11-712 couplers

[alpineaustralia]

The Kato catalog suggests that you can install as an option on an EF81, microtrains couplers (Kato 11-712). Has anyone ever done this?

I cannot see how it can be done.

[CaptOblivious]

Those are the same as the M-T 2001, right?

 

I've heard that this conversion is, despite Kato's claims, non-trivial, but I've never done it myself to say.

[alpineaustralia]

The problem is that the EF 81 grey snow plough has a small window which allows the standard rapido coupler or Kato knuckle coupler (which is shaped in the form of a whale tail) to swing back and forth.  The 11-712 (which the same as the Micro Trains coupler 1015) must be assembled to create a little box in which the knuckle coupler swings. This little box is too wide and doesnt side behind the snow plough properly. But Kato maintain this as an option.

 

Any ideas?

Do you only use rapido couplers? 

[CaptOblivious]

I only use Rapido, but only until Athearn gets it's act together and starts releasing their McHenry couplers as individual components for converting rolling stock :)

 

I've seen a Kato loco coupler conversion somewhere out there on the internet. I'll see if I can find it for you later.

[CaptOblivious]

It's an ED79, not an EF81, but you still might find this helpful:

http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~toyoyasu/ed79.htm

 

If you want to try Googling yourself, the Japanese word for coupler is カプラー

Try "EF81 MT カプラー" or the like.

[alpineaustralia]

Cheers mate. You're a champ.