Has anyone body mounted couplers on the Walthers n-scale ballast car? I would like to use either Atlas or BLMA 100T trucks with FVM or BLMA metal wheels, respectively. Decent coupling distance is desired, and I don't require magnetic uncoupling but being able to use a pick to uncouple would be nice. I'm thinking either some MTL N coupler, MTL Z, Unimate, or the Bachmann dummy coupler. I also have some of the Full Throttle Z couplers I could try although I was kinda wanting to keep those around for tank cars. Walthers Ballast Car and Metal Underframe on the right. Per the above photo, there looks to be plenty of real-estate and a nice metal backing to mount to. I suppose the issue is clearance though, since Micro-Trains doesn't list an option for body-mounting on its conversion sheet, and Google wasn't very helpful either. So, if you have any experience with these please share how you did it. Thanks!
Where'd you find that Herzog car on the left? I've been hunting for the Walthers cars like pictured on the right but I haven't seen a Herzog car with dumps on the botom like that!! As far as body mounts, you can try and use some MT1015's but they have a big draft gear that might interfere with the axle
The car on the left is a stripped MDC thrall hi-side gon, with Mocalova ballast chutes. (Mocalova is no longer in business and as far as I know these aren't available anymore. However, there's really not much to them that would prevent you from making them out of styrene.) I test fit 1015's and it appears they would not work. I've got a couple of other suggestions, although none that have actually been tried. Considering 905's or FT couplers with BLMA trucks at this point.
I'm working on body-mounting 905 couplers and BLMA 100 ton trucks on my Athearn coalporters. They fit, with just barely enough clearance between the draft gear box and the truck mount. The only issue I've had with the test cars I've done so far is that the last car tends to uncouple at random points due to the slinky effect.
On the walthers hoppers, what truck pin did you use? I've got the BLMA trucks, but the walthers pins have too much play in them.
I'm gonna bump this up, as I still haven't found a solid solution yet...perhaps a new set of eyes a year later will have more ideas.
