Replacement trucks

[TrainNut]

Hey all,
I would like to convert a lot of my rapido trucks to better rolling kadee's. Thing is, it seems to be expensive if I buy them one package at a time (Micro-Trains Bettendorf trucks - $4.55 a pair). Can someone, either, point me in the direction of a past thread covering this topic, OR, suggest some cheaper alternatives please? Thanks.

 

[brakie]

I buy my MT trucks/coupler by the bulk pack at discount from either modeltrainstuff.com or buynscale.com

However,I have several Atlas engines and cars that have AccuMate couplers and these couplers seem to work quite well on my industrial switching layout and they are about $2.00 cheaper then the MTs.

 

[Will_annand]

Larry, at our club, we find the MTs to be stronger than the Atlas couplers.
That is to say you can pull longer trains using MTs. we have to put the Atlas equipped cars near the end of the train.

 

[brakie]

Hi Will!
Ok..How many cars is a long train on your club's layout? The reason I am asking is because the Atlas coupler may be ok to use on a small home layout where 15-20 cars are the normal train lenght...
I guess what I am trying to get at are these Accumates workable on a small home layout? This has never been discuss in length on any forum I am on and feel its well worth a discussion since several manufacturers are turning to Accumate..

 

[Will_annand]

When we are at shows, we try for 8' long trains.
So that would be 2 locomotives and bout 25 cars.
If the Atlas couplers are in the first half of the train, we invariably have uncoupling.
We are in the process of switching all to MTs. When an Atlas fails, we mark the car for refit.

 

[brakie]

Hi Will!
Well then it would be best to just replace the truck/coupler with MTs and do away with the Accumates all together..Like I said on my industrial switching layout they seem to work ok as far as shoving or pulling a cut of 7-10 cars.

 

[dwight77]

Has anyone tried the Intermountain replacement trucks and couplers?
Dwght77