Installing A Micro Trains Z Scale # 905 Coupler On The Front Pilot Of A Bachmann 4-6-0 And On The Rear Of The Tender Frame

Installing A Micro Trains Z Scale # 905 Coupler On The Front Pilot Of A Bachmann 4-6-0 And On The Rear Of The Tender Frame

The Bachmann 4-6-0 ten wheeler is an interesting locomotive. It is very detailed, yet it isn't a Spectrum series locomotive ( See Photo  # 1 & Photo  # 2 ).

Photo  # 1  Southern 4-6-0  Ten Wheeler On A Siding Near the Cash Coal Mining Company

Photo  # 2 Another View Of The Southern Ten Wheeler On A Siding West Of San Marino

 The installation of a MT Z scale # 905 coupler isn't difficult at all. The one most important thing to remember is the tender frame is cast metal and not plastic. To install a Z scale # 905 coupler on the rear of the tender frame, you must first remove the large factory installed coupler by unscrewing it. What you'll be left with is a meatl post that holds the coupler screw in place. This metal post must be removed either by nipping pliers or a Dremel. Once the post is removed smooth the roughened metal coupler pocket with some fine files. Once the coupler pocket is smoothed you can temporarily seat the # 905 coupler in the pocket. This coupler won't need a shim. After making sure the coupler seats properly in the coupler pocket, you can cement it in the pocket with a small dab of CA cement. Let this set up for 30 minutes and then check the couplers movement to make sure the CA cement didn't cause the coupler to freeze in the pocket. That's why you only need a "dab" of CA cement to do the job.  Let the cement completely set up for 24 hours. Then build an enclosure for the bottom of the coupler with Styrene strips. Paint the styrene strips with Polly Scale grimy black paint when the CA cement is completely set up ( 24 hours ). The MT Z scale # 905 coupler on the rear of the tender frame looks more prototypically correct than the large factory installed coupler on the right ( See Photo  # 3 ).

Photo  # 3  MT Z Scale  # 905 Coupler On Left And Factory Installed Coupler On The Frame Of The 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler

To install a MT Z scale # 905 coupler on the front pilot is exactly the same installation as on the original Spectrum 2-8-0 or other Spectrum steam locomotives. First you remove the dummy coupler which slides out after releasing it from the back of the pilot. Then take a very thin diamond cutting instrument and gradually widen the opening in the front pilot where the dummy pilot was placed. You want to make the opening in the front pilot to look like a thin rectangle. Use the MT Z scale coupler box as a guide. You will be cutting away some of the detailing on the pilot as you shape the space for the coupler box. You want to taper the opening so you can slip in the MT #905 coupler from the front of the pilot. You must taper the new coupler box opening so it is slightly wider in the front pilot area so the preformed #905 coupler easily slips into the opening. Then check the coupler height with a gauge or with another car and if correct glue glue the MT Z scale #905 coupler in place. in place. I done this installation on most of my older Spectrum2-8-0's, the new Spectrum 2-8-0, the Spectrum Light Mountains and Spectrum Articulated Mallets ( See Photo  # 4 ). The MT Z scale # 905 coupler on the frontr pilot of the locomotive looks more prototypically correct than the large factory installed coupler on the right ( See Photo  # 4 ).

             Photo  # 4 MT Z Scale # 905 Coupler Installed On Front Pilot On The Left And Factory Installed Coupler Installed On The Front Pilot On The Right