Atlas/BLMA RTTX Hitches

[ljudice]

I just picked up some Atlas/BLMA 89' RTTX  (Twin45/Triple 28) flats and...

What is the story with the fixed (end) hitches?   They do not accept much more of a pinhead, and Atlas, MTL, Athearn trailes don't connect.

Why did Atlas continue this stupid design - incompatible with their 89' flats???

Any solution?  Drilling it out is not going to work.  Modifying the trailers makes them incompatible with other flatcars.

I get it - these are prototypical, but as an Atlas product now it should work with their trailers!

See photo:

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[jagged ben]

I just picked up some Atlas/BLMA 89' RTTX  (Twin45/Triple 28) flats and...

What is the story with the fixed (end) hitches?   They do not accept much more of a pinhead, and Atlas, MTL, Athearn trailes don't connect.

Why did Atlas continue this stupid design - incompatible with their 89' flats???

Because they would have had to tool a new part otherwise.  Obviously.

Craig from BLMA, when he first released these, expounded on one or another forum that it was just time for more prototypical trailer kingpins.

Any solution?  Drilling it out is not going to work.

Why won't drilling it out work?

Modifying the trailers makes them incompatible with other flatcars.

Not really.  I've modified a few trailers to work with these hitches.  I cut off the pin and replaced with (if I recall correctly) some 020" steel guitar string. 
Now, to use them with other large hole hitches, I just put a little dab of tacky putty over the new pin. 

Frankly, I'm of a mind to modify more hitches over time to be more like these.  MLE hitches have an option for one or the other (as do the BLMA spine cars).   Just not enough time.

[nkalanaga]

I also use smaller kingpins, although mine are 1/32 inch, as that was the smallest brass wire I could easily get in the mid 70s.  My complaint is the large pins, and holes, that have become standard in N.  When I started there WAS no standard, so I made my own...

Fortunately, changing kingpins is probably the easiest kitbashing job one can find.  Shave the old pin off, drill a hole, stick the new one in.  I usually don't bother cutting it to length, or gluing it in.  Drill the hole for a tight fit, file a point on the end of the wire, and shove it in until it reaches the roof.  Cut the end off and file it smooth.  Maybe a couple minutes at the most.

My solution is to plug the holes in the hitches with plastic rod, then drill a new hole.

[Wutter]

I cut off all the fat and thick kingpins off my trailers and put in a small L shaped .012 stainless steel wire L to replace it. These fit nicely in the BLMA hitches by just drilling through the hitch with a #80 bit.

[Atlanticflier]

Does anyone know what the measurement is of the BLMA hitch opening? Are there trailers presently on the market that have a PIN that fits them?

Possible that Atlas could change the trailer kingpins on future runs ….



Atlantic Flier

[ljudice]

I think my approach is a compromise - bore the hole out slightly and just replace the pins on the trailers.

Just seems like a lot of effort for something that never bothered me!

[craigolio1]

If you do replace the kingpin with a bit of wire, save the old kingpin you removed, drill out its centre and slip it on the wire king pin for those times when you need it to fit other applications. I don't use those cars or trailers but if I did I would certainly preffer the look of the prototypical hitch when the car it unloaded.  Drilling it out is a step backwards as far as I see it. Better to modify the trailers since you won't see it.

Craig

[bman]

I got my flats when BLMA announced them. The flat came with 4 fifth wheel hitches.  1 in the collapsed position, 2 in the raised position with the prototypical size fifth wheel opening, and one in the raised position with the hole large slightly larger but still not big enough to fit the "standard" Atlas, Athearn, etc trailer king pin. They do however fit the trailers I bashed out of the kits from S and R models and Deluxe Innovations chassis and trailers.
Did Atlas do the same? My plan is, or was, to take a group of trailers and shave off the molded "king pin" and replace it with a piece of piano wire. I've just not gotten around to it yet since I packed them away shortly after getting them due to a change in my modeling interests.
As to why Atlas didn't change them. No clue. Like it was mentioned probably due to tooling costs though. Will Atlas change their trailers? Probably not due to the same reason.  At least for now. 

[jagged ben]

If you do replace the kingpin with a bit of wire, save the old kingpin you removed, drill out its centre and slip it on the wire king pin for those times when you need it to fit other applications. I don't use those cars or trailers but if I did I would certainly preffer the look of the prototypical hitch when the car it unloaded.  Drilling it out is a step backwards as far as I see it. Better to modify the trailers since you won't see it.

Craig

Great post.  Exactly my thinking on modifying the trailers instead of the hitches.

[davefoxx]

I cut the kingpins off of each of my N Scale trailers and replaced them with an 00-90 screw, which I would imagine like most of you, I had a bunch lying around from coupler conversions.  If you drill, tap, and install the screw from above (hidden inside closed trailers), you don’t even have to cut it off.  Just thread it down as far as you please and voila!

Hope this helps,
DFF

[nkalanaga]

Bman:  I'd suggest using brass wire rather than piano wire.  There's no stress on the kingpin, it doesn't stick out far enough to risk being bent, and brass is MUCH easier to work with.

[bman]

Bman:  I'd suggest using brass wire rather than piano wire.  There's no stress on the kingpin, it doesn't stick out far enough to risk being bent, and brass is MUCH easier to work with.

I agree. But I've a supply of fine gauge of this stuff from using it with my table top gaming mini's.  And I'm stubborn too. I use it mainly to pin the figures together if I'm bashing parts from different makers and figures together.  I'll probably regret the decision after getting my finger stuck handling trailers a few times though.  I totally see this happening. 

[nkalanaga]

If you have the piano wire, and are comfortable working with it, by all means use it.  No point buying new wire when you have plenty.  In your situation, I'd probably do the same thing.

[JaxTerminal]

Does anyone know what the measurement is of the BLMA hitch opening?
Atlantic Flier

What is the size of the BLMA hitch 'hole' - anyone know ?

[nkalanaga]

One thought after re-reading this topic:  If you're going to drill the large kingpin to fit over the new, smaller, one, drill it BEFORE cutting it from the trailer.  It's a lot easier to hold a trailer than a tiny piece of plastic, and you're less likely to drill your finger by mistake.