# I need Recommendations for replacement Couple/Trucks for older Model power Rolling stock



## kheatherly13 (Dec 30, 2021)

Any help or direction would be appreciated.


----------



## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I would imagine Micro Trains couplers and trucks would be the best bet….

You can find the ones you need here….

Micro Trains Coupler Conversions


----------



## kheatherly13 (Dec 30, 2021)

Tried them but could not find any, except to just change out the coupler. I go to their web site just about everyday. I will keep looking.


----------



## GTW son (12 mo ago)

Been years ago but I went with MTL Battendorf trucks on my old Model Power rolling stock.
I found they were just ok on MP stock mainly because of MP's limitations, face it wasn't the best made on the market.


----------



## kheatherly13 (Dec 30, 2021)

GTW son said:


> Been years ago but I went with MTL Battendorf trucks on my old Model Power rolling stock.
> I found they were just ok on MP stock mainly because of MP's limitations, face it wasn't the best made on the market.


Thanks I will Look at them. My Box cars have larger than normal mounting holes. That might work on the tank cars as their hole are similar to the Atlas rolling stock.


----------



## GTW son (12 mo ago)

I found they were really prone to derailments after I switched to the MTL trucks.
Really they were derailment prone with the old trucks too.
Probably more so because of MP's lack of weight in the coal/grain hoppers I was utilizing in my layout.
I started buying MTL and Intermountain rolling stock for use on my layout and solved the derailment problems right off the bat. 
Relegated the MP stock to being static eye candy on sidings and in yards.
Don't derail if its sitting still.


----------



## Mixed Freight (Aug 31, 2019)

kheatherly13 said:


> Any help or direction would be appreciated.


Micro-Trains Line (MTL) trucks and couplers are the defacto standard for N-scale, and have been since their introduction about 50 years ago.

Micro-Trains offers a wide variety of truck styles. Learning which style goes on what era of freight and passenger cars would be beneficial before starting conversions. For most Model Power freight cars, Bettendorf trucks would probably be the best ones for rolling stock up until the 1960's era. For any more modern rolling stock starting in the 1960's era, then roller bearing trucks are normally more appropriate. MTL has a whole bunch of different style of trucks they offer, and learning what is appropriate for what is part of the learning curve.

Truck mounted couplers are available in short, medium, and long extensions. I prefer short extensions, as this allows more prototypically looking close coupling, and thus looks far better. However, some freight cars, with their trucks set in further back from the ends of the cars, will require longer extensions. Or if your layout has very sharp curves, you may wish slightly longer extensions so the cars don't bind up running through the curves. Some more modern freight cars were equipped with shock absorbing, damage resistant couplers, which stick out further from the ends of the cars. Longer extension MTL couplers can duplicate the looks of these. There are probably other reasons also to have longer than normal coupler extensions, so learning those reasons will be part of the learning curve.

Micro-Trains trucks generally come with two different sizes of truck pins and some bushings and washers to help fit a variety of train cars. That being said, they don't necessarily fit ALL manufacturers train cars. When that's the case, you need to start learning how to modify things to fit. I've had to get real inventive on some items in the past, and in a few cases (very few), decided the modifications required weren't worth the hassle. But this is pretty rare, at least for me.

Lastly, no matter what you convert, proper weight of the car is a must for good run-ability. For N-scale, the NMRA recommended car weight is .5 oz initial weight, plus .15 oz for each inch of car length. For example, take a 40' long N-scale box car. It measures about 3" long. Take .15 oz per inch (.15 oz x 3"), and you come up with .45 oz. Add that to .5 oz initial weight, and figure up a grand total of .95 oz, or basically 1 oz. Therefore, all 40' long N-scale cars should weigh right about 1 oz each. Doesn't have to be super exact, but he closer you can get it to the recommended weight, the better off you'll be. How much should a 60' long car weigh? Do the math, and see what you come up with. If you came up with 1.25 oz, then you have it figured out. It should be obvious, you will need some sort of small scale to help you weigh your cars. Or for another tip, I have found that MTL 40' box cars are weighted virtually correct right out of their jewel case. If you can weight any other brand of car about the same, you should be fine.

The bottom line is, MTL trucks & couplers can allow you to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear! For instance, I've found some pretty nice and interesting 40~50 year old N-scale freight cars at train shows for sale really cheap (like a few bucks or so), and converted them over to MTL trucks & couplers. After bringing them up to snuff weight-wise, they both look fantastic and perform fantastic on my layout. Every bit as nice as the crazy prices that the new, modern day cars are being sold for.

Hope this helps.


----------



## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

Yeah, Mixed freight and the others have offered good advice.

Unfortunately, some rolling stock just needs to be modified a bit in order for a MTL truck to fit.


----------



## kheatherly13 (Dec 30, 2021)

Thanks to all who replied. All was helpful.


----------



## Oomowmow (10 mo ago)

kheatherly13 said:


> Tried them but could not find any, except to just change out the coupler. I go to their web site just about everyday. I will keep looking.


There's a site online called 'Yankee Dabbler' that sells pretty much any MTL trucks you need at reasonable prices. The more you buy, the cheaper it is per car, but generally speaking, it starts around $8 for a pack of 2 trucks (including shipping)


----------

