# SceneMaster knuckle couplers



## wiley2012 (Dec 8, 2012)

Here's a nifty product from Life-Like that came out after Walthers bought the company that I find essential to anyone who has older rolling stock from Life-Like, Mantua, Tyco and some other companies...










Their SceneMaster knuckle couplers! They are designed so they will easily fit into the China-made talgo trucks on Life-Like's rolling stock and their lower-end locomotives. But with a little trimming on the "whisker" spring ends, they will also work with the coupler pockets on the Hong Kong-made Life-Like talgos, along with Tyco. They even work with my Mantua GP-20!

I use them on my layout, and they make a good affordable alternative to Kadees if you want to quickly upgrade your old Tyco and Life-Like cars and locomotives. But for other locomotives I use Kadee and Bachmann E-Z Mate couplers. The SceneMaster couplers aren't as high-end as Kadee or Bachmann, but they are particularly handy to classic model train collectors, or layout operators with lots of old Tyco and Life-Like rolling stock. (I don't think these would work with the old Bachmann rolling stock, though...)


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## 2tall (Nov 18, 2011)

*couplers*

Thanks for the info. I do have old Tyco engines.
2tall


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## lajry (Aug 4, 2011)

Whats wrong w/ Kadees? They may cost more but they last a whole lot longer & they keep on working!


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## wiley2012 (Dec 8, 2012)

lajry said:


> Whats wrong w/ Kadees? They may cost more but they last a whole lot longer & they keep on working!


Nothing's wrong with them. The SceneMaster couplers are also good for if you want to upload a bunch of older Tyco and Life-Like rolling stock quickly and easily. Kadee is good for when you want to go all out, and I do recommend sticking with Kadees for a number of locomotive types.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

I do not want any trouble with couplers on the Southern Atlantic Seaboard Railway. I have a lot of old tyco railcars that I upgraded to Kadee couplers. I installed #5 couplers with #212 talgo truck adaptors. It dose require a small amount of trimming but it is worth it.


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## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

Here we go - I can see a coupler debate coming on. Like oil and politics, couplers somehow get people all riled up. As for me, I'm an Accu-mate kind of guy but would use these Scene- masters if I had talgo type trucks.


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

lajry said:


> Whats wrong w/ Kadees? They may cost more but they last a whole lot longer & they keep on working!


Kadees are GREAT couplers, but when on a budget there are alternatives and the Scene Masters look like a good one, especially if you like the older talgo-equipped rolling stock, and like to collect a lot of it! 
So if they work for you, use them 
Personally, I use them all - Kadee, McHenrey, Bachmann, P2K, and yes I have a few Scene Masters, although before this post I wasn't sure what they were. To me it depends on the type of car, how secure the coupling needs to be...oh and how much money is available!
Going to be pulling LONG trains? Kadees. Converting IHC/Rivarossi/Con-Cor passenger cars? Kadees. Got older rolling stock that will be used on shorter consists? Bachmann/McHenrey/Scene Master is fine. Doing a coupler conversion and don't have the correct Kadee in your parts box? Use what fits and then make a note to upgrade "when you can."


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

wiley2012 said:


> Here's a nifty product from Life-Like that came out after Walthers bought the company that I find essential to anyone who has older rolling stock from Life-Like, Mantua, Tyco and some other companies...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have these, but they dont seem to work with my cars for some reason. Am I supposed to add something to them?


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

Since the coupler is not placed on the body, wont it make it harder to have them work with rolling stock that have body mounted couplers?


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

jjb727 said:


> Since the coupler is not placed on the body, wont it make it harder to have them work with rolling stock that have body mounted couplers?


Yes that is the is one of the potential problems. there's the hopeful assumption that the truck-mounted couplers will be at the correct height when installed, but in the real world that is not the case. 
Ultimately you get what you pay for, but still...it's an option to give it a try.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I only use Kadee, but can't these be installed as
body mounted couplers if you like the brand?

I converted all of my truck mounted couplers to 
body mount. Sometimes you have to shim, some
times you have to trim to get a good alignment.
But as a result, I no
longer have the derailing problem when backing
because the pressure on the coupler tended to push the
wheels off the track.

Don


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

Interesting. Now I get why my Athearn NP Valley wine cars tend to derail at times. Would it be fixed if I somehow changed the couplers to body mounted couplers?


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## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

I used these to convert some old lighted Mantua streamline passenger cars from hornhooks. I didn't want to go the route of modifying to go to body mounted couplers. Drilled out the riviet in the coupler box with a 1/16 drill bit. Popped in the coupler and reattached with a #80 1/4" nut and bolt. I had to add some insulation material (sticker paper) to the underside of the end of the car as the head of the brass bolt would cause a short because the power comes from brass wheels on one side of the truck. They worked quite nicely. No more coming apart around corners or over switches.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

jjb

I found a set of 4 Athearn silver side passenger cars that
came with truck mounted couplers. Because I have one curve
that is less than 20" radius I thought they would be necessary.
However, my main passenger station is an end of the line
back in. Just couldn't keep the cars from derailing. Changed to
body mount and all is well, no backup derailing and no problem
on that tight curve. I also changed to Intermountain metal 36" wheels
for lighting power pickup.

Kadee does make a long shank coupler that might be helpful
on passenger car conversions but mine is the standard shank and
they couple closely and look good.

Don


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

DonR said:


> jjb
> 
> I found a set of 4 Athearn silver side passenger cars that
> came with truck mounted couplers. Because I have one curve
> ...


Good points on the backing/derail issue. Just be aware that car weight also has bearing on this as well. If the car is too light (as most older passenger cars seem to be) it's going to be more problematic tracking the rails under conditions like that.
Kadee makes a great conversion for truck mounted passenger couplers - the 505 and 508. Both mount for close coupling.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Car weight is a very valid concern if derailing.

However, I retained the Athearn metal weights that
came with the cars and they work fine now.

Don


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