What Micro Trains coupler for Kato NW2?

[Bart1701]

For the Kato NW2, Micro Trains recommends their 2001 or 2004 couplers. These are Underslung couplers. I installed a set of these on one of my NW2's, but the coupler rides a lot higher than any rolling stock that it couples to. This, of course, causes uncoupling to occur quite often whenever there is a bump in the track.

IS there a better coupler (meaning not underslung) than could easily be used in the NW2? Or is there some easy solution to getting the underslung couplers to work?

Thanks,
Bart

[Southern1970]

Hi Bart, you could try to use 1015 couplers but you would need the use a screw to keep the coupler in place as the 1015 coupler box is too high for the Kato clip, or if the micro-trains 2004 couplers you have are the ones you need to  assemble yourself, you could also pull it apart and use the parts from a pair of 1015 couplers in the 2004 draft coupler boxes.  That way you could use the Kato coupler retaining clip.
Cheers

[nickelplate759]

I thought the 2004 was underslung and the 2001 was not.
(Edit..oops, I was wrong)

[Bart1701]

From the pictures of these product packages I have seen on the internet, the 2001 and 2004 are both underslung. The 2001 includes long and short shanks, while the 2004 is only short.

Bart

[Chris333]

I know a 2004 will fit into a 1015 box.

[bigdawgks]

It works the other way around too, if you want the 1015 couplers in the slimmer box.

[peteski]

Bart,
Download and open https://www.micro-trains.com/publicfiles/mtl_couplerdiagrams.pdf . It shows drawings of all the N scale couplers.  Both 2001 and 2004 are underslung.

Looking at that document, like others have mentioned, 1015 coupler is not underslung, and it sits in a coupler box similar to the 2004.  So either use the 1015, or just the coupler parts from the 1015 in the 2004 box.

[Caddy58]

Or you could use a Z-Scale 903
It will drop in with no modifications.

Cheers
Dirk

[peteski]

Or you could use a Z-Scale 903
It will drop in with no modifications.

Cheers
Dirk

If 903 will work, wouldn't  1023/1025 also work then?

[Bart1701]

Thanks everyone!

I looked through my box of Micro Trains couplers and found a pair of 1016 couplers (the medium shank version of the 1015) and they worked great!

Bart

[nkalanaga]

The 903 and the 1025 are not interchangeable.  The 1025 box is thicker and longer, and the mounting hole is further back.  They are the same width, though.

The 1025 box will mount wherever a 1015 will, using the same hole, if there's enough room for the length.  The 1015 box is shorter, but thicker.

The 1015 was originally designed for diesel body mounting.  I'd love to see a version in a thinner box, like the 1025 box.  With the 1015 being a shorter coupler, that would be ideal for freight cars.

[peteski]

My point was that both 903 and 1023/25 boxes are smaller than 1015/2001 boxes. If 903 would work, why not 1023/1025?   I suspect both would leave a gap around the box in the pilot.

[Albert in N]

  From my perspective, I have found that Kato locomotives are super, but their couplers do not play well with others regarding automatic coupling and uncoupling.  Thus, Micro-Trains Line offers good alternatives.  Yes, MTL couplers are sometimes difficult to install and adjust the heights. In the Railwire "Product Discussion" on January 22, 2022, I posted "Kato SD70M N scale couplers?" venting my frustrations about 2004-1 couplers riding a little too high.  This thread on Kato NW2 switchers caught my eye.  Basically it is not an exact science.  I took the following photos showing height matching.  The black Burlington NW2 has screwed on MTL 1015-1 couplers while the green BN NW2 has Kato clipped 2004-1s.  The red Burlington two-bay hopper is a stock MTL and the green Burlington passenger car is stock MTL with Z-scale MTL 905 couplers pinned on with the original MTL body pin.  The silver Kato Burlington E-9 has the original Kato couplers.     One option would be to leave the original Kato couplers and use a conversion car with Kato coupler trucks on one end and MTL magnetic couplers on the other end.  Remember the old conversion cars with Arnold Rapido N couplers on one end and knuckle couplers on the other end to match our locomotives to the railroad cars?

[nkalanaga]

Peteski: Yes, in a pilot, either the 903 or the 1025 will leave a gap.  The only difference there is the location of the mounting hole.  Using the existing mounting hole or pin, the 903 may not extend far enough.  But they will both go in the pilot.

[peteski]

Peteski: Yes, in a pilot, either the 903 or the 1025 will leave a gap.  The only difference there is the location of the mounting hole.  Using the existing mounting hole or pin, the 903 may not extend far enough.  But they will both go in the pilot.

Daddy58 stated "Or you could use a Z-Scale 903 It will drop in with no modifications." That's why I asked the 1023/1025 question.  Seems like some modification would be required when installing the 903?