[JackA]

I have a Mehano locomotive that has a different coupling from the one the cars I already have and was wondering if someone could help me with a mod or recommendation to correct this problem. See the attached photos. I would prefer to go from the ones in image 1220 and 1221 to the type shown in photo 1222. Either way would be okay though. I'm trying to get this set up for Christmas so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

Jack

 

[LateStarter]

You don't say what type of loco it is, which would help us out with recommendations, and the photos don't provide much of a clue.
But here's a link to Kadee conversions for Mehano.

https://www.kadee.com/hocc_ihc.htm

 

[CTValleyRR]

Jack,

This isn't really a problem: model railroaders change out couplers all the time.

That said, there are too many shadows in your pictures to be able to be sure of what you have. Also, we can't see the picture numbers.

The coupler in the first photo looks like a standard "hook horn" coupler; an older style that is generally out of favor with model railroaders for its poor performance, high failure rate, and unrealistic appearance. The bottom two I don't recognize; maybe a European style hook and loop variety.

I would take LateStarter's advice and convert the offending coupler to a Kadee. These are the standard HO scale coupler used in the US. There are also cheap plastic imitations which lok and work similarly, but don't hold up as well. If you're going to change it, go with a Kadee.

This brings up the question of the OTHER cars in your train. Do they have hook horn couplers as well? If so, your best option would be to change them all out. If you don't want to get into that, just change out one other coupler so that it will mate with the loco on one end and the other cars on the other. This "transition car" will have a Kadee knuckle coupler at one end and a hook horn at the other.

 

[MichaelE]

The coupler in your last two photos is a Roco Austrian design coupler still in widespread use. They are good couplers, but they are different than close-couplers used on passenger carriages.

They work well for freight lorries and they are normally included with many European brands, while the passenger wagons usually come with the close-couplers.

 

[JackA]

Thank you guys for replying to my post. Please excuse my ignorance. I know very little about these. I have attached, I hope, better pictures of the Locomotive and Coupling information. I did look at the Kedee brand however the hole on the attachment end of the couplers, I have, are a different size and I didn't think that would work.

 

[holava]

I would just glue a tiny nail upside down to the existing American hook horn coupler so that you are able to connect to the European style loop coupler. I've done this many times and it works flawlessly when I don't feel like buying couplers. Also, on many occasions I've made my own really homemade "couplers", I mean anything that does connect two cars or a loco and a car. Not very "prototypical", though, lol, but does the job right without spending a dime, and then out of the blue, after I sell more of my ebooks, I splurge a few hundred dollars on a dozen of locomotives just like that. Try it, all you need is some plastic cement and a tiny nail, and the problem solved !

 

[CTValleyRR]

The Kadee is not a drop-in replacement. You replace the whole coupler box.