Ok another question.... If you replace your stock plastic couplers with Kdee oner you don't mount them to the trucks. Where do you put them? I assumed you took off old ones and put on new ones. do you install a whole new piece for the new coulper...... So confused
If your cars currently have the couplers attached to the trucks you have two options. First, you can put the Kadee couplers on the trucks too. Go to http://www.kadee.com and they have a conversion guide. Look up the manufacturer of your car and they should have a suggested replacement. Second, install a coupler box to the car itself. If you buy the standard #5 coupler (and others too) they come with plastic coupler boxes. You mount the box to the car with glue or screws. I would recommend glueing the box on and installing a 2-56 screw to hold the cover and to prevent the box from popping off. Everything is confusing to start. Once you do it once the light will turn on.
One reason for mounting the couplers on the car body rather than the trucks is because that's the way the real railroads do it. Body mounting decreases the liklihood of derailments while backing your trains, too. On the other hand, truck-mounted couplers permit long equipment to operate on short-radius curves. Either way is your choice, but I would recommend that you don't mix them too much. Cars with body-mounted couplers tend to derail cars with truck-mounted couplers in curves (at least that's my experience).
