Kadee Komplications - N Scale

[southernman]

This may be long so I'll try & start with a question that captures the info I'm looking for:

What system of couplers on N Scale Rolling stock & locos will get me the most reliable hands free operation?

I am newly back into the hobby, & am nearing completion of all structures & benchwork for my Southern Railway system.  I LOVE smooth operating, but in working with standardizing all my rolling stock, I cannot get consistent performance & compatibility.

I am using all micro-trains couplers & magnets, long story short, in practicing on my small oval & yard, the ONLY consistent operation is using all micro-trains cars that have not been modified in any way (same condition as when I purchased).  I dunno, they just seem balanced & tweaked for perfect operation, pins swing apart nicely, delayed uncoupling works perfectly.

Now, when I take my Atlas rolling stock & add MT Roller Bearing trucks (short extension, experimenting with medium with not great results), I get really sloppy performance, poor compatibility in performance with the MT cars, difficult to get a regular uncouple, & when I back a car in for delayed uncoupling, the cars just recouple, the couplers do not align correctly.  My roller bearing trucks also seem equipped with a different metal pin, more bronze than the steel pins found on MT cars.  When over the magnet, the pins just dont spread as dramatically as with the MT cars.

Am I missing something?  Whats the best way to standardize my rolling fleet?  Different wheels?  Balancing?  Weighting?  Different Magnets?

Is my experience standard for the hobby?

Thanks everybody, any response greatly appreciated!

Lee

[cjcrescent]

Southerman;

I am not an N scaler, but a good friend is and we get together for op sessions several times a year at his layout. He uses MT trucks and couplers as well. They operate as intended, very smooth and trouble free. He does lubricate his couplers with a dry powdered lube like graphite or teflon. He "puffs" a small amount into the coupler and draft gear and works the coupler back and forth to spread the powder.

His layout is currently 34'x15' and will be 34'x 32' when all track and benchwork is finished.