# HowIdunnit: Bachmann 0-6-0 coupler conversion Waring: LOTS of pics



## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Bachmann makes several different 0-6-0 models. (The 0-6-0 tank engine is not included in this discussion, only the tender models.)They make two in Greyhound scheme and two in regular black paint scheme. Of these, one model of each is DCC and one is straight DC. But they all have one annoying feature in common: They ALL have a plastic molded on dummy coupler at the front of the engine! And this on a switch engine! I don't know who the brain dead genius that came up with THAT idea was, but he ought to be thumped!
A switch engine that can't couple on to both ends is pretty useless, even more so than the House and Senate, and that's getting pretty bad. But there is hope on the horizon! It is possible to install a working coupler on the front of these engines, and I'sa gonna learn ya how!
What you will need for this project is:
A Bacmann 0-6-0 tender equipped steam engine (obviously.)
A Kadee #44 short UNDERSET coupler and gear box. A medium may be used if preferred, but I haven't had any problems with a short. (Note: whisker style couplers won't work for this, the gear box is too wide.)
2 #2-56 Phillips head (or button head) screws, ¼” long.
1 #2 sheet metal screw (Phillips or button head) ¾” long.
Plastic model cement, tube or liquid your choice.
1 .060” X .250” styrene strip
1 .030” X .250” styrene strip
Flat black model paint, paintbrush, and thinner (if oil based.)
A Dremel or other similar moto tool (or lots and lots of patience with an X-acto knife!!!)
A drill press (preferably) and a #50 .070”
A #2 or similar X-acto knife.

Here is the Bachmann 0-6-0 as it will appear fresh from the box:

























The first thing to do is to remove the three screws in the bottom of the loco. Keep these in order as they are different lengths. I usually stick them into the side of the foam insert that the loco came in, with the front screw toward the front, and the successive screws behind it in order of removal.









This is how the bottom cover appears on DCC engines. The DC engines will not have the copper insert.









Now comes the most difficult part of all: preparing to hack up your nice shiny new steam engine. Grab an appropriate cutting tool, take a deep breath and tell yourself “This WILL be worth it in the end.”









Now take a deep breath and cut off the coupler/step assembly.









There, that wasn't so bad was it? Now cut the .060” x .025” styrene strip into a piece .820” long, if you have a caliper to measure that length. If not, just cut a piece one inch long for now. Glue it to the bottom of the frame so that the end of the strip is butting up against the 'step' of the frame.









Center the strip up so that is is traight ahead. This is VERY important as this will have an impact on how straight the coupler is. Clamp it in place and let it dry for a couple of hours. The glue bond won't be as strong as it would be between two pieces of styrene, but this will not be the only thing holding the styrene to the bottom frame. More on that later.
Now, use your moto tool and a cutoff wheel to remove the front coupler and the remains of the rear piece that was attached to the bottom frame.









Here is the coupler you will be using. Use your X-acto knife and slice off the two mounting ears, one on each side of the pocket and the lid, of the gear box. If you don't the gear box will not fit into the slot you're going to make in the step assembly.









Change attachments on your moto tool to a narrow grinding stone.









You are going to grind out between the steps as shown:









(I know, I nicked the step with the grinding stone. Bad me! No doughnut tonight.)
Next you need to use the drill press and the .070” drill bit and drill a hole centered as well as you possibly can both lengthwise and crosswise through the top of the step assembly.









Now you will use the #2 X ¾” sheet metal screw. Drive it through the step assembly to tap the hole.









Next take the .030” X .250” styrene strip and glue it to the top of the .060” X .250” styrene strip which you previously glue to the bottom frame. Measure it first and the cut it to length, then center it on the .060” strip and glue it on, clamping it in place.

















Next, from the bottom drill two holes through BOTH the bottom frame and the .060” styrene strip and put 2 #2-56 X 1/4” screws through the holes. I put some plastic cement on the screw threads to help hold it in place.









The tops of the screws will protrude past the top of the bottom frame. These MUST be ground down flush with the top of the frame or you will not be able to reinstall the frame on the loco.









Now trim the front edges of the styrene strip sandwich ( doesn't that sound just yummy?) that you made earlier.









Next use some plastic cement and glue the coupler pocket of the gear box to the top of the styrene strips. Notice the gap between the coupler pocket and the loco frame. That shouldn't be there. (Confession time: While I was getting photos and doing this install I measure and calculated wrong. I originally used a .060” styrene strip .910” long instead of the .820” I mentioned earlier. That left a .090 gap between the coupler pocket and the top of the bottom frame, which set the step assembly out too far from the loco. I didn't notice that until I was all done, and then had to tear it off and redo it.) Make sure there is no gap between the coupler pocket and the top of the bottom frame. Center the pocket carefully, and make sure it is pointing straight ahead. This is critical to having the coupler straight and centered.









Once the glue on the coupler pocket has set, use the .070” drill and drill press to drill a hole through the coupler pocket mounting hole and all the way through the styrene strips.









You may now reinstall the bottom frame on the loco. If you have a DCC model, be sure to get the copper pickup strips behind each driver as you go. I actually found it easier to remove the plastic insert that the copper is mounted on (it just snaps off the frame) and install that first, the install the frame piece.









Using the #2 X 3/4” sheet metal screw, tap the hole in the coupler pocket.









Now paint the entire assembly flat black.

















The height of the assembly (styrene strips, coupler draft gear, and step assembly) should be around .420”. Grind out a bit more of the steps until it comes out to that. 

Measure and mark the sheet metal screw to a thread depth of .400”









I used a grinder until I had it where I wanted it.









I painted the end of the screw black before I installed it. You can do it before or after.









Now install the coupler (trip pin DOWN please!) with the centering spring on the bottom of the coupler. You will need to start the #2 sheet metal screw through the hole you made in the steps from the top. Get it about 1/8” below the area you ground out. This will make it easier to start through the hole in the coupler gear box lid. This step can be frustrating because you're using one hand to hold the coupler box together, another to place the step assembly in place on top of the coupler, and another to drive the screw through the whole thing into the styrene strips (which you did pre-tap with the sheet metal screw, didn't you? Better go back and do it now, then.) What I found that helped was to place the loco on the workbench and install the coupler spring, coupler and lid, allowing the trip pin to hold the coupler into the box. It didn't help a lot but it did help. Then I carefully set the step in place and held it all together while I drove the screw home.
Once you finally get it all together, place it on a piece of track and check it with a coupler height gauge.
It came out pretty durn close, if'n ya ask me!









Top view:









I have since discovered two thing about the prototype.
The bottom step ran from one side to the other, and it just barely cleared the rails.
Also, the model has two steps facing the rear of the assembly. These steps were not present on the prototype.








From: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2542275
So it appears I will need to take the steps back off, remove the two rear facing steps, and grind some more out of the step assembly to lower the height. Oh, the joys of model railroading!

I hope this article has been of some benefit to you. If you have one of the Bachmann 0-6-0's you no longer have to live with that dummy coupler up front, cause some other dummy has shown you how to replace it!
(Wait a minute, that didn't come out right!?)


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Fly,

Excellent tutorial thread!!! Very clear step-by-step details. Funny, too ... "Grab an appropriate cutting tool, take a deep breath and tell yourself 'This WILL be worth it in the end.' "

Well done,

TJ


----------



## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

tjcruiser said:


> Fly,
> 
> Excellent tutorial thread!!! Very clear step-by-step details. Funny, too ... "Grab an appropriate cutting tool, take a deep breath and tell yourself 'This WILL be worth it in the end.' "
> 
> ...


Thank you! When I write up something like this, I like to try make it as interesting as possible. Otherwise these things tend to be as dry as Sahara sand!
Thanks again!


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

You gotta love a cutting wheel!

Nicely done!:appl:


Better late than never.


----------



## BK R (Dec 8, 2012)

Great step by step tutorial, well done.


----------



## Br 98.75 (Dec 26, 2013)

i kind of scrapprd my ursa 0-6-0 to make this.


----------

