Changing Couplers - February 18, 2016

Changing couplers ... a lot of folks talk about changing couplers, and on many of the newer rolling stock it is pretty straightforward. But then, there are those of us, who have been in the hobby for more years than we care to admit ... and those of us that have been, I'm sure, have A LOT of our original rolling stock! This little video shows how to go about changing out the old "horn and hook" style couplers, for the bright and shiny Kadee #5 Couplers. There are also a TON of these older cars available for sale from online sellers, including eBay. I hope this helps ... Enjoy!

[@w.rustylane5650]

Just be glad that's a more recent "old" car as most of the older ones had talgo trucks (coupler mounted on the trucks). They are a little harder to do (make 'em body mounted) as I've done over 100 pieces of rolling stock. Oh, and by the way, you need to address some corrosion control on the weight of that boxcar. If not addressed, it can cause problems later in its life. Cheers from eastern TN

[@briangardner5905]

Just what I needed so easy to follow - picked up some very rough rolling stock that need new couplers THANKS!!!

[@michaelmorgan7893]

One thing I've found that helps when changing Athearn couplers, is taking the complete fishbelly frame and bolsters off. That's the piece with the coupler boxes on the ends. Then you can loosen the little metal snap covers off the coupler boxes without breaking them. Once off, you can carefully trim any flash near those lugs that might keep that from going back into place. The couplers should both go on before replacing the bolster/skeleton/fishbelly back in place with the trucks.

[@azmike4202]

This is an Athearn "Blue Box" boxcar. While removing truck, he broke off the molded step. Be careful with that. A magnetic parts bowl can also be found at Harbor Freight. Would recommend removing coupler cover with jewelers screwdriver versus needle nose pliers, pliers can tear off tabs. Get a Bullseye drill jig from Micromark and some 2-56 by 1/8" screws to attach coupler cover to coupler pocket, saves losing coupler on layout or floor.

[@michaelmorgan7893]

The Southern boxcar is an Athearn product. The metal clip with the rectangular openings that are supposed to snap over the square "lugs" on the outside coupler pocket is an Athearn design.

[@aztraingranny7015]

I like the idea of using a foam egg crate for support! Nice vid on replacing an old style coupler. (Kinda think I may have to tackle one of these one of these days LOL).

[@dashaB-sl4pu]

Thank you for this video, wished I had seen it 5 years ago and I too suffer from big shaky hands as well

[@flyboy2610]

I have found that using a very small flat bladed screwdriver inserted under the side of the metal clip, just below the plastic tab on the frame, works really well to remove that clip.

[@LordRusty5]

Whatever works! ;) I've broken the plastic at times with my big old Bear paw hands. But the plastic on these cars can be brittle with age ... sort of like me! LOL!!!

[@BarrengerFynar]

I have a bunch of older cars...and all of them seem to have a different design to hold that coupler in...and all of them are not compatible with the the kaydee coupler...the KD coupler hole is too big. Sigh

[@blatant2subtlety]

I like the idea of setting your stock on foam! Keeps things from bouncing away.

[@sd90mac8]

Oh my, lookn GOOD, surely hope when you set up your height gauge next that boxcar, you ain't got any height problems, cause sadly your back to square 1, 🤯😱😭. Great VIDEO 👌☺️✌️

[@ripjeffhanneman5838]

Disclaimer: I'm finding not all cars are built the same and am having some rather serious difficulty lol Great video (seriously) thanks for your help! I don't know the manufacturer of the stash of old cars I have but these couplers aren't a one type fits all. Just letting your viewers know lol Take care my friend!

[@LordRusty5]

Never said it was one coupler fits all ... sometimes, some modifications of the under-structure of the car, or the coupler box, needs adjusting to make it fit correctly. But replacing old horn-hook couplers is the best way to go. You just need to "Make it so" as Capt. Picard would say. ;)

[@LordRusty5]

Very true! And here's video proof of my other projects! "Changing Couplers on a Con-Cor Passenger Car - April 25, 2015" kzbin.info/www/bejne/bp25pIeertR3Z9E This came before the improved body mounted version ... "Kadee Coupler Conversion on Rivarossi NYC Heavyweight Passenger Car - March 09, 2016" kzbin.info/www/bejne/baecZGNvgp6Na7M This is a more accurate to prototype method of couplers on Passenger Cars ... "Body Mounted Couplers On Rivarossi Heavyweight Passenger Cars 01-13-16-w/Addendum & Music" kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqLcdoijfbxqbck

[@robertknight4672]

A lot of HO train sets that where marketed to kids often came with horn hook coupulers. LifeLike does it a lot.

[@blakeshelton9928]

Life like sets ain't a thing on the market no more. Past tense shall be used.

[@Yannitron]

I really appreciate this man, thank you! I am starting up my model HO railroad. I've had the Bachmann Train set The Rail Chief (with modern knuckle couplers) for 4 years and I've recently been buying more and more tracks (Bachmann EZ tracks). The problem is, ALL the knuckle couplings broke off of the train, except the ones on the locomotive and one coupling on my black hopper car. Also most of the HO freight cars I want to buy from eBay have those "horn & hook" couplers. Does this mean that if I have spare modern knuckle couplers, I can attach the spares to the cars with broken ones AND I can replace the "horn & hook" freight cars ones I ordered with the modern spares? If I'm wrong, please let me know. Thank you, now after 4 years I can finally start a railroad! You've just earned yourself a subscriber ;)

[@dacuzzz]

awesome "how to" John... thanks for sharing.. vinny

[@georgewilkinson1068]

It's from a Blue Box Athearn "Shake The Box" kit.

[@GeminiJets.10]

Thank you very much for this video it helped a lot and will help us to further expand upon my brother and I's channel The N Scalers

[@Idkjustgothere]

Thank you! this was super useful!

[@randallbyrd1973]

Awesome video TY for sharing

[@RalphMacchioVan]

I am a total beginner, I'm trying to replace broken couplers on second hand playart locomotives. Problem is, I cannot figure out how to get the old ones, because there's a brown plastic shell holding the gears and the coupler. If I take that shell off, I'm worried I'll wreck the gears/motor. Any advice?

[@braaandon5716]

I have that car from some manufacture that starts with k and has nice couplers doors open too!

[@bassguitarist2686]

Hi john, I have the same type of coupler, but I need to replace it on engine, ho Santa Fe, would you have a tutorial on this or a resource to find instructions?

[@DavidTheNickjrFan2003]

Can you do the same with bachmann hook and loop couplings

[@b.e.bvlogs3981]

So you have a tutorial on changing out plastic wheels for metal wheels?

[@weeblesue]

Hello John. Great video! Thanks! You have an infectious laugh. Very nice. One question though - since the steel bar is rusted, why not remove both trucks and clean up the steel?

[@LordRusty5]

Hey Susan ... laughter should be 'contagious'! This video was only concerned with changing out the couplers. Many of my Boxcars are now newer models, and this was made to show how to improve older models ... and the underside is not seen ... LOL!!! ;)

[@kwman69r]

@@LordRusty5 ......Why waist time cleaning it unless your doing a derailed diorama ??? Like in truck driving.....keep the greasy side down on the road ! Or on the track !!! LOL

[@LordRusty5]

@@kwman69r Well, for that matter ... it could even be spray painted a darker color - dark brown, black, or left alone. I'm sure the underside of real boxcars have a ton of rust on them too. I've not crawled under any, and don't intend to! LOL!!!

[@robertknight4672]

That car might be made by Athern, their older stuff used those metel clips to hold the couplers in place. My local hobby shop sell those clips.

[@LordRusty5]

I'm sure ... as did Tyco, and Life-Like, to name just a couple.

[@wykedinsanity]

i uessed aethern blue box also, i was ho in the mid 90s now n scale

[@trainsontape6531]

Thanks for the help

[@crsrdash-840b5]

The boxcar looks like a Roundhouse Products version.

[@northfolk_southerntrain_hu8007]

I have a UP version of that and the car is from Atherns builders kit

[@dumcan2024]

Can I use the hook and loop on this too?

[@johnbright6080]

good to learn about coupler.:-)

[@houseoftrainsgarcia9794]

I hate those points on bottom the horn hook couplers . I have got nail cutters clip it and works great .

[@LegionOfWeirdos]

HA - Happened upon here from a suggested video from Ron's Trains N Things... Then I noticed your name. I used to work in microsurgery (mostly ears) and we had an instrument called a Bellucci, which as you probably have already been made aware a few thousand times, kind of sounds like another well-known name. When I would work ear cases, just to be kind of a playful jackass, I always referred to that instrument as the John Bellucci.

[@LordRusty5]

LOL!!! Oh yeah ... VERY well aware! Our nationalities and name spelling are different, but still ... you had to be me when he died! My best friend heard it on the radio, and thought it was about me - they ALWAYS mispronounced his name back in New York - in fact everybody I knew thought it was me when they first heard the report over the radio! The neat thing is, I did get to meet him, and a bunch of the SNL gang early on, at the old New York Hilton Hotel, while we were all signing in for a weekend comedy film festival. My buddies pushed me into him, he grabbed me and said, "A little early in the day to be drinking isn't it buddy?" I introduced myself "Mr. Belushi, my name is John Bellucci", he bear-hugged me and shouted "THERE IS A GOD!" I asked for his autograph, then he asked for mine! Every intermission there were candy fights between my group and the SNL group. Good times!

[@rainey06au]

You broke the step at 3:00 :(

[@tainopr4356]

😱

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

Kd make o gauge couplers for marx o gauge rolling stock

[@stevesmodelbuilds5473]

That looks like a Model Power car.

[@dancousineau72]

Thanks for video. I unfortunately don't have those metal clips that came with cars( they too are old). And no hobby stores where I live. ---small northern Ontario town. Does anyone have a solution ??? Thanks

[@LordRusty5]

Yes, if you buy the Kadee #5 couplers, they come with a coupler pocket and cover. You will need to retrofit them to the car ends. I've done it on older cars where the metal cover snapped or bent to the point of not being reusable. Unfortunately, I've not made such a video, but I believe Dan Cortopassi, of TSG Multimedia did a video a while back showing just that. You need to search through their You Tube channel for it ... kzbin.info/door/X-zwxncFt-DtNrr9GRGVKw

[@LordRusty5]

This guy also did what I'm referring to ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/anfUlJxjg6eGjac

[@LordRusty5]

Here is a TSG video ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZa9eat5e8-KaZI

[@LordRusty5]

There are Athearn replacement metal coupler covers sold through Walthers ... www.modeltrainstuff.com/Athearn-HO-Metal-Coupler-Covers-p/ath-90602.htm

[@garygirard6051]

BTW that is an older athearn car

[@mjobermeyer09]

Don't forget metal wheels.

[@LordRusty5]

This has metal wheels. Besides ... this video is about changing the couplers ... nothing more. ;)

[@justinc4424]

I think its a walthers

[@jackross3694]

It's a athearn blue box kit car

[@LordRusty5]

No, it is not. There were no Athearn Blue Box kits back when I bought this boxcar.

[@farmerdave7965]

Athearn blue box (and yellow box) kits have been available since the early 1960s. You are dealing with an Athearn blue box kit. You apparently live in the East where moisture in the air allows the metal weight to rust.

[@CodysTrainz]

That looks like an athearn.

[@ianmoone7529]

Please put the scale in your title,

[@MrGreninger]

,

[@kwman69r]

Not a bad video but, way to much info on your big hands, what you plan to do with car.....weathering an such ! All the videos I watch .....you guys all do this ! Personally I didn't click on your video to get to know the person or pickup the bad habits I see alot of. It's a pain to have to fast forward to get to the meat of the video. I see alot of poor filming like your focus problems, they do make miniature camera stands so the camera can be positioned with ease , once in focus do your thing without moving towards or away from the camera. Not trying to be a butt head or anything just trying to help ya make better "to the point" videos !