I've two Bachmann "Warships" amongst my loco collection, one was DCC ready, the other non-DCC, both now DCC fitted, and I'm slowly working my way through fitting Kadee couplings to loco's and rolling stock. Having looked at the "Warships", it looks as though I will have to strip both loco's completely as there doesn't seem to be any other way of removing the existing couplings or replacing with Kadee's, unless perhaps anyone knows different. The prospect of a complete teardown to bare chassis to enable me to get the bogies out so that I can get to the screw securing the coupling fills me with dread, so am I missing something, or is there an easier way, and does anyone know which Kadee is best for these loco's?
                      Keith.

The Bachmann "Warship" class 42 locos are a bit of a pain to get the couplers off.  They are screwed in rather than plugged and with the screw head up beneath the bodywork.

It can be accessed by removing the body (two screws) then unscrewing the bogie pivot mounts (one screw apiece) which will allow you to drop out the bogie, unscrew and replace the coupler.

Take care when reassembling that the drive shaft is correctly seated at both ends when you refit the bogie pivot mounts.

My Warships were easy - removed bogie sideframes which includes the screwed on tension lock so unscrewed the old couplings & with a hole drill through the shank of Kadee #20, re-screwed the Kadee in place of the tension lock coupling.

See Post #10 onwards http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=2297&forum_id=16&jump_to=28717#p28717

That's exactly the problem with my 2 loco's, the existing coupling is screwed in from above! I've gone as far as removing the pivot mounts, but still can't get the bogie out, so maybe there have been some production modifications.  I'll have a look at Sol's pointer about the bogie sideframes, which would make things pretty easy if they do indeed still clip off on my versions. Thanks for your help guys.
                                                                                   Keith.

Hi Keith,

I'm going by memory here as it's a couple of years since I did this. The bogie cover pulls off, it has lugs at either end, you may need a screwdriver at the rear to lever it off using the fuel tank as the fulcrum. Then you can get at that screw. Then you have 2 choices. Screw the new KD on as descibed by Sol, or cut that tab off, file the bogie chassis back a bit at the front and corners, and fit a KD gear box to the under-body. This involves some butchery to the front of the body shell, as well as trimming the back and corners off the gear box, but it looks much better going around corners. Use a medium or long shaft KD. Cut the magnetic pin off unless you are into magnetic uncoupling. Again from memory I think I used a KD 14x series with metal whiskers rather than mess around with that copper spring box, which is not amenable to being shortened. Glue and screw using a small self-tapping screw. A KD 3x series is the "shorty"model, fiddly to put together and it only comes with a plastic knuckle. If you mess up the bogie cover or the wheel wipers replacements should be available from Bachmann. The bogies are unchanged from the old Mainline model (as is the body).

Nigel

There's a lot to be said for being LMS/LNER ……………………:roll::roll: