First Timer on couplers

[1train]

The couplers that come with stock car kits, are they ok to use or should they be replaced with better ones? If so what do you recommend? Also why do you replace couplers with better ones.
Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Hi Tom,

I found early on that the "horn-hook" couplers that came with HO scale kits were easy to replace with automatic knuckle couplers. Not only did these improve performance greatly, because the cars would stay coupled but could be uncoupled easily when I wanted to, they also upgraded the cars' appearance.

Several good brands of automatic knuckle couplers are on the market -- Accumate, Kadee, Sargent, and those made by Bachmann and Life-Like are ones that come to mind. I'd recommend buying a package or two of each, install them on some cars, and operate with them for a while. They're all compatible, and you'll get a good idea of which brand you prefer.

Hope this helps,

Paul Schmidt
Contributing Editor
Trains.com

[Anonymous]

If your are talking HO,then KDs(Keith & Dale) have an outstanding reputation. Over last last few years many clones have come on the marker. !Don't be fooled! KD has been in the coupler business for over 30 years and produce 40 different coupler and hardware sets, including mounting methods and hardware to fit vitually every model loco or car built.
KD also produces conversion kits,shims,washers,coupler height gage,trip pin, wheelsets, uncouplers and freight cars.

Not all cars or locos take the same KD coupler because of, a few dozen model car manufacturers.

If you're in HO you will need more infor. You can e-mail me .
[e-mail]

[rogerhensley]

I, too, prefer Kadee couplers and have found that their number 5 (and now number 58) will handle nearly anything that I need. Kadee is dependable. I have experimented with some of the other knuckle couplers and have always come back to Kadee for operation.

Knuckle couplers look and work better than the Horn-hook. For some more info on knuckle couplers and their installation from a modelers point of view, you can check out the NMRA Beginners Pages at http://www.nmra.org/beginner/

There is a page there on knuckle couplers with some photos of an installation.

Roger

[Anonymous]

Tom, I wouldn't look any couplers besides Kadee.
Alot of the new couplers have a plastic shim
instead of a spring and they will not last. I
bought new cars with the plastic instead of
springs and some never even worked. Kadee couplers
are a metal coupler most other brands are all
plastic. I wouldn't waste the money buying the
less expensive couplers just do it once. When I
purchase a new item I changed it over to Kadee
as soon as I get it. Kadee has to many years in
the business the others only have a few years.
In Walthers Catalog there is conversion charts for
just about anything you want to put Kadees on.
Ross

[dknelson]

I agree with the above -- Kadee remains the best in my experience
That much said more and more kits and R-T-R are coming with Kadee compatible couplers and it does no harm to give them a try. I think after a while you too will prefer the mechanical reliability of Kadees.
Soon we will no longer be in the absurd situation we were in for years: buy a new kit, or an expensive locomotive, and the FIRST thing you did was throw away the couplers! It was (and is) nuts.
Dave Nelson

[Anonymous]

Tom, I would change from the horn hook and use the KD's. You are getting some very good advice on this thread. Not only are the KD's I've used more reliable they look better. KD also has a web site and on it is a listing of all the brands of cars and manufacturers and types of couplers suitable for use on each. This is very helpful when choosing couplers. There are many different styles for particular applications.

John

[snowey]

you don't say what guage (size) you're into, but if it's HO, then definetly go with KADEE. Unless you get a car or locomotive with knukle couplers on it (which most of them have) The're all compatible with KADEE, and each other. If you mean N scale, then go with either MICRO-TRAINS couplers, or Atlas "ACU-MATE" couplers. MICRO-TRAINS and KADEE used to be the same company , but then they split into two sepreate companys, the first one kept the name KADEE, and the second one became MICRO-TRAINS. They manufacture N & Z scale couplers and rolling stock, and KADEE continues to make HO couplers and rolling stock. And, you don't HAVE TO change the couplers. Horn-Hook couplers (in HO) work, but they have limitations. They don't look prototypical, they're oversized, and sometimes they don't always work well on curves. In N scale, rapido couplers (which some equipment still comes with, unfortunatly) the same things hold true.

[1train]

Thanks to all of you that have replied to my question about couplers. Kadee is the winner and I'll be at my local train store tomorrow to discuss.
Thanks again!
Tom

[BR60103]

Tom and all:
Some points that weren't mentioned about the HO train set couplers:
They are sprung sideways so that your wheels are pessing against the rail and will notice any bad rail joints. The kadees are sprung to the centre.
There is no good uncoupler for them.
The design was not made standard by the NMRA so the different makes can be quite different. (They were designed by a committee of the NMRA, but never went beyond the experimental stage, being last designated X2f. They are sometimes called NMRA or X2f but both are wrong.)
--DAvid