So I just bought a Bachmann GG-1 With DCC and I had a set of passenger cars that are ATLAS Item #50 004 253 (NYC) Passenger 5 pack and I was just trying them since i had them and was hoping to save for a set of PRR ones to go with the engine. So what couplers work well together as I am VERY new to the style of couplers and not sure what they even have and what they can work with.
I think Micro Trains is the leader in N scale couplers. That's about the extent of my N-scale wisdom, but this will bump your post up to the top of the stack and the N scalers can weigh in.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Thank you very much
Just figured out the type the type is Medium E-Z Mate Mark II Couplers any ideas.
Don't use Bachmann couplers, even on bachmann product.
Although MT is my standard, I still use many other types, after MT's then Accumates.
When the Kadee - MT couplers patends were over, many clones of magnetic couplers were offered on the market in HO scale and in N scale
I model in N scale and use exclusively MT couplers.
Even if all the clones are designed to work with MT or the others clones one, the reality is well far from the speach.
In fact, and from my own experience, the clones are like a MT, have the color of MT, but are not MT couplers or assimilable ones and they don't work with reliability with MT couplers, they need much heavier chock to be coupled than a MT one or they don't uncouple well together.
Some of the clones use plastic "wings" as spring, and these plastic springs didn't go older very well, they are not equaly in the quality and the force they exercise.
The knuckle form also differ a bit from the MT and in some case this design is difficult to mate with the MT couplers.
If you use magnetic uncoupling a attachement with a clone and a MT is prone to have trouble to uncouple, because of the spring sensibility of the coupler but also the knuckle design.
So all the clones are banished from my layout, a car has only the right to run on my layout if he is equiped with MT couplers.
Standardization of couplers is a must to have and kill any trouble for coupling or uncoupling
However for some cost consideration some block of cars like passenger ones on my layout are still equiped with the clones but each end cars has MT couplers, so no trouble with the locomotives or a next car to be coupled or uncoupled.
And never forget, MT couplers are named "the Cadillac" of the couplers, I would say they are the the "Rolls Royce" of the coupler in N scale and this is not usurpated for sure.
Yes some will say MT couplers have some jerking motion in reverse, the spring are to soft, but I prefer to live with this jerking motion than any coupling trouble which can really become a nightmare and specially in N scale.
MT couplers are offered in numerous models attachement and size which able you to put them on most equipment with no big troubles; MT offer some special tools which are helpful to put them in place, the height and pin gauge is a must
And most of the equipment which was produced around 2005 until now need just a replacement coupler to be equiped with MT couplers without the need of night job to place them.
Also remember, N scale is tiny, cars are light, so this mean they need a perfect coupler and for sure MT is the best answer on the market today.
I spent many years in N and my biggest drawback with MT couplers is the slnkly effect-the last few cars slink back and forth which I found unacceptable for my prototyical switching operation on my N Scale switching layouts. So, I switched from MTs to Atlas Accumate coupler and enjoyed the improvement in switching no more nasty slinking.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Famaz00
https://www.micro-trains.com/index.php?_route_=conversions
Click on link:
Take Care!
Frank