Upgrade couplers on Life-Like trains?

[wiley209]

I have a lot of Life-Like locomotives and rolling stock that still use horn-hook couplers. Now I'm currently somewhat of a budget model railroader, which is why I usually go for Life-Like's non-proto stuff (I guess because many of them are somewhat retro?) I have been using the horn-hook couplers for a long time, and now I think I'm ready to upgrade most of them to knuckle couplers. I already do have a few engines and freight cars with knuckle couplers, and I do like how they operate. In fact, I even learned that knuckle-couplers can usually be backwards-compatible with horn-hook couplers, but that can take a bit of work, and sometimes it may come loose depending on the track layout.

I am not sure what kind of knuckle couplers to use. Here are the locomotives I have that I plan to upgrade. Many of them first came out in the 1970s and are still being manufactured today...

GP38-2 hi-nose Santa Fe locomotive (along with a non-powered lo-nose version!)

GP38-2 hi-nose Burlington Northern locomotive (sometimes I use this with the ATSF GP38-2 dummy to make it look like a BNSF train!)

GP38-2 hi-nose Union Pacific locomotive

GP38-2 lo-nose Chessie System locomotive

F7-A Santa Fe locomotive (this one's one of my favorites!)

F40PH MBTA locomotive (I plan to use this with Walther's single-level MBTA passenger cars, which also use knuckle couplers!)

F40PH Union Pacific locomotive (WHY did they even make this?)

0-4-0 steam locomotive and tender (it's actually a PRR model and it has a cowcatcher on the front.)


I was considering using SceneMaster knuckle couplers, but I'm not sure. Has anyone ever tried using Kadee couplers on these locomotives? I might try using those.

 

[TheGloriousTachikoma]

Attempting to convert standard Life Like locomotives to knuckle couplers is sort of like swapping a RB25DET into...an Isuzu NPR. No-one has done it before for good reason.

That you are a budget modeler is understandable and a sympathetic position. However Life Like locomotives and rolling stock have only one use, and that is for 6-year olds to pound on until they have the fine motor control and appreciation for more expensive equipment.

http://www.con-cor.com/YardSale/HO-Diesel-Sale-Spring-2012.html
Call to see what is still in stock. These mechanisms are far better than LL despite their age (I own one from this era, smoother than a recent Kato), and Atlas sold them as well, check eBay. You should also be able to find Walthers Trainline locomotives for good prices.

http://www.trainworldonline.com/catalog/bachmann/ho-scale/diesel-locomotives/
Standard Bachmann locos don't have the best detail but the mechanisms are pretty good, plus there's a wide variety to choose from.

It is technically possible to convert LL equipment to use Kadees. But don't.

 

[wiley209]

Call to see what is still in stock. These mechanisms are far better than LL despite their age (I own one from this era, smoother than a recent Kato), and Atlas sold them as well, check eBay. You should also be able to find Walthers Trainline locomotives for good prices.

It is technically possible to convert LL equipment to use Kadees. But don't.

OK, thanks. The Walthers TrainLine locomotives do look interesting. They even have a red/silver Warbonnett ATSF GP9! (Call me old fashioned, but I like model railroad stuff from the 1970s to the 1990s.)
I also don't use the Power-Loc track on my layout anymore. I have since switched to Atlas True-Track. (I even like the roadbed on it, as it looks more realistic than the EZ-Track and Power-Loc roadbeds!) I also have the Life-Like Log Dump station from a train set being used on it, but as for an operating crossing gate, I may be able to get a Bachmann or Tyco one, remove the steel/brass track section from it and put a Code-83 track section in its place, then maybe even modify the crossing signal on it so the lights can flash.

 

[MarkVIIIMarc]

Kadee has a conversion kit which includes an "I" shaped piece of plastic to fill in the gap in the top of the coupler housing and a tool to insert it. It works on my tyco stuff so maybe it will work on yours.

Like they said other equipment is superior but I like being able to run everything I own.

A trick to use during the conversion process is to use a knuckle coupler on front of one unit and a horn hook on the rear of the same unit. Kind of a bridge piece.

 

[scroggin]

Kadee sells a Coupler Sample Test Kit .Thats a great way to find out which couplers you need. Any carriages that you will always use together such as coaches or a line of coal wagons only need the first and last coupler in the train converted. I wouldnt be temped to buy any of the cheap plastic kadee copies they flex and disconect too often.

 

[lehrr]

I had a bunch of life like rolling stock and one life like locomotive, I converted them to knuckles using these. They work pretty well. I keep the stuff on the layout because they are from my daughter's first set and she is attached to them. If you like your locos, do not let anyone tell you they're not good enough, it's your railroad so whatever makes you happy is what is important.

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Life-Like-1427-Scene-Master-Knuckle-Couplers-p/433-1427.htm

 

[DakotaLove39]

I was wondering this myself.

I don't care so much about my old LL engines, but it's the freight cars I want to keep using.

I have other, more "pro" stuff which I reecently dished out Kadee #148's to (Similar to metal #5's but have whisker springs so you don't need the copper spring sleeve). I love these couplers, and I was looking at my Tyco ACF hopper to see if I could simply cut off the coupler pockets on the trucks, and install the Kadee couple pockets onto the car's frame. There looks to be enough space and it matches the height of my other cars.

Wouldn't this be the ideal solution? To just re-install a coupler box on the car chassis, clip off the truck ones, and then give it metal wheels and properly weight it?

 

[Iron Horseman]

Unfortunately I have never used SceneMaster couplers, nor do I recall ever converting a Life-Like loco and car, but on the Kadee website they have lists of conversions. Their recommendations are in the table below. It looks like 27, 27TM, 28TM, and 33BM will fill the bill.

Lifelike Equipement Type Kadee coupler #
STEAM
0-4-0 Old Time Tea Kettle ....................................... 28
0-4-0 Tank (Dockside) ............................................ 27
0-4-0 Switcher ..................................................... 27
DIESEL
EMD F-7 A ............................. Pilot 37, Rear 35 or 27 TM
EMD F-7 B ............................................... 35 or 27 TM
EMD F-40PH ..................................................... 28 TM
EMD GP-38-2 ............................. New 33 BM, Old 28 TM
ROLLING STOCK
Truck Mounted Freight Cars ........................ 27 or 28 TM
Body Mounted Freight Cars ...................NO.5, 148 or MCS
Passenger Cars ................................................ 28 TM
Observation (Back End) ..................................... 26 TM

Considering the cost per performance improvement this would gain, I think I would recommend converting just a few cars and a caboose. Convert only one of the locomotives. Then run those for a while and decide if it is worth it to convert the rest of the fleet. If so then make a few converter cars where the car has a horn hook on one side and a Kadee on the other. That way you can build up slowly while still running all the equipment.

 

[wiley209]

Unfortunately I have never used SceneMaster couplers, nor do I recall ever converting a Life-Like loco and car, but on the Kadee website they have lists of conversions. Their recommendations are in the table below. It looks like 27, 27TM, 28TM, and 33BM will fill the bill.

Lifelike Equipement Type Kadee coupler #
STEAM
0-4-0 Old Time Tea Kettle ....................................... 28
0-4-0 Tank (Dockside) ............................................ 27
0-4-0 Switcher ..................................................... 27
DIESEL
EMD F-7 A ............................. Pilot 37, Rear 35 or 27 TM
EMD F-7 B ............................................... 35 or 27 TM
EMD F-40PH ..................................................... 28 TM
EMD GP-38-2 ............................. New 33 BM, Old 28 TM
ROLLING STOCK
Truck Mounted Freight Cars ........................ 27 or 28 TM
Body Mounted Freight Cars ...................NO.5, 148 or MCS
Passenger Cars ................................................ 28 TM
Observation (Back End) ..................................... 26 TM

Considering the cost per performance improvement this would gain, I think I would recommend converting just a few cars and a caboose. Convert only one of the locomotives. Then run those for a while and decide if it is worth it to convert the rest of the fleet. If so then make a few converter cars where the car has a horn hook on one side and a Kadee on the other. That way you can build up slowly while still running all the equipment.

I plan to initially convert a few of my more frequently-used locomotives, a few freight cars and my PRR and ATSF cabooses. I may make a couple of converter cars, too (my ATSF GP38-2 lo-nose dummy might not be a bad idea, as I usually like to run it behind my powered hi-nose ATSF GP38-2.)

 

[santafewillie]

I converted some Life-Like cars to Kadee's back when I was also on a budget. Kadee has specific conversion kits as mentioned by Iron Horseman. I quickly learned that it was easier to cut the coupler mechanism off the truck and body-mount Kadee # 5's (like Steve said) instead of using the conversion kits. Glue some pennies inside, add some metal wheels, A-Line stirrups and some weathering and you have a good looking freight car. They're not always prototypical but rarely does anyone who is not a long time modeler know the difference. While I haven't used the engines in over 25 years, I still have about a dozen Life-Like/Tyco/Realistic type freight cars among the 450+ freight cars on my layout.
Willie

 

[DakotaLove39]

I quickly learned that it was easier to cut the coupler mechanism off the truck and body-mount Kadee # 5's (like Steve said) instead of using the conversion kits.

I actually finished my test car for this, which is an ACF hopper of an unknown brand. For now I have horn couplers installed since I ran out of Kadee #148's.

Like was said, I cut off the coupler pockets on the trucks and installed Kadee insulated draft gear boxes on the car chassis itself. I had to trim off just a little bit from the carbody and scrape off some paint so that the gearbox would glue down.

 

[bnsf971]

Just so you know, most of us are at the very least "serious" model railroad people, so you can take the "not good enough" comments as they are intended. That is, "not good enough for really serious modelers". If they are good enough for you, that is what really matters.
Now, there are coupler conversions for these engines and the rolling stock, so if you really want to, and are happy with the trains you have otherwise, you can convert them.
If you decide you really would rather have something that is a little smoother, looks a little crisper, runs a little better, you can get the upgraded stuff linked to above. If you're not really good at cobbling stuff together, the ConCor link might not be best for you.
Last, after you do finally get the better stuff on your layout ("better" usually means all wheel drive and body mounted couplers), don't toss out the old stuff. What I have done for many years is, during the year, I gather up odds and ends, and piece together "sets", which include a small oval of track, an inexpensive transformer, an engine, a couple of cars, and a caboose. I then give the "set" to a neighbor kid whose parents don't have a lot of cash to throw around for toys. You get a good feeling, it doesn't cost much, if anything, the kid is usually thrilled, and his parents are happy, since that is one less thing they have to stretch their money to get.

 

[CbarM]

WOW!! That deal at Con-Cor looks like a really good deal! I am in need of a couple yard loco`s and I think them GP40`s would fit the bill nicely. It says that DCC install would be really hard but I dont imagine it to be any different then the same install on an Athearn BB right?? What would the drive's on these compare to nowadays?? Basically I am wonderin if its worth takin one a these at 22.95 and throwin another $130 at it with decoder/custom paint/details to have a good running quality loco?

 

[wiley209]

A while back I replaced the horn-hooks on a couple of my GP38-2 hi-nose locomotives:

I also half-upgraded my ATSF GP38-2 lo-nose dummy locomotive so one end has a knuckle coupler, and the other a horn-hook.
I had a couple of really old Walthers Trainline locomotives that really needed repairs, and just installed the knuckle couplers from those, and they surprisingly fit and work really well!

 

[TheGloriousTachikoma]

WOW!! That deal at Con-Cor looks like a really good deal! I am in need of a couple yard loco`s and I think them GP40`s would fit the bill nicely. It says that DCC install would be really hard but I dont imagine it to be any different then the same install on an Athearn BB right?? What would the drive's on these compare to nowadays?? Basically I am wonderin if its worth takin one a these at 22.95 and throwin another $130 at it with decoder/custom paint/details to have a good running quality loco?

It's an older Atlas mechanism. I have an Atlas C424 with that mechanism and it's smoother than a newer Kato SD38-2. DCC install is similar to an Athearn in that you need to solder the connections on but it's not terribly difficult. Keep in mind you'll have to source handrails for the geeps they're selling, but the SD24/35 come with handrails.

 

[Hank4014]

Kadee has a conversion kit which includes an "I" shaped piece of plastic to fill in the gap in the top of the coupler housing and a tool to insert it. It works on my tyco stuff so maybe it will work on yours.

Like they said other equipment is superior but I like being able to run everything I own.

A trick to use during the conversion process is to use a knuckle coupler on front of one unit and a horn hook on the rear of the same unit. Kind of a bridge piece.

This is how I've been doing it with the Bachmann cars for my son. I've learned to keep crazy glue handy, singe the draft gear boxes are only glued on to those cars, and they are more likely to snap off than have their covers come off.