# USA Tains Caboose



## pwiegner (Mar 9, 2008)

Hello from Germany,
I have a USA Trains Extended Vision Caboose and want to replace the coil spring by leaf spring trucks and the truck mounted couplers by body mounted Kadees. The bottom of the platform contains of a see-through grid, so it´s not easy to install a coupler gear box. Any ideas?

Peter 
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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter,

I glued a piece of plastic to the frame, then screwed the coupler to that.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I had the same problem with mine. I used step up truck mounted couplers. Both USAT and Kadee make a coupler with a full step up to mate with body mounts. The Kadee is #831 (I think). I don't know the part number for USAT step up couplers. They both work well, but I am using the Kadees.

Chuck N


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Usually called "large offset" coupler. The problem is a body mount platform, like a piece of styrene glued right to the underside of that nice open grill detracts from the looks in my opinion. 

If you make a flat platform, with "raised ends" that space it away from the grill, you will get the right height for body mounting a "centerset" coupler and not have the styrene right next to that grill. 

Of course painting the stryrene black makes it look better. 

That's the "prettiest" installation I have seen, I'm a fan of body mounts. 

Regards, Greg


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I thought about putting a platform under the grid, but since I leave my cars out I didn't want dust, dirt, and bird [email protected]#t getting caught in the grid. You'd be amazed where the feathered dive bombers can land their explosives. for these cars I'm happy with the step up couplers.

Chuck N


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## pwiegner (Mar 9, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. The coupler problem seems to be resolved. But what about the truck frames? The new USA Trains Center Cupola Caboose apparently has leaf springs. Can the tucks or frames be obtained separately?

Additional question: what will happen to the built in electronics resp. bulbs/LEDs when the caboose is operated on a DCC layout with appropriate voltage? The USA Trains manual doesn´t mention DCC.

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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Contact USAT, since this is a new item, parts might not be available yet, but USAT ALWAYS has parts, unlike the competition who states "we don't have parts just sitting shelves" and "we have to order parts with the production run". 

Most of my G trains work fine at my DCC voltage. (What is your exact idea of "appropriate"?) I have my system maxed to 24v and some lights have burned out, my Aristo Mallet for example. My Aristo caboose and my USAT offset cupola caboose are fine, but at that voltage, you might want to go LEDs, or put a resistor in series to drop the voltage, very few G scale lighting systems are designed to work at a CONTINUOUS voltage of 20+ volts. 

Regards, Greg


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

If you look at a real caboose what do you see under the grating, the center sill!


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By pwiegner on 30 Oct 2010 12:22 AM 
Thanks for the replies. The coupler problem seems to be resolved. But what about the truck frames? The new USA Trains Center Cupola Caboose apparently has leaf springs. Can the tucks or frames be obtained separately?

Additional question: what will happen to the built in electronics resp. bulbs/LEDs when the caboose is operated on a DCC layout with appropriate voltage? The USA Trains manual doesn´t mention DCC.

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); 

I bought a Pr from USA for my Brass aristo caboose. 










Very nice i might add.......









You betcha..... LOL


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Send that picture to the competition... tell them Kader/Sanda Kan DOES indeed have the ability to make parts! 

Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Parts? Wow someone does make them. Glade they do as I buy a lot from them. Later RJD


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Nicholas Savatgy on 30 Oct 2010 01:31 PM 
Posted By pwiegner on 30 Oct 2010 12:22 AM 
Thanks for the replies. The coupler problem seems to be resolved. But what about the truck frames? The new USA Trains Center Cupola Caboose apparently has leaf springs. Can the tucks or frames be obtained separately?

Additional question: what will happen to the built in electronics resp. bulbs/LEDs when the caboose is operated on a DCC layout with appropriate voltage? The USA Trains manual doesn´t mention DCC.

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); 

I bought a Pr from USA for my Brass aristo caboose. 










Very nice i might add.......









You betcha..... LOL

woow! looks like those track power brushes creat lots of drag?? Kinda like have the brakes on alittle??? They probably get dirty to??? Probably have to keep buying new ones if you run much?? bummer.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Those look like the LGB graphite plugs that are pressed against the wheel by a spring. In my experience they are reliable pickups and they have minimal drag. Certainly the modern BB with electrical pick ups are better, but these aren't like brass springs that press against the axle or wheel and really add drag.

Chuck N


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Kept clean and in good shape, ok, not great. 

Let them get dirty or greasy, and way too much drag. 

Converted all my cabeese to ball bearings with power pickup... use Aristo, Train-Li, LGB, AMS 

all different qualities... 

Greg


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

*For those using body mount couplers on the USA cabs, U can turn the truck *
*180 and cut the coupler tang so that U can mount the brush holder in close to *
*axle, reducing the effective drag considerably, reduces brush wear as well.. *
*I also changed out the wheelsets in all 4 of my new cabs with aftermarket wheels, *
*I find that the std USA wheels R lousy electrical conductors, put those wheels on *
*freight cars not requiring power... Paul R...

*


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By NTCGRR on 31 Oct 2010 06:47 PM 
Posted By Nicholas Savatgy on 30 Oct 2010 01:31 PM 
Posted By pwiegner on 30 Oct 2010 12:22 AM 
Thanks for the replies. The coupler problem seems to be resolved. But what about the truck frames? The new USA Trains Center Cupola Caboose apparently has leaf springs. Can the tucks or frames be obtained separately?

Additional question: what will happen to the built in electronics resp. bulbs/LEDs when the caboose is operated on a DCC layout with appropriate voltage? The USA Trains manual doesn´t mention DCC.

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); 

I bought a Pr from USA for my Brass aristo caboose. 










Very nice i might add.......









You betcha..... LOL

woow! looks like those track power brushes creat lots of drag?? Kinda like have the brakes on alittle??? They probably get dirty to??? Probably have to keep buying new ones if you run much?? bummer.





Now why you got to run at me like that ?









Im just sittin hear minding my PPPPPP's and QQQQQ's and then WAM









Guy asked a question and i gave him an answer

But since you asked i will clarfy
looks like those track power brushes creat lots of drag?? No not really and if they did id just turn the juice up









Kinda like have the brakes on alittle??? No not really they seem to roll ok, I could imagine how hard they would roll with a battery in them.... he he he









They probably get dirty to??? Havent had this issue yet but if i did just clean them up quick with a little contact cleaner









Probably have to keep buying new ones if you run much?? bummer. Not really as i rarely run lites except a t shows anyways but if needed ive got deep pockets $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$



















Now the question we should be asking is WHY is Nicholas buying new trucks for a new caboose...HE HE HE








I kid cause i LUV you guys...


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

One thing I've never been concerned about is drag that's why I just add another loco if need be.







. Never really had much of a problem anyway. another good thing is if you cut off from your train you do not need to worry about the train running away. Later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I had problems with drag when I was first running trains. That was when my trackwork and wheel gauge was so bad all I could run was 6-7 cars, and I had some Bachmann "toy" cars from their starter sets... the caboose had enough drag to stringline the light bachmann cars with plastic wheels (and I had goop on the carbon brushes) 

I also have a picture somewhere where the drag (from a defective setup) caused excessive wheel wear. 

Now, with proper trackwork, properly gauged and weighted rolling stock, it's only a routine maintenance issue. One thing to remember about carbon brushes, they can handle a lot more current than ball bearing wheels used for power pickup. A few lights are not too bad, but a heavy load will pit the ball bearing races and make them not work well. 

That's one reason that the Aristo prime mover design was changed from "regular" ball bearings to "hybrid" ball bearings and with the added contact of a single ball with spring. 

I have been using Aristo ball bearing wheels on my sweeper car, and the motor draws a fair amount of current... and it is noticeable how the pickups have degraded over time. 

So, the point is, don't turn your nose up at the carbon brush pickups, they can work very well. 

Regards, Greg


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Good answers.....LOL


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## Bob Small (Jan 3, 2008)

Here are my modifications to the USAT caboose to more closely resemble the C&O C-25 class

http://members.westnet.com.au/susprog/CabooseStory.htm

I am still looking for proper replacement trucks.

The correct trucks are leaf spring roller bearing trucks. The suggested USAT replacements have leaf springs, but still have "friction" bearings.

Sometime back, there was a rumour that Ozark were going to make proper trucks, even including the generator drive. Anyone know if this actually happened?


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Nice job Bob, 

They look great

I had a set of those Chessie cabooses when i was in O guage

Nice


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