Basic questions I need help with

[jlcjrbal]

--S-o I guess the last question would be what do the numbers mean The # % or 55 or 148 are the just production numbers form kadee there sure are alot of them Joesph

[jlcjrbal]

Good Job everyone . It is sometimes easier to post here then stare at the wall at the LHS Right now I just have 2 main lines going and I hope to start on the yard in the next few weeks after I get all the bugs out of what I have going on now . My 3 year old boy is to blame for most of my coupler problems hence I have been letting him use the old cars and putting up the newer ones untill he understands... Thanks again Joseph

[jim22]

I've had a Kadee "between the rails delayed permanent magnet" installed for a while. It works, and the cars won't uncouple themselves if there's tension on them, but the adjustment of the trip pin is very critical.

Today, I did a quick test of a McHenry "under the track delayed permanent magnet". I was surprised how strong it was. It seemed to magnetize the rails (I use old Tyco chrome-colored rails, which are at least somewhat ferrous), and it pulled the couplers right down until they rubed on the rail. I didn't try coupling/uncoupling with it (pretty silly, huh?) but I think the trip pin adjustment wont be anywhere near as sensative. Installing it does, however, require making a hold under the track.

Best advice on Kadee No. 5's: Decide that you want one (they ARE worth the hassel), and install a factory new spring and coupler. Adjust the car height to get the coupler height to match the gauge, and then adjust the trip pin to work reliably. Then LEAVE THAT COUPLER ON THAT CAR FOREVER. I have seen over-fiddling wreck both the brass leaf springs and the trip pins.

I like the Kadees better than the proto 2000, the bachmann ez-mate, and the McHenries. They seem to open more positively over the magnets. The McHenries with the coil springs are bettter than any with integral plastic whisker. I'm looking forward to trying the Kadee whisker couplers.

Jim

[dinwitty]

The club layout I was in was a hands off operation :erm: that goes out the door fast tho...

I like hands off operating as much as possible.

Kadees have a hook in the knuckle as long as the cars are stretched, they wont uncouple over a ramp.

You generally keep uncouplers off the mainline, save an electric one for possible mainline use.
the hand uncouplers are good when you gotta, you gotta.

Kadee's delayed action uncoupling is you pu***he car onto the ramp, reverse slightly so the couplers demate, then reverse again as the couplers are forced thumb to thumb and stay that way to pu***he car to its spot.
Then just pull away uncoupled.

[Anonymous]

Kadee #5s have been the standard for a long time. But they are oversize for HO scale. Some of the specialty ones are "scale" couplers which means they are closer to what the real size of the coupler should be. But, the scale couplers, being smaller, are much more sensitive to bad track. There are also offset shank couplers which will either raise or lower the coupler height. I use good old #5s on my layout, and dont plan on replacing them. They work great, so why should I? For uncoupling I use wooden barbecue skewers, Just stick in in between the couplers and give it a little twist. I choose them over magnets because:
1. I can uncouple wherever I want to
2. There are no unsightly magnets between my rails
3. I dont have to worry about installing magnets
4. I dont have to pay for magnets (skewers are $2 for 100 here)

[RedGrey62]

The uncouplers work fine in a yard, you will probably want several, kind of hard pushing the uncoupled cars thru all the various ladder tracks and such. I am going to put 148's on all my new equipment, just so I can test them.

A few folks use a skewer or "uncoupling tool" to uncouple the cars in locations instead of buying the magnetic uncouplers. Good luck

Rick

[jeffers_mz]

Number 5's are the standard, variants thereof for special applications. You need a Kadee coupler gauge to get them mounted right. The new coupler, the 148, looks like it may bump the number 5 off for being the standard, since it uses centering springs like the Bachman EZ-Mate instead of the separate metal piece, and I believe the knuckle spring is internal or otherwise not so obvious too. My plan is to get just enough number fives to get by until I see what the consensus is on the 148, and until Kadee starts selling them in bulk instead of two at a time.

For uncouplers, you can get between the rails, instant or delayed, under track, delayed, don't know about instant, and electromagnets, for under the track use. Some folks say that all of them cause unintentional de-couplings, but all of mine are on spurs where there's no such thing, so I don't worry about that. Other's say if you install them properly, there isn't a problem, so if that concerns you, you can join the debate on numerous and frequent threads here.

The delayed action simply uncouples the cars, after a bit of maneuver, without allowing the couplers to return to the position where a collision will re-couple them. Then you can push, (not pull), them to where you want to park them. After thatm the couplers return to the ready state, where a collision will couple them again. Per Kadee docs, keeping a coupler in tension as you pass over any uncoupler will prevent uncoupling. Your mileage may vary.

[SpaceMouse]

There is a conversion chart on their home page.

http://www.kadee.com/

[jlcjrbal]

Hey guys and happy New Year!!!!

Well I have been coming along with my layout and I am still in wiring mode.. But I have had some issues with the couplers and I am just confused as hell

What do you guys use and whats with all the numbers insofar as the kadee #28, # 55 etc... I like the idea of the magna coupler for the yard but if you do not have a hump I guess after it unhooks it just sits there... Anyway let me know if there is a web page that might just explain it all.. Joseph