There are screw mounts on some/most newer MTH shells that MTH uses to mount their fixed pilots to. I believe you're showing that your fixed pilots must be glued in place? That may provide for a superior finish once attached. I also get the fact that your design frees the pilots of load stresses.
It seems to look good in concept so I can only wait and see how it looks once finished. I do like the idea. So we would have to drill the metal frame to accept the coupler mounts on these? I usually have to cut off the backs of KD coupler boxes to clear the MTH truck tabs. So I usually mount the coupler with the 2 screw holes towards the sides of the KDs.
I hope you can apply the same to the EMD versions which seems to lack a bit on the stock MTH ones. I feel they did their best job on these modern GE versions. The GE AC6000 I got long ago wasn't available with fixed pilots like this was though. I wonder if these would align?
