USA and Aristo Couplers!

[Dream Lessin]

Aristo-craft appears to come with a standard looking coupler, but some of the USA Trains rolling stock appears to have this odd coupler that has a bar that holds up a connecting bar.  So I guess my question is do the USA Trains also come with the more standard looking couplers or do i have to go out and buy some to make it work with Aristo stuff? 

[Lathroum]

They come with a Knuckle Coupler.... but general concensus is that USA couplers are not that good... I Standardized with Aristo couplers as most of my stuff is Aristo... they go on the USA stuff fairly easily (you have to break off a tab and sand a little bit)

But you will want all your couplers to be the same...

Hope this helps...

Philip

[Dream Lessin]

Thanks.

[altterrain]

I also standardized all my equipment (USA, Bachmann, Hartland, LGB) to Aristo couplers. I have found most folks not using hook & loops usually standardize to Aristo or Kadee couplers.

 -Brian

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Don't forget the other alternative --- conversion cars --- get some cars that have usa on one end and Aristo on the other, kadee on one end aristo on the other, hook & loop on one end aristo on the other; or however you want to do it! 

[dwbeckett]

My is only as good as Capt Bob's, I have been using conversion car's for year's first "HO", then "N", then "HOn3", now LS as I convert to Kadee's from all the rest. BTY conversion chart's all available to convert to Kadee. The only word's of caution I can offer is USE THE COUPLER HIGHT GAGE then you will eliminate problem's before they arise. NOT ALL ROLLING STOCK ARE MADE THE SAME

DWB

[GP-9_Man11786]

You would think a large-scale standard knuckle coupler would have been agreed upon by this stage of game. That was the biggest shock for me in the switch from O-Gauge to G.

 

[Great Western]

Greetings,

              All my stock is Bachmann  (not 1:20 spectrum however) but Big Hauler range and  Aristocraft.  As far as couplings are concerned I prefer the Bachmann ones as they couple and uncouple more easily when required to do so.  They also permit the stock to be more closely coupled than the Aristo ones.  What I have done, when having mixed stock is to use Aristo 20ft. cars as conversion cars.  Also one or two cabooses (Aristo) and the Aristo track cleaning car are also conversion coupled.   This works well for me.  

  If I find a way to convert all stock to Bachmann then I will in future but at the moment I use a very small rubber band on the Bachmann coupling fitted to the Aristo stock.  This centralizes the hook and stops the sideways movement.  Simple but effective.  

  However someone may enlighten me with another method. 

[TonyWalsham]

I much prefer USA Trains couplers ove AristoCraft.

USA couplers will match and nudge couple with Bachmann, Lionel and Delton.  AristoCraft do not match with anything else.

Plus you can have an operating cut lever with USA and not AristoCraft.

A lot depends on whether or not you are using truck mounted or body mounted couplers. Truck mounted Aristocraft do couple well to each other and stay coupled as long as the train is going forwards. They do not handle a train backing very well. When backing the coupler head can be pushed to one side and derail the trucks.  Body mounted couplers are much more stable.

If I had a choice I would not pick either.  Body mounted Kadees for me in future.  Although I could be convinced of body mounted AMS couplers.  Again because of the cut lever capability.

[Great Western]

Greetings,

   Since my post of 14th. April re Aristo and Bachmann couplings I have made a significant change.

  I have decided to form either Bachmann or Aristo trains, I now have five  trains of similar consists i.e. all tank, gondolas or boxcar/reefers in Bachmann Big Hauler  range totalling sixteen freight plus three passenger cars..   Of course I can mix them up into a varied consists as I wish.   The Aristo train is a mixed consist of seven cars.   I have four cabooses (3 Aristo and 1 scratchbuilt).  The passenger cars, which are J&S models, will only ever run with Bachmann Annies.

    I had used some of the Aristo stock as conversion cars but have now changed this. All four cabooses have mixed couplings - Aristo one end, Bachmann the other which gives good flexibility.   I have fitted an Aristo coupling to a Bachmann gondola, a tank car and a boxcar.  This allows the larger Aristo locos to run with the Bachmann stock and is better than the orginal system described in my previous post.

  Maybe, now I have bought most of the stock I need, I can look towards replacing all couplings with a standard one - as funds permit.  I also need to change some wheels, but that is another subject altogether.

  I note Tony's comment about reversing de-railements when using Aristo couplings.  I have noticed this on a couple of occasions.  I tend to use the Aristo stock for switching operations which means that one, two or three cars are not subject to this nuisance.

  This does not seem to happen with Bachmann couplings at all.  By the way all my Bachmann stock is truck mounted and some of the Aristo body mounted (20ft. stock) - as supplied by the manufacturer.