Coupler query

[Lawrence]

At a recent model rail show I picked up 2 Kato freight wagons (what I would call box cars), the number is 8021 \ 10000, at £4 each they seemed a bargain however, they have the smallest knuckle couplers I have ever seen on them, I'm not even sure if they work properly tbh    . All the other stock (including my DD51) have rapidos fitted and I had planned to swap everything over to something like Kadees but these tiny couplers on these new cars look really good.

Can anyone suggest a way forward for the conversions, do these couplers on these newest items really work and what are they? I will also convert the 2 DMU sets that I have at a later date so suggestions welcome there also.

 

All ideas and suggestions welcome

[dickturpin]

I too would be interested in fitting Kadee type couplers to Kato stock. Have you a photo of the tiny couplers?

 

Richard

Birmingham

England

[David]

The Resa 10000 (Refrigerator car) is an older model that would have come from the factory with Rapido couplers, It has the standard coupler pocket that makes it compatible with other Kato couplers (including knuckle and micro trains). Most likely it's the "A" type.

 

If the couplers are smaller then regular Micro trains knuckle couplers then they're probably z scale couplers (these would be operational, though this kind of conversion is usually only seen on American prototypes by super rivet counters). There is a remote chance that someone has attached Kato's prototype dummy coupler (it fits in the standard coupler box) - it's a tiny knuckle coupler that come attached to or as an optional replacement for several models. It's meant to match the size of a prototypical coupler, and it not really functional (it goes on the front of steam trains or on the end of brake cars). The way to tell the difference would be if the coupler is made of two pieces (it can open) and has a trip pin, or if it's a single piece of plastic. However I find this unlikely - not only would it render the model almost useless except for static display, I don't even think Kato sells them through normal retail channels.