# Accurail questions



## Ethan1526 (Feb 8, 2016)

•are wheels included?, if so how good are they
•is the plastic easily discolored when glue is applied
•how well do their couplers work, I can't remember the name of there couplers.
•also can I have some tips for putting them together?
Thanks in advance for answers. I purchased a csx grain hopper and wanted to know


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Plastic wheels are included, and as plastic wheels go, they are pretty good.
I replace all the wheels with metal ones......

The plastic does not discolour, but the paint on the plastic might, as any paint might on any make of model. Not much glue is needed however, many parts are designed to snap in place.....

The couplers included are Accumates, and they work well enough, but they are plastic.....I use metal Kadees on my Accurail cars....

Instructions come with each car, and they are adequate in showing how assembly goes. After putting a few together, you won't even need the instructions.....


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

Wheels are included. They work well enough, as do the couplers, but I replaced mine with metal wheels and kadees which seem better. Assembly is pretty easy and straight-forward, just take your time.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I have a stock of metal wheels and metal couplers. I just build the kit with the replacements. They're pretty straightforward. If you've never made any sort of kit before, I probably wouldn't start with one, but if you have some basic modeling skills, you'll be fine.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I'm about to do my first one as well -- a Southern 40' boxcar. I had the same concern about glues eating plastic (memories of days gone by).
One of the things I've learned on this site, is that Accurail is a very popular way to go, and that Kadees and metal wheels are all that's necessary to complete a great model. I'd much rather spend $9 or $10 on something nice, that I put together myself, than $30 or $40 for only a little better, and assembled by somebody else.
I have Kadees set aside and ready to install, plus a set of metal wheels (and a coupler height gage). I'll be trying both Tamyia & Fallers glues, as I'm in the learning stages with modern adhesives.
Enjoy! You won't need it, but good luck.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Back in the day, almost all rolling stock kits came with a basswood or diecast floor. Diecast was best for weight, but not so great for holding truck screws, as the Zamac castings had a tendency to strip threads. Also, glues to attach metal-to-plastic, or metal-to-wood weren't invented yet, (and Zamac couldn't be soldered) so many brake cylinders were dropped on the tracks over time. And those rarely-flat-and-straight diecast truck bolsters just refused to stay glued to a wood floor!
Today's "weld all" and CA adhesives and mostly all-plastic kit construction make everything a lot easier, and a whole lot more permanent.


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## Eddystone (Sep 2, 2014)

*Accurail: Quirky but Great*



Ethan1526 said:


> •are wheels included?, if so how good are they
> •is the plastic easily discolored when glue is applied
> •how well do their couplers work, I can't remember the name of there couplers.
> •also can I have some tips for putting them together?
> Thanks in advance for answers. I purchased a csx grain hopper and wanted to know


When you read this, you may think I don't like Accurail rolling stock, but they are actually my preferred brand in my price range. They look great to me, and they are nicely made. They do have some distinctive quirks.

I have recently done a number of Accurail boxcars and hoppers. Some of them were very old that I collected years ago, some were purchased on eBay and of unknown vintage, some were pretty new. I found that there was some variation from kit to kit in the parts supplied. Some had two-piece couplers that looked fine but were not Kadees (which to me mainly means they were plastic and had plastic springs). Others had non-working knuckle couplers that don't always play well with other cars. Some kits contained both types of couplers.

The couples are held on by a sort of coupler box cover that is a flat piece of plastic with a short pin that pushes into place by friction fit where you would normally screw in a screw. Once these are in, it is EXTREMELY difficult to remove them without breaking off the pin which then blocks the hole where you might have wanted to put a standard screw. So, if you want to install Kadees later, it may be a hassle that includes drilling out the rod.

The trucks and wheels are both plastic, but they are of good quality and work fine for me. The trucks, like the couplers, have a proprietary pin that is held in by friction and retains the truck. This is less problematical than the coupler cover, but you do have to be careful if you try to remove it, and I wouldn't recommend doing it too many times.

Someone on eBay sells a variety of 2-56 screws that can apparently be used in place of the truck pins and (I think) the coupler pins. Check out item 190796127983 from k4_pacific. He sells them in an assortment or in specific sizes. Check out his items I have received mine but have not tried them out yet. I plan to go back through my Accurail cars and replace some of the kit couplers and maybe add screws to the trucks.

Kadee sells little kits with a tap and two drills for about $7.95 for various screws. One drill is undersize and the right size for tapping threads into. The other drill is oversize and makes a hole just large enough for the screw to pass through freely. These are very handy an worth the price.

I assume that Accurail took this path so that they could produce all of the fasteners out of plastic and not deal with hardware. What they did was pretty well engineered and clever but not good if you want to do maintenance or upgrades that involve disassembly.

Despite these drawbacks, Accurail is probably my favorite brand for a car with a superior finish, good detail, good overall appearance, good running and reasonable value.


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## santafewillie (Feb 13, 2016)

Eddystone said:


> When you read this, you may think I don't like Accurail rolling stock, but they are actually my preferred brand in my price range. They look great to me, and they are nicely made. They do have some distinctive quirks.
> 
> I have recently done a number of Accurail boxcars and hoppers. Some of them were very old that I collected years ago, some were purchased on eBay and of unknown vintage, some were pretty new. I found that there was some variation from kit to kit in the parts supplied. Some had two-piece couplers that looked fine but were not Kadees (which to me mainly means they were plastic and had plastic springs). Others had non-working knuckle couplers that don't always play well with other cars. Some kits contained both types of couplers.
> 
> ...


For the record - All Accurail cars manufactured from the mid-00's forward have screws for the trucks and the coupler box covers. 
Willie


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## Eddystone (Sep 2, 2014)

For the record - All Accurail cars manufactured from the mid-00's forward have screws for the trucks and the coupler box covers.
Willie 

It helps to have something of a timeline, though the kits aren't dated and there's lots of old stuff out there.

Any idea if the yellow box vs white box indicates a date?

Again, I like Accurail kits.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

I have a bunch of Accurail cars on my layout. SantaFeWillie is correct that the newer kits use screws for the trucks and coupler boxes. If you get the older kits with the push-button truck mounts, you can use a 2-56 screw in the push-button hole -- without even tapping it.

The other nice thing about Accurail kits is that for the newer kits, decal sets are offered. These are different road numbers that you can apply to your car. So if you want a bunch of cars with different numbers, you can buy a bunch of cars with the same number, and add the decals to change the numbers. The newer decals are printed as complete numbers on a colored background that matches the car color. So you have one simple decal to apply -- not several different digits.


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## santafewillie (Feb 13, 2016)

Yellow boxes are all old style. I think that the white boxes actually came before the transition was completed. They started supplying screws for the trucks a few years before the coupler covers. Even with the yellow box variety, I used a screw in the trucks regardless, they just didn't supply them. For the coupler box covers, I shaved off the peg and used that as a guide for drilling a hole through the cover. If I recall correctly, the hole in the coupler boxes had to be reamed out a little bit to accept a 2-56 screw. Maybe, maybe not...it was long ago! I might be remembering the Walthers cars at the time which had the same setup. 
Willie


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

MtRR75 said:


> The other nice thing about Accurail kits is that for the newer kits, decal sets are offered. These are different road numbers that you can apply to your car. So if you want a bunch of cars with different numbers, you can buy a bunch of cars with the same number, and add the decals to change the numbers. The newer decals are printed as complete numbers on a colored background that matches the car color. So you have one simple decal to apply -- not several different digits.


I have used these decals, and the color is spot on for the car they are made for! Tip: When you apply them, hit them with a few applications of decal solvent, and a final quick spray of dullcote, and they look like the original number! Great idea!


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## Mark VerMurlen (Aug 15, 2015)

Can someone give a part number for the Kadee couplers that work best with the recent Accurail kits? I've got a few of these that I've assembled and I'm unsure which Kadee coupler will work best. Model Train Stuff shows so many Kadee coupler options that I don't know which one to choose.

Mark


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

Mark VerMurlen said:


> Can someone give a part number for the Kadee couplers that work best with the recent Accurail kits? I've got a few of these that I've assembled and I'm unsure which Kadee coupler will work best. Model Train Stuff shows so many Kadee coupler options that I don't know which one to choose.
> 
> Mark


I use the #148 Whisker couplers -- they fit right into the coupler box, and they are easy to install.


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## santafewillie (Feb 13, 2016)

I also use the #148's, but #5's will work as well. The ease of installation of the #148's will probably cause the #5's to become obsolete.
I didn't mention the decals that MtRR75 mentioned. They are really great for folks like me that model Santa Fe or any other big RR. Santa Fe didn't buy one of anything! 

Willie


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## Genetk44 (Feb 26, 2016)

My first purchases in the past six months. I really like the look of these Accurail woodsided boxcars....although I suspect the woodgraining is very overscale they still look really good to my eyes. The Krome airbrush is something I have wanted to try for quite awhile and it's the first new airbrush my local hobby-shop has gotten in for awhile so I just had to grab it


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## Mark VerMurlen (Aug 15, 2015)

MtRR75 said:


> I use the #148 Whisker couplers -- they fit right into the coupler box, and they are easy to install.





santafewillie said:


> I also use the #148's, but #5's will work as well. The ease of installation of the #148's will probably cause the #5's to become obsolete.


Thanks guys! I'll order a few of the #148 Whisker couplers and give them a try.

Mark


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I love outside braced boxcars.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Genetk44 said:


> The Krome airbrush is something I have wanted to try for quite awhile and it's the first new airbrush my local hobby-shop has gotten in for awhile so I just had to grab it


Badger makes some nice stuff, and the Krome is a good example.
I haven't tried one yet.
I need to replace my old airbrush.
The Krome appears to have a longer nose -- more room for your trigger finger.


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## Genetk44 (Feb 26, 2016)

LateStarter said:


> Badger makes some nice stuff, and the Krome is a good example.
> I haven't tried one yet.
> I need to replace my old airbrush.
> The Krome appears to have a longer nose -- more room for your trigger finger.


I'll be trying it this weekend and let you know how it is. My favourite airbrush over the past couple of years has been my Badger 105 Patriot top-feed...that is a wonderful brush!


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I always had a Badger from the '70's... not sure what model, but it was gravity fed. It got broke, and I have to replace it.
The Krome has my interest. Let us know how you like it... and why.


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## Genetk44 (Feb 26, 2016)

LateStarter said:


> I always had a Badger from the '70's... not sure what model, but it was gravity fed. It got broke, and I have to replace it.
> The Krome has my interest. Let us know how you like it... and why.


Will do


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## Genetk44 (Feb 26, 2016)

So I just spent an hour this afternoon playing with my new Badger Krome airbrush. Compared to my Patriot 105 it really does spray very fine lines....I got it down to lines about the thickness of what a medium point ball-point pen would do. You have to dial the needle right down and bring the point right up to the piece you are working on and definately you have to practise on something to get comfortable with it. It also seems to be a bit more fussy than the Patriot about having the tip kept clean while spraying.

All that being said I think this brush will add some great versatility to painting and weathering. I am going to have some fun with this baby.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Well that's encouraging.
Thanks.
Please keep us posted.


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## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

For what it's worth, I prefer the Accu-mate couplers over Kadee. No goofy spring and super simple install. Unfortunately, they don't come in an overset or under set shank, so height adjustments have to be done at the bolster or with wheel sizes...


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Atlas is using Accumate couplers on their new rolling stock now.....which I change to Kadees.....


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## Genetk44 (Feb 26, 2016)

Smokinapankake said:


> For what it's worth, I prefer the Accu-mate couplers over Kadee. No goofy spring and super simple install. Unfortunately, they don't come in an overset or under set shank, so height adjustments have to be done at the bolster or with wheel sizes...


Don't like the Accumate couplers. I have never had any problems with the springs on Kadee couplers, so don't really know what people are complaining about them for.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I only have 2 Accurail kits built so far.
One had Accumate problems immediately, so I upgraded to Kadees. The other is still okay. I've heard they last awhile before giving up.
We'll see.


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