N-Scale Couplers - Some questions

[turbine682]

Hi all,

I am familiar with the Micro-Trains line of couplers and the magne-matic operations, although I don't have "hands-on" with conversion / usage.

1) How does Accumate stack-up against MT?

2) Is it correct to assume that all locos and rolling stock that have Accumates installed are magnetic and will work just like MT?

3) What's the best way to manually uncouple these cars? Should I gently manipulate the trip pin?

4) How about couplers installed on other products like Bachman, Life-like, and Model Power. Are they magnetic and work like MT? (I generally stay away from these products, but customers don't and have questions)

Any additional advice and info is welcome. FYI - I always promote these forums to customers. Generally, response time to my questions has been under 30 minutes, and I know you guys and gals are experts.

Thanks in advance,

--Ed

[MAbruce]

QUOTE: Originally posted by turbine682

Hi all,

I am familiar with the Micro-Trains line of couplers and the magne-matic operations, although I don't have "hands-on" with conversion / usage.

1) How does Accumate stack-up against MT?

You will get varying opinions here. I think that MT’s are superior, but Accumates offer a good value alternative. Early releases of these couplers proved troublesome. Trip pins tended to fall out, and some of the couplers would come apart under minimal strain. They seemed to have fixed these issues lately, but I try not to run them in trains longer than 20 cars (which is close to the max I run on my layout anyway).

MT’s are rock solid and will hold up in long trains without question, but they command a higher price. Bottom line, I think that the newer Accumates work fine, cost less, and are ideal for shorter trains. But that’s just my opinion.

QUOTE: 2) Is it correct to assume that all locos and rolling stock that have Accumates installed are magnetic and will work just like MT?

YES.

QUOTE: 3) What's the best way to manually uncouple these cars? Should I gently manipulate the trip pin?

I've seen people use a thin straw or toothpick, stick it between the couplers and twist. I’ve tried this with mixed results. They (MT?) also sells a special manual uncoupler that is just like these home remedies. I’ve got to the point where I get lazy and just lift one of the two cars up to uncouple.

QUOTE: 4) How about couplers installed on other products like Bachman, Life-like, and Model Power. Are they magnetic and work like MT? (I generally stay away from these products, but customers don't and have questions)

The manufacturers you listed still use Rapido couplers, which are not compatable with MT. However, they can be converted to MT. The easiest way is to replace the entire truck with an MT truck with knuck couplers. You can always replace just the coupler, but I’ve found this to be hard to do Here is a link to their conversion tables:

http://www.micro-trains.com/conversions_.htm

I would be careful with the recent Bachmann offerings (Silver line). I noticed they have a different screw in type bolster pin which I could not fit an Accumate truck on. MT may have a way to retrofit one of their couplers on, but I’m not sure.

In general, some of the LifeLike and Model Power cars may not be that bad. Just be sure they have the standard bolster pin so you can swap in Accumate and/or MT equipped trucks. I got a set of LL boxcars recently for cheap, and they were great to practice my weathering on. They didn’t turn out half bad.

QUOTE: Any additional advice and info is welcome. FYI - I always promote these forums to customers. Generally, response time to my questions has been under 30 minutes, and I know you guys and gals are experts.

As far as couplers go, there are some other “dummy” type (non-magnetic) knuckle couplers out there. The first that comes to mind is the MDC coupler which came as an option to some older “Roundhouse” cars I got. They look nice but work poorly. They simply don’t stay coupled all the time.

The other is from Kato, and I don’t have any experience with them. They come on their cars, but I hear they are okay.

[turbine682]

Thanks MAbruce!

[Bikerdad]

To add to what MAbruce said,

The Kato automatic and semi-automatic knuckle couplers are good, they STAY coupled. However, they're a bit more of a bash-em together to get them to couple to the other brands than the Micro-Trains and Accumate couplers.

Don't manipulate the trip pin to uncouple, cause you'd have to manipulate both at the same time, big hassle. Either simply lift one of the two cars/locos, or use a bamboo skewer/RixPix/shaped***tail skewer/Craftsman pick/micro screwdriver etc to gently separate the knuckles.

Most folks in N scale, given their druthers, will take Micro-Trains couplers over any of the alternatives, although both the new, improved Accumates and the new Kato operating knuckles are winning some adherents. Unimates, MDC ("mighty darn compatibles") and other dummy knuckles are probably the LEAST popular, even Rapidos are preferred over the various dummy knuckles.

[turbine682]

Thanks all,

I read the review on the Cal Zephyr... primarily to get some info about the Katos. Duh, what's the difference between Kato automatic and semi-automatic?

Thanks for the advice about the trip pins. I've seen an article where someone used the skewer, and I've seen the Rix Pix in Walthers.

Bashing cars together to couple is scary. However, I've had the entire Pocohantas (sp?) passenger train fall off the 500ft cliff with absolutely no damage (AMEN!) (Stupid Engineer!) other than complete loss of life.


--Ed

[Bikerdad]

The bashing isn't quite full-on Toddler style slam 'em together. Its simply that when coupling with other knuckles, the Katos frequently requiring more force than normal ops, or you have to hold the non-moving car in place.

[Anonymous]

The Kato couplers are nice for use in passenger trains when you don't have to do a lot of un-coupling. Once coupled, they stay coupled and look very nice.
Micro Trains for everything else!
I use a fine pointed bamboo skewing stick coated with Graphite at the point to un-couple my Micro Trains and it seems to work very nice. You do need good lighting though to see where to put the point after you "Bunch em up."
Good luck,
gtirr