Like many other model railroaders, I have struggled with couplers. I choose to use the popular Kadee knuckle couplers using Kadee centering springs because they work well, look good and don’t loose their shape, however the Kadee couplers work best in Kadee’s draftgear boxes.

On Athearn, Accurail and other rolling stock the draftgear boxes are too shallow for the Kadee centering springs. The stamped metal clip on Athearn cars and other manufacturers’ gear boxes do not fully close on the boxes, consequently the couplers hang too low and the spring binds and does not center properly.

I’ve bent the glad hands up, which makes them look like a fishing hook, or used shims under the car body to keep the glad hands from catching on turnout frogs and crossings. Neither of those solutions is satisfactory.

I have solved the problem by simply cutting approximately 1/64” from the centering spring at points A, B, and C. using a small, sharp scissors.

Solution to wiggly jiggly railroad cars

Nothing spoils the illusion of heavy tonnage trains, than watching a bunch of wiggling and shaking cars as they roll down the track. Some have suggested one of the trucks should be tightened down, but that only works if the looser truck is leading, and then only some of the time. Cars with tightly mounted trucks tend to derail over turnouts.

I have had great success with this alteration to the truck bolster that I’ve done to all my rolling stock.

I use a small round file, about ¼” in diameter to file a kerf on top of the bolster, parallel with the wheels. This creates two points of contact, thus keeping the cars from rocking. I mount both trucks flopping loosely and derailments are nearly non-existent, while the cars are very stable. I once found a bolster screw lying between the rails, not knowing which car had lost it. I was sweating bullets wondering in which tunnel the train would derail, then one day I picked up a boxcar that had been spotted on the wrong track. Even though the truck was missing the screw, it had stayed on the track for a very long time.

copyright February 15,2004
by Rolf Plachter all rights reserved.

Published in Wise Division Owl Car (April 2004)

copyright February 15,2004
by Rolf Plachter all rights reserved.

Damage control - Switch stands

While operating the layout with friends, hands and elbows intrude into the scenery. Carefully  and tediously installed, street lamps, telegraph poles and other delicate items some times get knocked over, or destroyed.

Grandt Line is making  beautiful plastic switch stands, with a target and lamp housing and jewels.  I got mine from Walters, catalog number: 300-5061.

I installed and glued seven of them at a busy yard. After the first operating session two was broken, one laid on the floor and some body had stepped on it.

I liked the look of the switch stand and I did not want to give up.

I figured the switch stand had a better chance of survival with a metal post and target.  I cut the plastic post off at the top of the point setting handle and drilled a hole though the handle casting, for a wire post.  I let the wire stick out the bottom of the base casting just far enough to bend a loop, and super glued the post in place.  For the round target I made a punch and die.  I decided to use the switch stand without the lamp housing.

To install, I drilled a hole between the head blocks of the turnout and passed   through from the bottom up, one strand from a stranded wire with a ½ inch hex nut attached.  I hooked it to the loop on the base of the switch stand.  Now if some body knocks one of them over, it stands up again by itself.  There are about sixty stands installed and I had to repair only one.

And, because the switch stand is not glued in place, it can be positioned by hand to match the turnout position when I’m taking pictures.

My first installation idea was to fasten the switch stand with a small tension spring through the hole in the benchwork.  My friend Marv suggested the free-swinging weight.  It works so well, I feel I have to share this with you.

copyright January 15, 2005
by Rolf Plachter all rights reserved.