Author Topic: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?  (Read 1189 times)

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Freight Train

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Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« on: August 30, 2024, 10:20:39 AM »
0
Are the Greenmax N scale dummy couplers a suitable replacement for the old Red Caboose/Intermountain Unimate dummy couplers and are they compatible with Microtrains & other brands ? I've used the Unimates  on the older style of Concor, Arnold & Minitrix/Model Power passenger cars swapping out the Rapidos couplers with them. But the Unimates are getting hard to find and it doesn't look as to Intermountain doing any runs of these anytime soon ?
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MK

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2024, 10:31:44 AM »
+2
They are under the Fox Valley name now (which is bought by Scale Trains, I think).  They seem to be readily available.  Maybe you were searching under the IM name?

https://shopfvm.com/products/n-static-coupler-short-shank

Freight Train

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2024, 05:31:12 PM »
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Thanks MK,  I had checked IIM site and it said to check with dealers and none of the dealers I found had anything. under that name ? I will check with Scaletrains though .
                                                  Rick
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Ike the BN Freak

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2024, 12:37:25 AM »
+1
They are under the Scale America line now. ST only got the original FVM tooling, the lines Matt acquired from Deluxe, Red Caboose, etc are now under Scale America

Mark5

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2024, 06:41:51 PM »
+1
Des Plaines has the FVM unimates in stock:

https://www.desplaineshobbies.com/store/search/brand/Fox-Valley-Models/page2.html

Part nos. FVM 51000, FVM 51010, FVM 51020, FVM 51060


Freight Train

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2024, 10:02:56 PM »
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Mark5,
       Thanks for the link !
« Last Edit: September 01, 2024, 04:36:57 AM by Freight Train »
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peteski

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #6 on: September 01, 2024, 01:59:39 PM »
+2
You can get the old Red Caboose Unimate couplers directly from FVM.  I ordered bunch of them few months ago.

Here is a link which will get you right to the couplers:
https://shopfvm.com/search?q=coupler

I found the Japanese dummy couplers very hard to couple together. Unimates work much better (IMO).
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Freight Train

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #7 on: September 01, 2024, 05:00:26 PM »
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Thanks Peteski,
    I did email Scaletrains and was told that even though they acquired FVM they had no plans to re-issue any of the FVM  dummy couplers. Hopefully between DePlaines Hobbies & Scale America theirs ample supply to last a while.
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peteski

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2024, 07:19:59 PM »
+1
Thanks Peteski,
    I did email Scaletrains and was told that even though they acquired FVM they had no plans to re-issue any of the FVM  dummy couplers. Hopefully between DePlaines Hobbies & Scale America theirs ample supply to last a while.

These Unimate couplers are rather inexpensive (as far as model RR items go).  Good time to stock up while the are still available.  That's what I did.  I have been caught by waiting too long for some items (becuase they seem to always be available), just to lear that they have been discontinued.
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Tad_T

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2024, 11:40:37 PM »
+1
So which of these should a fellow us on Con-Cor passenger cars?

Thanks,
Tad
Tad

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peteski

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2024, 04:25:59 PM »
+2
The Japanese and Unimate couplers are the T-shank type, so theoretically they all could be used to replace Rapido couplers in the Con-Cor trucks.  I mentioned "theoretically" because I have not actually done that conversion.

But as I mentioned earlier, in my experience the Unimates couple easier than other dummy couplers (but you still have to jam them together).

You could also retrofit genuine MTL couplers as there is a T-shank version available in multiple lengths.  I also seem to recall that the more recent Con-Cor cars were equipped with knuckle couplers.
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Albert in N

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2024, 05:10:48 PM »
+1
Pete is correct:



Sokramiketes

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #12 on: September 02, 2024, 06:40:28 PM »
+1
Des Plaines has the FVM unimates in stock:

https://www.desplaineshobbies.com/store/search/brand/Fox-Valley-Models/page2.html

Part nos. FVM 51000, FVM 51010, FVM 51020, FVM 51060

25% off today, Labor Day, only.  So stock up at that link!

nkalanaga

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #13 on: September 03, 2024, 12:27:15 AM »
+1
Unimates can be "jammed" together, but  they're much easier to couple of one lifts one car and slides the coupler together vertically.
N Kalanaga
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Freight Train

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Re: Greenmax N scale Dummy Couplers ?
« Reply #14 on: September 03, 2024, 03:23:23 AM »
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So which of these should a fellow us on Con-Cor passenger cars?

Thanks,
Tad
Tad, I have only the short & long FMV dummy couplers and measured them out in millimeters. I measured them from the back of the "T" shank to the head of the coupler. The short are 6 mm's & the long 8 mm's. I'm taking a calculated guess that the medium shanks ones are probably 7 mm's ? Depending on which model Concor  cars you have I would measure from the back inside of the coupler box were the T Shank would rest to the end of the vestibule and pick the coupler which would fit best.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2024, 05:31:32 PM by Freight Train »
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