Coupler replacement - sacrilege?

The problem is to install knuckle couplers on most tinplate you will have to change to postwar trucks, and/or butcher the frame to fit a new truck or clearance for the knuckle head.

Ah.  Are there tinplate cars with the proper trucks/coupler already?  Are the older couplers I see on them workable for operations?  I have not seen one in person so I do not know how they work.

A Chuck wrote, it is usually necessary to modify the car's frame to fit postwar (or modern) trucks in order to switch to knuckle couplers.
You asked whether doing this would affect the value of the cars. Short answer is yes, making the change would destroy the value.
Should you do the conversion?  ..... They are your trains, do as you wish. They are not priceless works of art. They are mass produced toys.

You would be best off to keep the tinplate couplers as is and use the purpose built TT-100 or TS-162 adapters:

Maybe just do one side of a old Prewar tinplate car (one that was repainted and lost its value) with a knuckle so that you it as a transition car. Do not know what you have on tinplate or if you want to use a modern or Postwar engine with old cars.

there are some Postwar Lionels that were Prewar carryovers. The 2560 crane,3559 Dump, the 1600 series passenger cars. Go to some shows, search out junkers, and make your own tinplate...it's a lot of fun bring back left for dead trains.

Thx guys.  I am just investigating and asking questions right now.  The adapters are probably the way to go.  I assume they are still available?

Looks like Jeff Cane can supply you with some: Just navigate to Lionel Alpha Parts and then scroll down to TT-100 ot TS-162.

http://www.ttender.com/partslist.html

I put an American Flyer standard gauge coupler on my 390e tender to pull AF cars. It was not easy, but it did work. I bought an after market coupler and cut/machined the end that attaches to the frame. I also had to drill out the mounting hole.  The machining was required, because Lionel used a triangular coupler pocket that only fit the Lionel couplers that had a smaller diameter end. Matching the coupler is only part of the problem. Coupler height is an issue and is related to the frame and truck height. 

My point is that conversions are a custom job and will require some engineering in each case. Best bet is to learn how each coupler is mounted, find spare parts, design your conversion and also make sure you can return the piece to the original operating condition when you are through (in case you change your mind or want to sell a piece).

To your question about operations, the Lionel O gauge tinplate, box couplers work very well on an operating layout and will even work with automatic uncoupling tracks.

George

BMoran and George,

Thx!  Both of you have been helpful.

Helmut, Good advice you have received from transition cars, adaptors and converting, etc.

I also like Dave's/Steamer's advice to go to some shows. Prewar cars are fairly affordable nowadays. You can gradually pick up a few here and there...maybe some with prewar couplers and maybe some postwar. You can operate one train using prewar and have another postwar or have multiple variations. Additionally, if you find a prewar car with a postwar coupler (that someone else already did the work on), you should get a better price, since it has the wrong coupler.

 Tom

I have changed over a couple of pre war couplers to post war. I changed out the wheelsets of the pre war car and added post war coupler assembly. It's not that easy to change over a pre war car to post war or knuckle couplers.

Another thing you could do is to get a pre war tender and use it with a modern steam engine and not have to change anything over. Go to a train show, you usually find a beat up tender for very little money.

Lee Fritz

I swapped Marx couplers onto my 1689E tender to run Marx Passenger cars.

Thank you guys.

Does this clip-on adapter:

work with prewar trucks? I seem to remember it being described as a method of adapting prewar rolling stock to postwar. (or maybe it was just for postwar trucks lacking couplers, which was the purpose I bought it for (work caboose))

0480-025, $7.50 at www.traindoctor.com

---PCJ

no, the axles are farther apart on Postwar, so it will be too long for Prewar.