I, too, like link couplers, and have found they work well and are very reliable. Several of my freight cars acquired in the past have a link coupler on the one end and knuckle coupler on the other end, allowing flexibility in hooking up with a link or knuckle-equipped engine. Thanks for the excellent video! 🚂
Thanks for your comments. I ended up putting all of my conversion knuckle couplers back to link couplers except for two cars that have one at each end as you mentioned. We all do what works for us! Thanks for watching.
Great tutorial. I love the line “If it was good enough for the A.C. Gilbert Company, it’s good enough for me.” I’m a subscriber! Looking forward to more great tutorials.
Thanks for the comment. It’s nice to know it’s appreciated. I couldn’t help but notice the trumpet in your picture. I’m a retired music teacher and still play as much as I can (woodwinds). Apparently model trains and music make a great combination!
Thanks for your comment. You may have noticed that a few ideas that I used were also in your recent video. I hope you don’t mind. As I said in the video, I wanted to take what I learned from other videos and add some of my own thoughts.
@@AFTrainsND I certainly do not mind. I think there is great value in collaboration. You may consider, naming specific people or, with permission, connecting their videos in yours. This further connects the community of flyer UA-camrs and promotes one another.
Tim Coe takes his couplers apart for a good cleaning and uses a slightly larger drill bit through the pin hole then puts them back together for a flawless operation. I done this to mine and haven't had any uncouple.
Thank goodness somebody agrees with me about not converting couplers. I run 21 car link coupler trains. They look more real and stay coupled if adjusted correctly. I use the tiny black rubber bands on çars that do uncouple sometimes. Proper adjustment is the key I have found.
I agree with your assessment on the increased gap between cars when links are converted to knuckle. I prefer to leave link couplers original, and restore them when needed.
Excellent tips! Thank you. I've used the hair dryer and soldering iron too. I found that the hair dryer evaporates that chemical on the outside of the plastic. I also wipe off the plastic right away with a swab or paper towel, on some couplers, the white stuff doesn't fully evaporate. I also wonder if the soldering iron evaporates that chemical around the metal pin, which would loosen it a bit. I don't yet have the tools to replace the link couplers, but I do like how they fit close together.
Put small rubber band on metal links, not on the weights. It's easier to put the smaller black rubber band on the metal links and won't break or come of while running the trains. Stretching bands from weight to weight is not as easy and the tiny black rubber bands are far better and smaller and again easier to put on. Beauty supply stores sell packages of them really cheap. A 50 year AF repairman showed this to me back in the 1990s. He was a good friend as well as an unusual repairman who did plastic mold work for making new steps for American Flyer hoppers and gondolas too. He passed away at 80 just before the pandemic hit us. He became a good friend and miss him alot. If you know anyone who does step work let me know because I have a 24222 Domino Sugar Hopper and a 631 Gray T&P gondola, both cars missing 2 steps. Thank you for reading all this. Mike
I’ll have to give this a try- it does make sense. Thanks for the information. Having a colleague like that was a real blessing. I’ve tried molding some steps but they didn’t come out satisfactorily but I’ll keep trying when I get time. I hope to attend a session of the local HO club in the near future so I’ll ask if anybody there has expertise in that.
10:30 Wonder if the weight is not fully pushed onto the stem? Place weight on something solid and using a drift tap top of stem down towards the weight. Be careful not to slip off the top of the stem and hit the coupler body. Will need to support the car or train to free up hands.
Fantastic video Roger! Thank you 😊
What an education on couplers and how to adjust them for proper operation.
Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for watching and for your comment
I, too, like link couplers, and have found they work well and are very reliable. Several of my freight cars acquired in the past have a link coupler on the one end and knuckle coupler on the other end, allowing flexibility in hooking up with a link or knuckle-equipped engine.
Thanks for the excellent video! 🚂
Thanks for your comments. I ended up putting all of my conversion knuckle couplers back to link couplers except for two cars that have one at each end as you mentioned. We all do what works for us! Thanks for watching.
Great tutorial. I love the line “If it was good enough for the A.C. Gilbert Company, it’s good enough for me.” I’m a subscriber! Looking forward to more great tutorials.
Thanks for your comments. I don’t plan too far ahead but I have a few ideas for the next few months. Thanks for watching..
Thank you for producing this video. You provided me with a couple more ways I can keep my American flyer trains connected.
Thanks for the comment. It’s nice to know it’s appreciated. I couldn’t help but notice the trumpet in your picture. I’m a retired music teacher and still play as much as I can (woodwinds). Apparently model trains and music make a great combination!
Thank you Roger. This was a very well done and informative video.
Thanks for your comment. You may have noticed that a few ideas that I used were also in your recent video. I hope you don’t mind. As I said in the video, I wanted to take what I learned from other videos and add some of my own thoughts.
@@AFTrainsND I certainly do not mind. I think there is great value in collaboration. You may consider, naming specific people or, with permission, connecting their videos in yours. This further connects the community of flyer UA-camrs and promotes one another.
Tim Coe takes his couplers apart for a good cleaning and uses a slightly larger drill bit through the pin hole then puts them back together for a flawless operation. I done this to mine and haven't had any uncouple.
Yes, I think I saw that video, too. It’s good to get a variety of ideas. Thanks for your comment and for watching.
Thank goodness somebody agrees with me about not converting couplers. I run 21 car link coupler trains. They look more real and stay coupled if adjusted correctly. I use the tiny black rubber bands on çars that do uncouple sometimes. Proper adjustment is the key I have found.
I agree with your assessment on the increased gap between cars when links are converted to knuckle. I prefer to leave link couplers original, and restore them when needed.
Yes, I wish I had know that 20 years ago! Thanks for watching
I sure do agree. Proper adjustment and lubricant is the trick. Use mineral oil, not Spirits! Wahloil is great oil too.
Thank you great information im a newer flyer man and really like the video good help
Welcome to the hobby & thanks for watching!
Funny, I've never had a problem with the prewar Gilbert 3/16 0 gauge link couplers. They are all metal and never fail.
Excellent tips! Thank you. I've used the hair dryer and soldering iron too. I found that the hair dryer evaporates that chemical on the outside of the plastic. I also wipe off the plastic right away with a swab or paper towel, on some couplers, the white stuff doesn't fully evaporate. I also wonder if the soldering iron evaporates that chemical around the metal pin, which would loosen it a bit. I don't yet have the tools to replace the link couplers, but I do like how they fit close together.
Thanks for the comments. I don’t really have to answer to your questions either. Thanks for watching.
Thank you for this video. Have link couplers on mine.
I hope you got a few good ideas from this. I’ve come to really liking my link couplers. Thanks for watching.
Put small rubber band on metal links, not on the weights. It's easier to put the smaller black rubber band on the metal links and won't break or come of while running the trains. Stretching bands from weight to weight is not as easy and the tiny black rubber bands are far better and smaller and again easier to put on. Beauty supply stores sell packages of them really cheap. A 50 year AF repairman showed this to me back in the 1990s. He was a good friend as well as an unusual repairman who did plastic mold work for making new steps for American Flyer hoppers and gondolas too. He passed away at 80 just before the pandemic hit us. He became a good friend and miss him alot. If you know anyone who does step work let me know because I have a 24222 Domino Sugar Hopper and a 631 Gray T&P gondola, both cars missing 2 steps. Thank you for reading all this. Mike
I’ll have to give this a try- it does make sense. Thanks for the information. Having a colleague like that was a real blessing. I’ve tried molding some steps but they didn’t come out satisfactorily but I’ll keep trying when I get time. I hope to attend a session of the local HO club in the near future so I’ll ask if anybody there has expertise in that.
10:30 Wonder if the weight is not fully pushed onto the stem? Place weight on something solid and using a drift tap top of stem down towards the weight. Be careful not to slip off the top of the stem and hit the coupler body. Will need to support the car or train to free up hands.
i love trains do you have them in
I’m sorry but I don’t understand what you’re asking. I’ll gladly reply i you will clarify.
I don't think. his phone typed his whole message.
At the end - No silver streak at night???
I don’t have a Silver Streak but I do have a Silver Bullet that I could do a night scene of some time. Maybe that’ll be a future project.
I'd try a shot of WD-40 to loosen up couplers before taking them apart.
Use CRC 226… the best lube I have ever found.
American Flyer
American Flyer Old Train