I'm trying to assemble an M-T 1015 coupler box and have a dumb question. It's probably been 20 years since I last did this. Looking at the photo below, which end of the "air hose" points up in the assembly when its completed? In other words, should the air hose be positioned like the one on the left (with a small length parallel to the track) or the one on the right (with a long length parallel to the track)? Thank you.
The air hose. You may have figured it out by now. Looking at it from the bottom or top of the car aimed toward the left. Toward the rounded part of the knuckle coupler or pocket. Sorry, no pic's to illustrate this. I got one of my Micro Trains Reefers out and took a gander at it. You do know you can buy them pre-fab. You should be good to go.
Ah HA. Got it! Thanks a bunch. Now I just need to press the "hose" in the little hole (and get it pointed in the right direction per Barstow) without mangling it …...
File the little lip/burr on top so it goes through the hole easier. It should pretty much line up with the knuckle automatically because of the flat side and matching flat in the hole. I have never had to adjust that in 50 years, anyway. Doug
After a lot of frustration trying to snap the lid on, I discovered that the coupler box and lid have to be chopped short to fit the 1015 (Short Shank) Coupler. Duh. I then decided to make a 1016 (Medium Shank) Coupler just to see if I could do it and I successfully assembled one. It works really good, flexing the coupler with my fingers at least. Man, getting that wee little sping in there takes some patience, doesn't it? Even with an Assembly Jig, the build process takes some unhurried time.
I used to assemble my own. It wasnt to bad. Now...with my eyesight failing and dexterity frustrating I just buy the prefab ones.
I bought a couple bulk packs way back that I still have not used up. Some days they go together real fast. Others turn into a night mare with me on the floor with a head lamp, paint brush and dust pan trying to find springs. I know, they issue you a good number of spares, but eventually I run out of those.
Are the springs metal? If they are maybe you can get one of those magnetic rollers at Harbor Freight. I have one and it works great picking up bits of metal like miniature screws, washers, etc. Just roll it across the floor like a broom.
They are metal. However, they are made of some non-ferrous metal like brass or bronze and are therefore not attracted to a magnet.
I have M/Ts on everything but the cat !!! GF "stole" a pair of 1015s to make earings to wear to train shows !!! As far as the springs, I've found it very useful to have the ability to cuss in 4 different languages !!!
I'm with you on this one mtntrainman. Way past the point of assembly on these. Just the pre fab ones now.
Although I will still assemble them, dealing with the same eyesight and dexterity issues, it's a big relief when I have pre-assembled ones. It does get a bit tiring, yelling and screaming all the time. Doug
Can someone help identify the manufacturer of this dummy coupler? I found one loose in my stash with no packaging. It's hard to see, but there's a mounting hole in the boxy end and it has no provision for an "air hose" or spring. Not a McHenry I don't think. It might be just the ticket to connect my Life Like A and B Units because of its thickness at the mounting end, but I need a second one. Thanks again everyone.
By jove, you've got it. That's it exactly. Thanks! It must have come from a friend's stuff, as I never had a Life-Like PA. I'm having a devil of a time figuring out how to put dummy couplers between my Life-Like FA- and FB-1. You centered your Unimates using short lengths of tube, but my hands and eyes no longer allow me small work like that. I could install twin M-T 1015s, but the two units are DC and not well speed matched and I'm afraid they'd pull apart as I ran them. I may have to re-install the Rapidos with their lengthy coupling distance and just leave it.
If you only plan on coupling the units together the same way each time, the height of the couplers is not that critical. Only that they match each other. Glue a spacer on the shell and then clip then the Unimate couplers on with the stock clip. They can even flop about a bit as Unimate couplers are quite forgiving and rarely climb over each other.
That should work Russell -- thanks. I'll give it a go. I just thought of an alternate plan to connect the A and B and that would be to install one 1015 on the A and the Life-Like PA-1 dummy coupler on the B. The result would likely hold pretty tight, with an M-T coupled to a Life-Like dummy coupler.
Boy, do I feel like a coupler … a dummy that is. It ends up that the mystery dummy coupler that Russell identified as one from a Life-Like PA was my own coupler, as fallen out of my FA! As I finished installing an M-T 1015 at its rear, I saw that the front Life-Like coupler was missing. Sheeesh. I also found the tiny pin that held it in place, so all is as it was with my FA nose coupler, all back in place.
