Mounting Trailers on N Scale 89' Flatcars

[davefoxx]

Guys,

I just purchased several Athearn 40' trailers and would like to run them on my 89' BLMA flatcars.  But, the kingpins on the trailers are too big to fit into the hitches on the BLMA cars.  I also have two Atlas 45' trailers that have the same problem.

Should I cut off and replace the kingpins?  That, of course, would make the trailers incompatible with my Atlas flats.  Or, should I somehow drill out the hitch on the BLMA flats.  What have y'all done to run these cars as loaded?

Thanks,
DFF

[jereising]

I cut them off the trailers and drilled for an .030 rod, glued it in place, no problems.

[jagged ben]

I used some stainless guitar string, and a drill size just smaller enough I could press fit the guitar string instead of gluing.  Basically the same as Jim; the guitar string is nice and strong though.

If you need to put them back on your Atlas or Micro-trains cars, get some Tacky Putty from the hardware store, and stick a tiny ball of it over your new .030" kingpin.   The putty will fit into the Atlas or Micro-Trains hitch, and the new king pin will keep the trailer in place.

[Wutter]

^All of these already sound like great ideas

What I do is cut off the plastic pin, drill a #80 hole and glue in a portion of 0.012 stainless steel wire into the center of where the kingpin was. IIRC, I think the 0.012 wire actually fits into the BLMA hitches without any modification on that side. Although I haven't tried it, the Tacky Putty sounds great for putting it back into bigger hitches.

[jagged ben]

I don't remember what size guitar string I used.  It might have been .020".  Whichever one it was, it was the largest one that fit the BLMA and MLE hitches when I test fit them.

[nkalanaga]

I also use 1/32 brass rod, and have since the early 70s, when I had to build my own trailers.  Most flats today use the ~1/16 inch pins, so I plug the holes in the hitches with styrene rod, then drill them a little over 1/32.  Note that this also requires modifying most tractors if you swap your trailers.

0.020 rod would probably be closer to scale, and is readily available, if you're just starting to modify your trailers.  I'd use it if I didn't already have way too many with the larger pins.

[prbharris]

...the kingpins on the trailers are too big to fit into the hitches on the BLMA cars.  I also have two Atlas 45' trailers that have the same problem....DFF

Thinking about this it would be helpful to have a directory of the various trailer kingpin sizes, so that I could make sure that any modifications to our hitches on the 89' cars, the F39 [and any subsequent intermodal flatcars - there will be announcements later!] will fit. I have a number of trailers around for test fitting but this is by no means comprehensive. I cannot see any  'standard' as indicated by the thread above, but guidance on what hitch size would be very helpful.

Peter

Peter Harris
N Scale Kitts
www.nscalekits.com

[milw156]

I've always used the screws that come with Micro trains couplers, cut off stock pin, drill and tap hole and install from inside with a dab of glue. Use a little dab of clear latex caulk on the hitch and the tires, you can pick the car up by the trailers, and still change then up if you want.
Rick

[davefoxx]

So, it's unanimous, cut off the kingpins.  This was my thought originally, because it's easier to modify the trailers than the fragile hitches.  My hesitation was that I'll have different size hitches (BLMA versus Atlas).  But, I can leave the trailers alone that go on the Atlas cars, and, "voila!", problem solved.  I'll have to scrounge around to see what size wire or rod I have.  I have to admit that MT 00-90 screw idea is tempting, because I already have the drill and tap kit.

Haha!  I just came back to the computer and realized that I never hit the "post" button.  In the twenty or thirty minutes since I typed the previous paragraph, I replaced the kingpins on all eight trailers I own so far, and . . . success!

I had a bunch of 00-90 screws, so I tried that.  I haven't cut the screws off for length yet, because I want to figure out an appropriate length first.

This, of course, leads to my next problem: I need more trailers.   

Thank you so much, guys!
DFF

[Ike the BN Freak]

I just cut the kingpins off and glued the trailers to the flats, no plans of ever swapping out trailers in the future.

[cfritschle]

The Atlas track nails that I use for kingpins are the same (or very close) diameter as of the 00-90 screws.  So, the same drill bit works, and they are a lot cheaper!

Carter

P.S.  Peter, some time ago I complied a list of kingpin sizes for the N Scale Vehicle Association.  When I figure out what folder it is in, I will send it to you.

Edit:  I thought I had some photos of the process posted somewhere, but this is all that I have been able to find online.  http://nscalevehicles.org/tips_n_tricks/concor_28ft_pup.php 

[nkalanaga]

All of these replacement methods are quick and easy.  Cut the kingpin off, drill a hole, put the new one in.  On my case I run the rod all the way up to the trailer roof, and drill the hole one drill size too small, so nothing  has to be glued.  Just cut the rod the right length, file the end smooth, and stick it in the hole. 

Using headless screws, one has to tap the hole, but the length is easy to adjust, so it comes out about even.

The hardest ones I did were my two old Arnold "trailers", actually containers on chassis.  These date from the late 60s, and had a pin on the tractor and hole in the trailer.  That took some filling and gluing.