Fitting Micro-trains magnetic couplings to Kato DD16

[Beaver]

The design of the Japanese version assumes that the couplings will be mounted in the standard coupling box with clip on lid. The instructions are written on this basis.

 

However, the DD16's standard couplings are mounted on a pin moulded into the clip-on snowploughs with a flat spring inserted into the back of the snowplough to re-centre the couplings on straight track. This allows the body mounted couplings to work on 150mm radius curves.

 

This means there is just a big open space with a pin in it, nothing to mount the Micro Trains coupling on or hold it in place.

 

I can only imagine somehow glueing the couplings in place with some packing, but that would probably be very shaky and unreliable.

 

Photo 1: big blank space on bottom of loco.

 

Photo 2: snowplough with pin for swinging rapido coupling, spring not installed.

 

Photos 3 and 4: the instructions. 

[Beaver]

 

EDIT: Looks like I should have bought the 11-712 instead of the 11-710. The latter appears to be pin mounted instead of using a T-shank.

Edited October 14, 2018 by Space Beaver