This is one of the wagons I purchased from KMRC recently - photo from that website (because I forgot to take one before I modified it)



 

I got to & modified it for my D&S railway & this is it




Bit of weathering & it will be on the tracks soon.  The other wagon has also been modified & they will join a train of other mineral wagons carting gravel.

The poor thing will need counselling.  :shock:

Ron

Are you having a mineral dropper in you new two level centre terminus extension?

Brian

No, the trains go off to storage sidings. They come back later empty.

Are they reasonable things to build Ron ?  They're the old Airfix kits aren't they ?

Looks pretty good after the D & S treatment. :cheers

Very easy Peter, straight from the Dapol Box. Code B712A - RTR.
The hardest part was getting the Kadee onto it. Plugging a Kadee NEM type coupler was too low & too long especially after de-buffering so I had to instal a Kadee 30 series box & a Underset Shank coupler & I even had to cut away some of the plastic underneath to fit the smaller coupler box.
This version of coupler  http://kadee.com/htmbord/page37.htm with the box on top of the shank.

Photographic illustrations of the Kadee fitting available perchance quest:quest: 
 Dapol is the one type of wagon that is stumping me at the moment. I've read elsewhere that some hacking about is required, but not seen any sort of instructions.

Do you hold a range of Kadee stuff ,just in case Ron .Or do you go out to purchase to suit the individual pieces of stock?

[user=31]sparky[/user] wrote:

Do you hold a range of Kadee stuff ,just in case Ron .Or do you go out to purchase to suit the individual pieces of stock?

Sol will reply when he's able, no doubt, Reg. For my part, I have some of the most useful bits in stock ready, especially the 3 sizes that plug into the NEM fittings now quite common on British stock.

[user=3]Gwent Rail[/user] wrote:

…………………………………………………especially the 3 sizes that plug into the NEM fittings now quite common on British stock.

Would you care to share those sizes with me Jeff ?

I've always liked the Kadee coupling system but have never got around to changing anything - maybe now's the time ………..:roll:

I do have a variety of couplers & boxes & in this cae, I am getting sopme new Series 30 boxes - the later version which are click together types. http://kadee.com/htmbord/page252.htm
For the Kadee NEM sizes, refer to http://kadee.com/htmbord/page17.htm for the short version, ;next size #18  is http://kadee.com/htmbord/page18.htm
just change the page number to 19 & 20 for the other two sizes   & to make it easy, I will scan that page from the catalogue a bit later when I get some photos of what I cut away underneath to fit the box.

OK, firstly Kadee couplers - NEM plug in types.




 

Now the wagon showing the existing sprung NEM mounting & tension lock - normally screwedd in but I turfed the screw & had to hunt through my rubbish to find the two parts again.




now with the tension lock unit removed to show the method of springing




Now cutting away some of the plastic to allow the box to fit. Even if one left the buffers on, a standard box will not fit without more cutting back. A hole is drilled to take a small screw - self tapping or the Kadee version Part256  which is a 2-56 x 1/2"




Now with the coupler fitted - if still using buffers, then a longer shanked coupler will be required.

Note that the coupler is not centred as I am using for the photo example, a Whiskered coupler which does not fit  into this Series box properly so I am getting the Series 252 boxes via mail this week.




Earlier DAPOL wagons with the larger T/L clipped in requires a complete removal of plastic supports & the glueing on of some styrene to give a base for the Kadee box to be anchored. There are two different earlier versions that I am aware of & both require slightly different actions.


 

Very comprehensive and informative coverage Ron - many thanks.:thumbs

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

Very comprehensive and informative coverage Ron - many thanks.:thumbs

The account is in the mail

I find fitting Kadees a challenge on some & very easy on others.

Locos - Steam - Tank are the worst for older pre-NEM pocket versions

It's the "earlier DAPOL wagons with the larger T/L clipped in" ones that are bothering me, Sol. Now that I'ts been confirmed that a bit of "body hacking" is required, I'll see what I can do.

Two ways I have modified earlier versions. Once the T/L brackets removed, either

 fill the hole with styrene




and the base height is ideal for a standard box & #5 coupler



Now if you want to use an Underset shank coupler like #47



bit too close but I think you get the idea - in this case, using some bread bag  clip made out of styrene , a base is made

Just to refresh some memories - look in our Index Under K for Kadee
This is one such link

Ron, I was told Kadees aren't the best for my layout as I have a few dips and hills?.. what's your set up like? is it flat?

Warren, mine is flat for 90+% but I have had them running on earlier layouts with many ups & downs. Dips & bumps are no good for any brand of rolling stock especially long wheel based with couplers fitted to the body. Any change of gradient should be smooth & track joins also smooth.

A good test of trackwork & rolling stock is to propel a long train backwards through all types of trackwork at some speed without derailing. This ensures rolling stock is weighted correctly, has back-to-backs set all to the same standard & that track work is smooth at all joins.
I have found with this process of testing, that Conflat wagons are the worst as it is hard to add sufficient weight to them empty.

Even if you do not use Kadee, it has been found that mixing the varieties of tension lock couplings creates problems.

I agree with Sol here, Warren.
My last layout had two levels (one over the other) which climbed in a 1:39 gradient. I never had any problems with Kadee where the transition from flat to climb was smooth or where the climb was even. I did have one spot where the wagons were uncoupling constantly though - careful examination revealed a depressed section (dip) in the climb about 3" long. I packed some spacers under the diepression to even things out and had no more trouble. The key to reliable working is to get the height exactly right, exact across all the couplings used and without any up and down flop. A Kadee height gauge is vital for this.