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 Posted - September 21 2019 : 9:04:49 PM
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While browsing through eBay recently I found this interesting product
from a manufacturer I have never heard of before. Behold the
TRUCK CUTTING GUIDE KIT made by BLUE LINE ....
According to the description of the item, this kit converts Tyco equipment
to Kadee couplers. Intrigued I decided to buy this product to see how it works,
follow along as I try it out.
This kit consists of a cutting jig, screws, clamps, and detailed instructions...
Note: I forgot to take a picture of the kit when I first opened it, the above
picture is an approximation of what was in the kit.
As you can see from the instructions, the jig in this kit is used to modify Talgo
style trucks used by Tyco, Life-Like, and others to accommodate Kadee draft
gear and couplers.
This is how the process works...
Step One: After removing the wheel sets, cut off the "Pin Bar"
Step Two: Secure the steel cutting jig in a vice...
Step Three: Place the truck in the jig...
Step Four: Using first a razor saw and then a file, trim down the the truck's "hitch assembly" level
with the surface of the jig....
Step Five: Glue the "Clamping Unit" to the underside of the "hitch assembly"...
Step Six: This kit is designed to use the Kadee # 9 coupler draft gear (Kadee #9 couplers
are the same as #5 but the center hole in the draft gear box is smaller), but I modified #5 coupler draft gear
boxes for this project. To use the screws that come with the kit I had to replace the centering
post on the draft gear top plate with a new one with a smaller hole...
Step Seven: Assemble the coupler draft gear box....
Step Eight: Attach the Kadee draft gear box to the modified Tyco truck using
a screw supplied with the kit...
Step Nine: Put the wheel sets back into the truck and check the coupler height
with a Kadee height gauge, my sample's height came out perfect without any modification!!!!
Step Ten: Attach the modified truck onto the car...
In summary, this is a successful product that works as advertised,
I especially liked the fact that the height of the Kadees came out perfect
on the first try!
There is one draw back however, after you use up the supply of "clamping units" that are
included in this kit your out of luck. Blue Line no longer exists so your not likely to
find more of these parts at your local hobby shop. If your desperate though you could make
more of these parts out of styrene strips.
Of course Kadee makes their own product that does the same thing without
needing any modification to the Tyco truck and frankly I think body mounting
couplers is the best option.
Still, it's an interesting product made specifically for serious model railroaders,
definitely an interesting artifact from model railroading history.
Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016
Edited by - Srenchin on September 23 2019 8:51:23 PM
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Posted - September 21 2019 : 10:14:13 PM
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Wow! Interesting history!
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/rpmodelrailroads
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Posted - September 21 2019 : 10:40:10 PM
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It took a little digging to find any additional information about this company, judging from
their advertisements in Model Railroader Magazine, Blue Line was in business for about
eight months.
Blue Line's first advertisement in MR appeared in the August 1983 issue and their last was in
the March 1984 issue, talk about "flash in the pan".
It's no wonder actually, their only product was this Tyco truck modification kit and it cost
a fortune. Suggested Retail Price for this item in 1983 was $14.95, the equivalent of
$39.00 bucks in today's money!
I can't imagine many modelers were interested in spending that much money on a tool
to modify Tyco and Life-Like trucks to Kadees, especially when most modelers would
just body mount the couplers and replace the trucks. This is a classic example of a good product
made for a market that did not exist.
Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016
Edited by - Srenchin on September 23 2019 8:46:19 PM
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Posted - September 22 2019 : 10:04:14 AM
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| A curious conversion, thanks for posting!
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Helm
Little Six
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Posted - September 28 2019 : 9:52:01 PM
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Interesting, but a lot of work. I can see why (aside from the price) it never took off. I use the KaDee talgo conversion couplers. I'm guessing this came out before they were available?
Rich
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