I picked up 12 Con-Cor 3 bay hoppers at the Ohio N Scale Weekend for $60. ($5 a car, had to do it!). But they have Rapidos on the trucks. I figure I have several options: 1. Replace the tucks with MT trucks/couplers 2. Replace the coupler with a MT couple (possible? Which one?) 3. Cut off the coupler and put on a MT body mount (but which one?) Recommendations would be appreciated. Greg
If you intend to do coupling/uncoupling for every car then all MT is the way to go. If you want to do unit train style, then I recommend using MT-1030 or MT-1035 on one end of two cars, and use Red Caboose Unimate RNP-51000 couplers to replace all the other rapidos. You should be able to simply remove the existing rapido and install the unimates with no problem. BTW do NOT cut the 'pin' end of the unimate flush... leave enough to fit through the spring. :tb-cool:
Are you talking about the coal hoppers? You also might be interested to know that the 90 ton Atlas hopper coal load can be purchased from Atlas parts---part # 9326002--- for $1.50 a pair ( $0.75 each). They drop right in. They come gray so you have to paint them black--takes about 5 minutes to paint them all with a brush.
