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Upgrading Horn Hook Couplers to Knuckle Couplers
Richard posts:
“I have an old Macy’s Holiday Lane Express HO Set # 1 by Bachmann, with a 2-6-0 locomotive, tender, and three cars. It has horn couplers. Does anyone know what trucks I could use to upgrade to knuckle couplers? I just opened this set. I have had it for a long time and it is like new, still in box, but needs a coupler upgrade.”
2 Responses to Upgrading Horn Hook Couplers to Knuckle Couplers
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Before changing the trucks I would convert to Kadee couplers. The horn and hook can be cut off the trucks and Kadee couplers body mounted to the cars. I am not familiar with the train set you are talking about but this process is quite similar for all rolling stock. I would think your cars have plastic wheels and while doing the coupler conversion is a good time to replace the plastic wheels, with metal (nickel silver wheels.) I use Intermountain wheels and am quite happy with them. There are other manufacturers that sell them, as well. There are online videos that can show you the process. Removing the horn/hook coupler and body mounting the Kadee couplers will convert an otherwise poor performing car into one that performs amazingly well. I have found that the Kadee #148 whisker coupler and the #242 snap-together coupler box, are a great combination. Glenn
I agree with Glenn, it’s not hard to do just time consuming. Worth the effort in the end. I use ezmate medium couplers and the 242 snap boxes. I fis the boxes with small nuts and bolts or plastic glue with the light to harden the gluecwith hgreat results.