This might belong in Prototype Info, but more people here read this subforum, so I though I'd ask and share the info here instead. And I did look through the archives, Coupler types gives me a lot of McHenry/Kadee vs. Horn Hook.
What I'm wanting to learn today, is the uses of the different coupler types: E, H, etc. The Trains Article sasys that all the Class 1 Passenger cars have the H couplers on them but what of the freight cars, and since I have and there are a number of modellers here in the Transition Era, were they all Ds and Es?
-Morgan
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
Type E is the normal coupler these days. Stronger than Type D. Some have a bottom shelf.
Type E can also be a tank car double shelf coupler. This one has extra casting on the top and bottom, to prevent the coupler from riding up in a wreck and puncturing the end of the tank car. http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page119.htm
Type H is passenger Tightlock. Reduces slack ,and holds together better, avoids jackknifing in a wreck. Note extra casting on either side. These lock together.
Can be modified from a Kadee 118 Type F double shelf. http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page118.htm Also look similar to a rotary coupler, as used on coal trains that go through a rotary unloader.
Not sure when Tightlock became mandatory on passenger cars cars. Probably in the Amtrak era. Older ones didn't have them.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
WSOR 3801Can be modified from a Kadee 118 Type F double shelf. http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page118.htm Also look similar to a rotary coupler, as used on coal trains that go through a rotary unloader.
*Cough*AndSergentisreleasingonewithamodifiedwandtoreachunderdiagphrams*cough*
Alright, so a straight E is on everything, excpet for the Tankcars then? Or should the single/double shelf be on others as well (commonly, anyway)
Rotary dump cars have that kind. Passenger cars these days (Amtrak-compliant) will have Tightlock. Most everything else will have Type E. Lower-shelf is becoming more commonplace. Tank cars must have double-shelf.
I have been seeing other cars equipped with double-shelf couplers, mostly covered hoppers in plastic service. One explanation is that the same outfit which owns both the tank cars and the covered hoppers is standardizing on one type of coupler. The tank cars need double-shelf, so that becomes the standard.
WSOR 3801 mostly covered hoppers in plastic service.
Cool I plan on running those. Thanks for the lesson.
FlashwaveWhat I'm wanting to learn today, is the uses of the different coupler types: E, H, etc. The Trains Article sasys that all the Class 1 Passenger cars have the H couplers on them but what of the freight cars, and since I have and there are a number of modellers here in the Transition Era, were they all Ds and Es?
My question is "why are you asking this?" Is it just curiosity, or would it be your plan to equip your cars with the prototypically correct coupler? If prototypical correctness is the goal, then I would ask how you intend to uncouple the cars on your model railroad. Some people like to use magnets, and others like to use the "stick a skewer between the knuckles" method. And still others use the "lift up one end of the car" method. Those fancy shelf-type model couplers work much like the real ones and defy uncoupling by pretty much any method other than the magnets, so I think I'd equip a car or two with them and see how they work before I went whole-hog with the entire fleet.
maxmanMy question is "why are you asking this?" Is it just curiosity, or would it be your plan to equip your cars with the prototypically correct coupler?
Yes. Partially, I wanted to learn the difference, as I was reading and wanted to know more. Eventually, I want to try to equip them with, and I wanted to avoid their mention as it usually turns into a not-so firendly but not rude debate, but Sergent Engineering is doing a few different designs in couplers, and I've given serigous consideration to using them. Right now though, I'm not in a real good position to do that. Being fresh out of High School and not yet employed.
Orignally, I wanted the Segents cause I have aspirations to a 55 car Ringling Circus Train. At an average of 11" a car (85ft scale for coaches and 89ft flats) I wanted to remove as many failpoints in the trains as I could. I mean other than the operator. This includes overstretched coupler springs, and slack banging that rarely but does allow for uncoupling. I think I have one of the highest numbers of Kadee couplers failing on the forums. Mostly, due to the coupler spring coming out randomly.
For those of you just joining, instead of a spring like Kadee, Sergent uses a steel ball INSIDE the coupler to hold the knuckle closed by gravity. To unhook, you hold the wand over the copuler, which pulls up the ball, and the coupler can be pulled apart by hand or loco. The major contention between the two is that Segent is not directly compatable. You CAN close the knuckle on a Sergent around the knuckle of a Kadee, just like you can shove a Horn Hook into a Kadee knuckle. But it's ain't purty. They're also more expensive, but are more accurate to the model.