I have an offset that is on the front of two F-3 units and I am having trouble keeping the train together. Has anyone else had to deal with this problem? And what have you done to fix it? My short term soulution has been to use black tape, but I need something that is a little more long term.
Thanks,
Mark
See you at Fairplex. 5 years and going strong!
I have used the Larger size Kadees since I got my Aster Climax back around 1990. I have had good luck with them.
The only problems I have had stem from them being the wrong height. If they were too low sometimes the steel pin would catch on swithes or crossings causing all sorts of mischeif. I finally just cut them all off...I never used the magnetic un-coupling feature anyhow.
The other problem is if they do not line up properly in the verical dimension. If I couple one of those low ones with a car where the coupler was high, the train would stay coupled until it hit a bump or dip in the track...a common occurance on my line. The fix is to re-locate the coupler to the right height. this is often easier said than done. On scratch built wooden cars it is just a matter of some time with a chisle and glue.
One persistant puzzler was my Bachmann tank car (with retro fitted offset Kaydee couplers). they seemed to line up pretty well buuuuttt...when the train pulled hard against the coupler, the coupler bracket would bend and the coupler would get lower. I ended up getting out the ol' chisel and glue an body mounted a coupler just as my wooden cars.
So for your locomotive...The smaller couplers that look best with 1:32 equipment are more finicky with respect to height. check that the heights line up properly. if you need to lower the coupler, you can add a shim somewere which is pretty easy...just some styrene between it and the locomotive when you install the coupler.
Raising it may be a little more tricky. I do not know all the variations of Kaydees, check that you are using the right one for your engine. you may be able to file or dremel a little material away somewhere to raise it a little.
Also check that there is no "play" or vertical motion in the coupler as mounted on the engine. Are all the screws tightened properly? Is the coupler attatchment too flexible? If it is flexible you will need to find a way to stiffen it...maybe a peice of brass plate screwed to the coupler and the truck of the loco (or body of the loco) would help.
Winnegance and Quebec Railway
Eric Schade Gen'l Manager
The heights are fine and everything is tight, the problem is that it's a long train so because I don't get a straight pull on the coupler it tends to move being offset. Everything 1:29.
Are these truck or body-mounted? If they're truck mounted, you're dealing with something called "tongue droop." Don't ask me why it's called that. The couplers themselves have an ever-so-slight taper on the inside face of the knuckle. As they go into tension, they tend to slide up and down relative to each other as the train pulls on these tapered faces. The longer the arm onto which the coupler is mounted, the more potential for flex it has.
A few thoughts. First, change the couplers to the new e-type couplers. These couplers don't have a noticeable taper on the knuckle, so they're less prone to sliding up and over the other coupler. My second thought would be to get some Scotch tape or something, and layer it into the coupler pocket to shim the coupler itself so its vertical play is limited. I don't think there's much you can do about the arm onto which the coupler is mounted, but if you can make the coupler itself less prone to vertical movement, that will help out.
Later,
K
What brand are your F units? Go to Kadee's web site and look up the correct coupler number for it. They list most major brands and models.
http://www.kadee.com/conv/g1list.pdf
Howdy Mark; I run an AB set of USATs F3s equipped with Kadee 831 couplers front and rear and haven’t had problems. In your last post you indicated the “offset” problem might be on curves. What size curvatures are you using? My mainline minimum is 10’ diameter and 2.5% max. grades. My trains run up to 15 or 20 cars. I also run five USATs GP9s and two Aristo UB25s equipped with Kadee 831 couplers. I have experienced the “truck coupler tongue droop” mentioned above and am in the process of replacing the Kadee 831 couplers with body mounted 830 Kadees on all rolling stock.
Hope this helps, Rob
One of the things I have done is minamize the play on the truck itself. And I also prreferr body mounts myself. make for more prototype look.
Dave
The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.
Thanks Guys. I have the correct couplers for my units, USA. The problem is the engines are low and it calls for this type for the heights to be equal. The curves are fine, the train only runs at Fairplex so the Diameters are huge and everything is body mounted. I'll be running it on our public run day on May 1, if any of you guys are around you should come out.
I have a number of F units. I am likewise disappointed in the large offset couplers required. I'm working on a better solution, straight shanks.
I'll be there are the fairplex for the show. We should shoot the breeze on these couplers and a better solution. I have a friend who is going all straight shanks and it makes a world of difference, but it's, of course, simple physics.
Regards, Greg
Visit my site: http://www.elmassian.com - lots of tips on locos, rolling stock and more.
Click here for Greg's web site
The only problem is that I have them coupling to LGB cars and they ride pretty high. I could use a straight shank and lower a "conversion" car to that height but I was trying to do that as a last resort. I will try to be there in May for the show and maybe run my train so you can see it.
I'd recommend getting all your couplers at a standard height... if you have a lot of cars at different heights, then make conversion cars. Before I converted everything, I converted the locos to all Kadees and had freight and passenger conversion cars... like the first car on a string of Aristo heavyweights, the first car on a string of USAT streamliners...
I set all of my kadees with their height gauge. That takes care of the height problem.
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