quick Kadee coupler question

[Anonymous]

Is there a difference between the Kadee #4 and #15 coupler other than the draft gearbox included? I checked the dimensions from kadee website and the couplers look exactly the same.

Thanks in advance for all responses.
JB

[SROC99]

Joebez,

The Kadee #4 and #15 (as you mentioned) are the "same coupler" only used with different draft gear boxes. The #4 being a very old design that was used even before the #5 style of coupler. The #15 is the #4 we designed to be used in our log car kits and other low profile coupler mountings.

Sam Clarke
Kadee Quality Products

[SROC99]

My apologies! That should have been spelled "Joebaze" and not Joebez. Fingers going faster than the mind...sorry.

Humble regards

Sam Clarke
Kadee Quality Products

[Anonymous]

Delighted to have the specialist on board, Welcome Sam. With all the substandard clones/failures around, it's great to have 45 years of KD quality participating.

[Don Gibson]

CAVEAT'S:

#4 is a metal coupler that has (had?) a METAL non insulated box - best for plastic cars.

[SROC99]

Hello Chuck and Don,

Thanks for your comments Chuck, we (I) do appreciate them. I sometimes take a little time and review the forums to see what's going on and to see what the modelers are talking about, etc. I rarely comment unless someone needs direct information about our products.

Don, the #4 still has an all metal draft gear box. It was designed mostly for the earily models that had the two side mounted screw holes and for the "craftsman" kits with wood floors.

Regards,

Sam Clarke
Kadee Quality Products

[cacole]

Admitting my age here -- I remember using Kadee #4s way back in the 1960s on rolling stock kits. That was the only knuckle coupler available then.

[Don Gibson]

... and that internal centering - sproink! Where'd it go?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cacole

Admitting my age here --

Don & I are Senior Citizens. You got a way to go before you climb that grade.

[Anonymous]

#4s still have their place: that (sproink...) coil centring spring allows close coupled passenger cars to pull apart, a little, on tight curves.

Allan Lees

[gmcrail]

If we're bragging about age here [:D], I was using No. 4's before they went magnetic (mid-50's), and when the #4 was the only coupler Kadee made. The centering spring was stronger then, and it didn't have that little slug in it to keep the slack from running out too far. A long train could get a lot of spring "slack action" by the time the caboose got moving - about like a prototype long freight would back when they had cabooses... Can you say "whiplash"? [:)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomotive3

QUOTE: Originally posted by cacole

Admitting my age here --

Don & I are Senior Citizens. You got a way to go before you climb that grade.

Oops! I just saw your profile, Gary too.