you ought to read the Step by step: How to Put Kadees on Atlas cars. It covers a number of things and you can get a feel of what it takes.
Basically, you should buy the Kadee coupler height gauge. Then you need to shim or fabricate a spacer to hold the Kadee gear box. Look in the E7 post, Jonathan has pictured what was used on his engines. It is all very similar. After you get the coupler height figured out, it is drill, tap, and install. Sometimes you will also need to get a Dremel out and cut away some of the cast pieces that are used to mount the old Lionel styled couplers.
Yes you can use high rail trucks you just need to get the coupler height correct which is a matter of using some sort of spacer.
paperboys - I thought you might want to see this.
Here are my 3rd Rail E7's with truck mounted Kadees on an 090 curve and on a straight section. If you look at the straight section you will see just a bit of separation between the diaphragms, that is the half way point between the Kadees pulled to their furthest give and the closest they can get where the diaphragms would barely touch. Because the units are only somewhat synchronized there will be give and take just running on straight track. There is probably enough flex between the units to run OK. I'm not totally done with the units nor is my layout near done to put them through their paces.
If you click on the pictures they will pop out for a better view.
This is the picture of the units on a straight section of track.
This is them on the 090 curved section.
Like I said, the Kadees are truck mounted on the coupler mounting pad on which the Lionel styled operating coupler was mounted. I can be wrong, but I doubt this engine could run with body mounted Kadees in the usual location and close coupled.
For those of you that notice, those truck sideframes arrived like that. The metal they are cast from is soft and bending them back into place would be risky. I hope others with this engine don't suffer from the same problem. One of the screws that hold the sprung lower piece in place has either been driven in and cross threaded or the original tap wasn't run in far enough for the screw to seat properly.
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