Lookin on ebay saw some F7's with Z scale couplers. Anyone else tried this, for keepin em close.. in theory it sounds ok...
Bruce,got them fitted to one of my Big Boy's pulls a load no worries.The Bach 2-8-0,I've fitted 1/2 doz or more to my own & club members loco's,on the pilot that is. As for F units it would be easy enough on the A end but dont think you'd have much luck on the B end, being the T type shank used.Prolly better off using Unimate couplers on B end.
Using Z scale couplers on the front pilots of both steam and F units does not create any major problems, provided they are a shimmed right to meet regualr N scale couplers, and they often are closer to prototype size than the available MTs. They also offer the advantage where the design of the pilot does not offer much room and no available MT conversion exists. Drawbacks are few with the major one being the relative strength comparisons between Z and N. Z because of smaller size and pulling lighter cars does not have the strength of N scale and is an item that has been covered in some past publications before. Therefore the decision to use Z scale couplers needs to be based on operations and grades on the pike. I use Z scale on the pilots on occassion, with the standard N scale MT on the tender or or end of the F unit. B units will all have N scale MTs. Buffing forces between units when run as A-A or A-B can occassionly cause a failure with the Z when a dead spot is hit losing power to the trailing unit. Not a problem with the lead since the trailing unit pushes it through. Extremely long consists, getting up to 40 or 60 cars or more, can cause strain on the Z scale when heavy curvature, or grades, or a combination of both is encountered. I also use Z scale body mount couplers on some of my scratch built logging stuff because of space limitations, and because trains will be short when loaded (10 cars) and just a little longer when empty (15-18 cars). As far as coupler length, MT makes short, medium, and long length T shanks so coupling distances between units can be shortened. If however, you elect to put American Limited working diaphragms between the units you need to follow the recommended coupler length contained within the American Limited instructions.
Using Z scale couplers on the front pilots of both steam and F units does not create any major problems, provided they are a shimmed right to meet regualr N scale couplers, and they often are closer to prototype size than the available MTs. They also offer the advantage where the design of the pilot does not offer much room and no available MT conversion exists. Drawbacks are few with the major one being the relative strength comparisons between Z and N. Z because of smaller size and pulling lighter cars does not have the strength of N scale and is an item that has been covered in some past publications before. Therefore the decision to use Z scale couplers needs to be based on operations and grades on the pike. I use Z scale on the pilots on occassion, with the standard N scale MT on the tender or or end of the F unit. B units will all have N scale MTs. Buffing forces between units when run as A-A or A-B can occassionly cause a failure with the Z when a dead spot is hit losing power to the trailing unit. Not a problem with the lead since the trailing unit pushes it through. Extremely long consists, getting up to 40 or 60 cars or more, can cause strain on the Z scale when heavy curvature, or grades, or a combination of both is encountered. I also use Z scale body mount couplers on some of my scratch built logging stuff because of space limitations, and because trains will be short when loaded (10 cars) and just a little longer when empty (15-18 cars). As far as coupler length, MT makes short, medium, and long length T shanks so coupling distances between units can be shortened. If however, you elect to put American Limited working diaphragms between the units you need to follow the recommended coupler length contained within the American Limited instructions.
I intend to use the MT #905 on all of my steamers. The B'mann Light Mountain is proving problematical.If you enlarge the hole where the dummy coupler lived, the working coupler will be too low. There is also a problem with the coupler interfering with the pilot truck. When I feel up to it, I will attempt to create a draft gear box out of styrene and graft it into the pilot. I would hate to mess up the existing details on the pilot. Len
Pic#1,cool Pic#2,is the underside of pilot showing the z coupler instalation. Pic#3,hehehehehehe,although I like that bunch of DRGW hoppers & the SP Daylight set you got!
Let's have some more pictures and a description of the loco with the hight mount headlight! Charlie Vlk
Any chance of Photo 2 with more light, might head down to rail-n-thusiast and see if they have any Z scale couplers. BTW, the Daylight is on its way from Outlaws place in Shooterville USA.. Wife arrived there monday.. now to send her an order, and find a store in Sth Dakota near her!!
VirtualBird: I use MT Z scale #905 couplers on all my steam loco front pilots. The Z scale couplers donot present any problems.
Bob.. Excellent photo.. Doesnt Steam have so much character than Diesels .. Looks like good weathering on the front there, any chance of a closeup of the front? Was there much in fitting the 905s? What style are they? Thanks Bruce
Bruce: There was less surgery on the front pilot using a Z scale # 905 than if you used a MT N scale # 1015 in a 2004 coupler box. Here is a photo of the N scale # 1015 in a 2004 coupler box which was the recommended coupler of choice on the front pilot of this 2-8-0. I use Z scale # 905's on all my steam loco's front pilots. You can compare the two loco's:
Just very carefully trim the coupler pocket to acept the z box,drill & tap,cut screw short so it won't show through top side,touch of black paint to hide end of screw. Had to change the pilot wheel carrier cause the plastic retainer used to interfere with the coupler box,prolly because I set the box so far back so it was flush with the front beam,it looks better IMHO.Just drill & tap pilot carrier with M/T 5/16 drill/tap coupler set,bend some shim brass to retain the axel. The pic of the tender is showing the reed switch to activate the steam sound card,just a small magnet on the axel & as it spins around turns the switch on/off/on/off,choo choo choo.Sounds pretty good,I'm happy with it & was just chatting with the elec. tecky at club yesterday again about reproducing these sound cards,can be done & will let you folks know if/when it happens.
Charlie, Sorry took so long to reply,was trying to get photo's of two other of these loco's i did for a bloke at the club,painted them in DRGW to look like the C48. All I did was to move the head light to the top of smoke box & move the marker lights to the front of the smoke box,tried a fibre optic to high head light but wasn't very bright,may try a 1.5 v micro bulb. Have to put brake man's footboards on end of tender & a few other bit & pieces.
I've experienced no difference in strength between N and Z scale couplers. There is a difference, but pretty small, in the tolerance of vertical and horizontal irregularities.
Two I'd done earlier for a club member,pilot's converted to Z (905's) & DRGW paint job with abit of weathering,early model C48 with dogbox.Didn't have time to do the smoke box light though. [ 24. October 2004, 12:54: Message edited by: JASON ]
