Accumate to MT Conversion - Trainman Center Cupola Caboose

[joelm]

Hey all:  I have a number of the Atlas Trainman Center Cupola Cabeese, and have recently had a number of the original equipment couplers come apart. I believe these are Accumate. They are held on by a bracket that has a centering pin to locate the coupler and two outside pins that press into holes in the bottom sill of the caboose.  I want to replace these with MT's.

Is there an MT that will fit the available existing space OR do I have to slice off the outside edges of the "coupler pocket" and then just drill, thread and screw in the MT coupler?  Thanks. Joel
 

[Missaberoad]

1111 is what they used on the EV cabooses when they came with MTs
Not sure if the C&O caboose uses the same style box it looks similar in pictures.

http://www.micro-trains.com/nscale/ncouplers/00130007

[joelm]

All:  I went searching on the internet (Imagine that) and found out the McHenry's have the same mounting geometry as the Accumates; therefore they should fit properly in the pockets of the cabeese. So I bought a half dozen to try.  I will report back the results. Joel 

[Mark5]

1111 is what they used on the EV cabooses when they came with MTs
Not sure if the C&O caboose uses the same style box it looks similar in pictures.

http://www.micro-trains.com/nscale/ncouplers/00130007

The 1111 is only for the Std cupola and Wide Vision cabooses (up to a point - Atlas recently re-tooled the coupler pockets on these to take accumates: http://www.atlasrr.com/NFreight/nevcaboose6.htm "Now with AccuMate® couplers"

All:  I went searching on the internet (Imagine that) and found out the McHenry's have the same mounting geometry as the Accumates; therefore they should fit properly in the pockets of the cabeese. So I bought a half dozen to try.  I will report back the results. Joel

This is correct. I usually go the opposite direction though, as I prefer Accumates (but the 23015 Accumates are currently unobtainium).

Mark

[JoeD]

The Accumate is a direct clone of the 1015 as far as box size and location of the knuckle, and the hole in the center and a trip pin...and the color   LOL  Anyway, the 1015 will convert any Accumate body mount coupler.

Cheers

Joe

[Missaberoad]

Does anyone have a photo of the C&O Caboose's coupler box? Its definitely not a standard 1015/Accumate box

[joelm]

Hi Guys: The 1015 doesn't fit.  And, I think I attached a photo of the pocket.  Joel

[jagged ben]

JoelM, the 1111 was mentioned, I would get that.  I think that many of the 11xx series would work (1128, 1129), it just depends whether a shorter or longer shank is desired.  These are T-shank couplers which were originally designed to replace Rapido couplers, which is what your caboose was originally designed to use.

I think you'll have to cut off the post in the middle of the cover piece.

The Accumate is a direct clone of the 1015 as far as box size and location of the knuckle, and the hole in the center and a trip pin...and the color   LOL  Anyway, the 1015 will convert any Accumate body mount coupler.

Um, no it won't. 

For starters, Accumate boxes don't typically have the the divots for the centering nubs that your couplers have.  So while an Accumate will always fit in a box designed for the 1015, the converse is not true.  The 1015 will end up cockeyed and not centered or freely swinging.  (You should thank Atlas for including divots on a few of their newer Master line models.) 

Secondly, a few body mounted accumates, as we are finding here, are not mounted using standard boxes.  Rather they have been fitted with a piece that converts the old
Rapido box to something suitable for Accumates.  The Front Runner and EV caboose other examples of Atlas models that came with body-mounted Rapido couplers back in the day.