G scale verses #1 scale Kadee couplers

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone. This is my first posting.

My question is my subject line. I'm starting in the hobby and am standardizing all my rolling stock. I'm attracted to the #1 scale coupler because of it's close-to-prototypical size but after buying a few pairs I'm finding I'm having to do alot of modifications to get the coupler to mount correctly and at the right height. It seems it would be easier to go to G gauge coupler (#830) because they are more readily installed on the rolling stock I have. Also, since I'm operating outside I have concerns about track alignment causing #1 coupler trouble with trains breaking apart and such, the coupler face being so small. Is this a real concern to have?

[bman36]

Hi there,

WELCOME to the forum! Always good to see new people posting. A number of different threads have already covered the coupler issue. My suggestion would be to do a search here. You'll find a number of postings. Sorry I cannot answer your question directly, someone else may. Failing that do some digging. There is a lot of great people here and topics to read. Enjoy! Later eh...Brian.

 

[kimbrit]

As Brian side, a big hello. Just a thought, stick with standard couplers, hook & loop for eg, for just a while while you get other things sorted with the RR. Plenty of time to go to KD's. In the meantime, enjoy.

Cheers,

Kim

[Marty Cozad]

Hi Mr Nose

Or can I call you Snoot?

I'd go for the Kadee couplers from the get go.

You have not told us if your modern or older steam era.  I run large heavy trains so i used #789/ #830

Once you leran to modify cars you catch on to what need sto be done with each type. Plus if you start with steel wheels the dia may very so you will have to adjust for that.

 Installing couplers and "making your RR" yours is part of the intertainment value of the hobby.

I now use mainly #789 because they can run on frineds RRs who have tighter curves. 

Also there are folks who will buy your old couplers for $1 each which saves them $$. I stock up on Kadees when sales are on so it cuts shipping cost.

hope this helps

Marty 

[cacole]

I use body-mounted Kadee couplers on everything.  I have both sizes of Kadee couplers on my rolling stock and have no problems with it coming apart; however, you do have to have fairly smooth trackwork.  If your track has a lot of dips and rises, the couplers will tend to come apart as one car crests a hill and its coupler raises up.

[Anonymous]

I am not a fan of Kaydee couplers entirely, i love the way they look and the concept though. I buy only LGB stuff and it has LGB couplers on them the hook and loop type thing.

The advice is to put one at both ends of your rolling stock, so that you have a double hook and this is just about 100 % foolproof with an exception to be covered below. hook up is easy, just run then stock together; uncoupling is simple with a paddle pop stick. So if that is what you have; do not change unless you have a very good reson to so do as very little may be gained.

Now the exception, the ones that are on the stock fitted by the factory, work a lot better than the ones you fit yourself.

Rgds Ian

[Anonymous]

here are some links to Kadee list.

http://www.kadee.com/conv/g1list.pdf

http://www.kadee.com/conv/page-c3.htm

Enjoy.....

[kstrong]

The 820 (#1 scale) and 830 (G scale) couplers and respective pockets are virtually identical save for size. Mounting one or the other requires the same work with regard to shimming to set the proper height. (The same goes for any of Kadee's various coupler mounts.) If you're doing 1:29 or 1:32, go with the #1 scale coupler from the outset. Once you mount one or two, it'll become old hat and you won't think twice about converting the rest of your equipment.

As for uncoupling over uneven track, even the smaller #1 scale couplers are fairly tolerant of uneven track. If your track is that uneven, couplers will be the least of your problems. I've used the #1 scale couplers for 20+ years without any uncoupling issues.



Later,

K

[Mike Dorsch CJ&M r.r.]

Are the 820's the smaller of the two couplers ? Sorry if someone already explained that but its been a long day .

[kstrong]

Yes, the 820s are smaller (#1 scale). They're about 3/4 the size of the G-scale coupler.

Later,

K

[Anonymous]

Hi cacole and thanks for responding to my question.

You said you use both sizes of Kadee's. You mean G gauge AND #1 gauge? Are they workable with each other?

Bye for now...

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for responding.

This is my first time doing anything like this - writing to people on the internet and all. It's nice to talk about the subject finally with people who are doing it. I don't know anyone where I live who is doing garden rairoading and I've had a million questions since I began a couple of years ago.

Nice to be here. Thanks again.

Bye for now..

[kstrong]

Yes, the #1 and G scale couplers will couple with each other without difficulty.

Later,

K