AZL Releases Bettendorf Trucks!

American Z Line has released Bettendorf trucks! The Bettendorf trucks feature blacken metal wheels and AZL's all new AutoLatch couplers. The couplers come on a 8mm coupler arm. The Bettendorf trucks come 4 to a package. They are part number 90011.

What is the AutoLatch coupler? The Autolatch couplers are an all new design. The couplers join together with ease. But, they feature AZL's legendary coupler strength. Ease of coupling, strength for pulling power... this is AZL's AutoLatch coupler! Plus, these couplers will work with MTL couplers!

Please contact your authorized AZL dealer to order, or purchase direct at:

www.ztrackcenter.com/

Rob

This week, I upgraded one of Full Throttle's UP 2-Bay hoppers to AZL's Bettendorf. Below is the photo for comparison. The car in the back ground has MTL couplers. The metal wheels add much detail to the truck area of the car!



On Trainboard, I responded to Joe's post about the 'working with MTL couplers' comment. Yes, the AutoLatch will work with MTL couplers. They will auto-couple with MTL, but a bit more force may be required since the AZL's are a much stronger coupler. They are NOT Magne-Matic. Only the MTL couplers utilized magnets for uncoupling.

Rob

Rob- What does it take to upgrade-- Just change out and are the pins the same diameter- or do we have to drill additional holes.
Fred

Fred,

It is VERY easy to upgrade. First, if you are upgrading MTL cars, just pull out the MTL trucks. Pop the new AZL trucks in place. You can use either the MTL or AZL bolster pin to hold the trucks in place. No drilling, no glue, no real tool except maybe a flat head screw drive to pry out the bolster pin.

For Full Throttle cars, I recommend using the MTL bolster pin. The Full Throttle bolster holes are just a bit wider than an MTL bolster and the AZL pins are a bit loose. The MTL bolster pin will work just fine.

It only takes a couple of minutes to upgrade a car. It is fast and easy!

Rob

Thanks for the comeback- I'm sure others might have had the same question.
Fred

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon with Jim Thomas at our train club. Jim was running a fabulous coal drag of over 40 Full Throttle two bay hoppers with a few Pennzee three bay hoppers mixed in. The train was mostly black cars with dark brown and deep red cars intermixed. The drag was being pulled by a pair of Nickel Plate GP7s. It was an incredible looking train! I added the cars you see above to the mix. For over an hour and half, the train ran flawlessly. Not one derail or uncouple. So I would say it is very safe to say the AZL couplers work great with MTLs in mixed consists.

By the way, on the next track was a nearly 30 car train of AZL's new ACF 3-Bay hoppers and 60' high cubes pulled by a pair of UP SD70Ms. Now that was a contrast as the trains past! About 40 years difference between the inside rail and the outside rails. LOL!

Rob

Nothing wrong with a mix consist and eras:). Granted, most of the coal carriers have gone to the Bethgons but, I would not be surprised to see a two bay from time to time, especially on some of the northern short line. Good post Rob. I have some old MTL rolling stock with Marklin couplers I need to upgrade.

I just got a few sets of the new AZL truck mounted couplers and find
that they couple Very Well. Wheels are metal and are very free rolling.
Frames are plastic and well detailed.So far all is positive.

I converted two MTL Tubular hoppers aad discovered some negatives.
Wheels are noticably larger than MTL's and are further apart. I cannot
say which ones are correctly dimensioned but difference is quit
noticable.Trucks have really excessive horizontal swing.

They install easily using original MTL bolster pins. AZL supplies pins
but they do not fit MTL bodies.

The two cars with AZL couplers work VERY well but coupler height is so
low that they will not couple with MTL coupers although when at the same
height they appear to be completely compatible.

Couplers are almost rigid in the coupler coupler housing whereas MTL
couplers move easily from side to side in the box. A real plus is that
the ASLs are rigid which should prevent the ojectionable bouncing which
occurs with MTL couplers.

My initial enthusiasm for converting all of my cars to AZL couplers was
dampened by the points mentioned above.

I sincerely hope that someone will find that I have done something
wrong and describe how the conversion to AZLz is easy and PRACTICAL.
Then I can do some converting.( although the dimensional differences
may stil be a problem). Ican live with roller bearings on wooden cattle
cars if the mechanics are OK

Cliff

With to my comments on the roller bearing trucks and new latching couplers the acrs i converted are Full Throttle Tubular Hopperswhich is probably the reason for the incompatible bolster pins.
Cliff

Cliff,

Thanks for clarifying that you are using the Full Throttle cylindrical hoppers. You are correct, the AZL pins will not work with these cars. Plus the trucks do swing considerably on the cylindricals.

I am very perplexed and would like to know when your AZL couplers do not align with MTL's. The AZL shares the same coupler height from the rail as MTL. I just took the photo below for reference. It shows a MTL 40' box car connected to a single AZL Bettendorf truck. You will see the height is perfect.



Any way you can post a photo of the two cars in question?

As for the truck length, the AZL's are about a foot longer. I am not sure which is more prototypical, but I personally like the look of the longer trucks. This is especially true when they are used on the longer freight cars.

Rob

Rob, the only thing I can think of is how you couple a AZL to a MTL coupler. You drop the AZL on a MTL coupler and not the other way around. That's because the pin from the MTL coupler prevents it from dropping into the correct position.

Rob
Truck Mounted MTL OK with AZL latch coupler. Body mountMTL couplers seem a bit high
and slip over top of AZL when tension is applied. I tried a Full Throttle Box and an MTL tank car with body mounted couplers
Incidentally, what is the scale inch diameter of the very nice metal truck wheels.They are noticably bigger.
Cliff

CLiff, John,

John, thank for the photo. Good image. It seams that the MTL coupler is bending upwards. This is also what Cliff is describing with the body mounts. That under tension, the MTL couplers are pull tight and lifting. I have seen this before in operations with both AZL and MTL couplers. I usually tab the couplers back down into place it about 1/2 the time they stay there. Anyone have experience with this. Any thoughts?

John, can you post your photo on the thread?

Thanks,
Rob

How do the new AutoLatch couplers get uncoupled? No one has mentioned that yet.

Unlatching is simple... I suggest using a hammer, chisel, crowbar, small explosive device, about 20 people, and an act of God. Or you can use a cat. Cats can knock anything apart.

Uncoupling is the same as uncoupling MTL cars if you are not using the magnetics. I slight lift, twist and separate. It is a bit easier since AZL does not use a pin like MTL.

John's image is interesting. The MTL coupler appears to bending upwards and away from the AZL. The pin appears to be keep the AZL locked in place and is forcing the MTL coupler up. Likely a pin adjustment will correct. But, I have seen MTL and AZL couplers pull upwards at time. Come to think about it, I have also seen Marklin couplers do this when they are under strain. I remember using a ship on a Marklin coupler to force it down. This worked great. I wonder if a small shim will help force the MTL couplers down when the start to pull up as shown. Just a thought....

Rob

Rob,the older version of the AZL does seem a little lower. My current version of the MTL coupler conversion requires a little piece of plastic to keep the coupler in its proper height. I still have couple of modifications I want to do, but haven't had the time to test it.

http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/picture.php?albumid=60&pictureid=3399

ztrack wrote:

Unlatching is simple... I suggest using a hammer, chisel, crowbar, small explosive device, about 20 people, and an act of God. Or you can use a cat. Cats can knock anything apart.

Uncoupling is the same as uncoupling MTL cars if you are not using the magnetics. I slight lift, twist and separate. It is a bit easier since AZL does not use a pin like MTL.

Rob

Thanks Rob. Are you saying that at the moment there's no way to remote unlatch these? If that's the case I'd opt for the Cat Method

I agree I have to keep the table high enough and no climbable areas near by otherwise the automatic uncoupler, my half Tabby half Siamese, furry one will start working. Either way the couplers still look good. Rob can you tell us what the new roadnames will be for the SD70's and SD75's?

Rob, I just received my order of AZL Bettendorfs, and they're beauts. On the prototype drawing I have (CN 50-ton ore car, mid-50's vintage), the wheel center-to-center distance for a 50-ton truck is 60 inches. I haven't tried measuring the AZL version.

For us wannabe scratchbuilders, can you give the height above rail top of the top surface of the AZL truck bolster? I have tried to measure it with a micrometer, but had no luck. I know how high above the rail top the body of the car I am building should be, but have no idea how far the car bolster should extend to achieve that car height.

Michael