Couplers: To Kadee or not to Kadee.

[mondotrains]

For the life of me, I've never understood why engine and rolling stock maufacturers didn't call up Kadee, make a deal to buy their couplers in bulk, and install them on all their engines and rolling stock. Instead, many of them decided to create the crappy plastic couplers many of you have already referred to. What a waste of time...on their part and on ours, to then have to remove them, toss them in the rubbish where they belong, and install Kadees.

I have to say that one of the reasons I respect the folks at Intermountain, besides the fact that they have wonderful engines and rolling stock, is that they did exactly what I had hoped others would do.....they sell their stuff with Kadee's already installed.

Well, like I used to tell my staff before I retired....not everyone wants to be the best...they may say it and then do stupid things anyway.

Enjoy those trains.
Mondo

[twhite]

I've come around to the fact that Kadee is still the most reliable coupler on the market, and am now replacing a lot of my rolling stock that formerly had EZ-mate or Accu-Mate couplers. One problem with Accumate is that if you have a heavy train on a downgrade, the Accumate will often split and hold open because of their particular shank, which means once you hit level, you have a train in about four disconnected sections if you're not careful.
As to replacing the Athearn RTR couplers, I finally got desperate and took a bunch to my local Parish Priest to have them Exorcised.

[Anonymous]

Every car on my layout gets Kadee's on it before it is released to service.

[darth9x9]

Going Kadee is a no-brainer!!! I discard all of my crap-u-mate and mccrummy couplers.
I think it is awesome that Intermountain RTR cars come with Kadees....worth every penny!

[Jetrock]

My main problem with non-Kadee knuckle couplers is THEY BREAK OFF IF YOU STARE AT THEM CROSS-EYED! I have even had problems with Proto 2000 couplers (my P2K S1's coupler somehow got jammed the wrong way and refuses to open.) Kadees aren't perfect (especially when you lose the *&%$##%*@ spring) but they're solid, they're strong and they work every time.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lemscate
My layout runs on Sergent Engineering couplers, which are near-perfect scale Type-E couplers (metal, of course). Look much better than anything with a silly trip pin hanging down, and operate just as well (though in the correct manner).

No one else mentioned Sergent couplers. I checked out their coupler on their website, and for looks you can't beat them.

I'm just getting back into HO with a small switching layou on the drawing boardt, but with a lot of older cars that need new couplers. I think I'll try fitting a handful of cars with Sergents when I'm up & running.

Wayne

[Anonymous]

I am a newbee and one of the first things I did to all my rail cars and locos was change over to kadee's after learning how to do it right I could not be more pleased no breakage no problem smooth coupling evertime

[bogp40]

Railroading-Brit,
For adding Kadee's to any older Athearn, try body mounting to the pilots- cut off frame lugs, add 1/4" styrene block and position coupler box drill and tap (2-56) and mount. The advantage to this is the shell can be removed w/o touching the couplers, you can permanantly attach plows, footboards MU, hoses etc. Coupler can pe positioned for a more prototypical look and spacing and height adjustments are made easy. Use care when positioning couplers w/ snow plows that the opposing glad hand/ uncoupling pin has clearance. If the Kadee #5 box is to long (interfers w/ truck swing )use a 30 series. I always have the best luck with the delrin 2/56 screws. Give it a try.
Bob K.

[bogp40]

Nothing works as well as a Kadee- not only are they strong but will couple properly for low speed(prototypical) hitches. Other knock-offs can tend to bounce a light or empty car rather than coupling- so usually slam a quick/ hard hitch. Doesn't look good for operations or show. Want a smoother coupling burni***he face w/ a touch of graphite. Many times I do this on a painted or weathered knuckles.
Bob K.

[Anonymous]

Kadee all the way!
Plastic couplers make great "detail" parts for a car shop or scrap heap, but when you run them hard, they fail. I'd rather put Kadee's on from the start, rather than fix em later.

[Don Gibson]

Since most RTR cars now come with plastic knuckle couplers, more an more users will accept what is FREE - as long as it works..

Plastic OEM couplers are cheap - the choice is whether to supply a car with or without -
so when they fail, you will have a choice in replacements.
Main Failure are the plastic 'whisker's acting as a spring to close the knuckle.
Second is the shaft strength or bending

[Anonymous]

I try to fit Kadees to everything - some of my stock doesn't yet have them, mainly where the conversion would be a little more involved (example: to fit Kadees to an Athearn SD9, you need a drill and tap set - I've not yet managed to find a supplier for these!). I think Kadees not only work better but also look more realistic - they look like slightly greasy metal (as on the real thing), while the plastic couplers look like, well, plastic!

[on30francisco]

I use the Kadee # 5 HO coupler on all my scratchbuilt On30 trains.

[NevinW]

The KD 58 is a great coupler and I have switched all of the engines that with work with it over as well as many of my rolling stock. On my layout, the McHenry's with the coil springs work ok. I would like to see the new McHenry "scale" coupler. The scale Accumate looks pretty good, but just isn't as good all around as 58 to me. The couplers with the small plastic "flap" for a spring are the evil ones and I toss those immediately. - Nevin

[dragenrider]

[bow] All Hail the KD Coupler [bow]

Few cars run on my layout with other brand name couplers. KD and their variety is tops. [tup]

[Anonymous]

If I had to use one of those funny-looking and operating Kadee compatibles, I would use Kadees as they are the best of that world. Plastic was not designed for stressful operations, which is what a coupler endures.

My layout runs on Sergent Engineering couplers, which are near-perfect scale Type-E couplers (metal, of course). Look much better than anything with a silly trip pin hanging down, and operate just as well (though in the correct manner). http://www.sergentengineering.com

[Anonymous]

Well thanks for you thoughts. As a general rule I replace all my couplers on locomotives and freight cars with Kadees. Sometimes I will use one of the plastic ones on a caboose. Its nice to see that people still go to the extra trouble of using a quality product instead of what just comes with the model.

Thanks
Jim

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kbfcsme

KD and only KD.
nuff said.

What he said.

I've never had a Kadee fail on me yet. I've had two McHenry's fail on me so far, breaking that is, and at our club we've had limited success with any of the plastic couplers. When they're not breaking, they are flexing up or down, causing seperations on longer, heavier trains.

If everyone compares their coupler to Kadees, there must be something to it...

[Anonymous]

Kadee's are my first and only choice. I tried one brand of plastic couplers, but found that the cast on plastic centering spring took a "set" when left coupled on anything but straight track. With time, the coupler would return to center, but what a pain.

I did not have the problem with breakage others have mentioned, but I did not leave the plastic couplers on my rolling stock very long.

Tom

[Anonymous]

Go Keith & Dale!

[AggroJones]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jetrock

... and they have that annoying droop.

McHenry's need a thin piece of styrene shim under the shank in the coupler box to eliminate the drooping.

[CP5415]

I prefer Kadee's.
Not every freight car has KD's on them, but at least half of them do. All my locomotives have KD's though.
The other half have the cheap imitations that they came with. I figure that instead of replacing them right from the start, why not use them until they really are crap. I can usually get a year out of them as my rolling stock gets rotated enough that they don't get over used.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

KD and only KD.
nuff said.

[Jetrock]

I bought a bag of McHenry couplers and use them on some of the cheaper stuff I've picked up, but I do prefer Kadees for their strength--I use them on my locomotives but not necessarily on other rolling stock. I did discover that McHenry's and the other plastic couplers snap off disconcertingly easily, and they have that annoying droop.

[nfmisso]

I do not replace until failure....at that time it is only with Kadee for freight cars.

For Rivarossi passenger cars, I am pleased with the McHenry drop in's, with metal coil knuckle springs - not the original ones.

I doubt that you'll ever have an issue with a knuckle coupler with a metal coil knuckle spring. At this time that includes Kadee, E-Z mate II, McHenry's 2nd generation..

[nfmisso]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CNWfan5525

Speaking of R-T-R cars. How do you get atheran R-T-R couplers off.

It takes major surgery, as the box is bonded together after the coupler is installed.

[tomwatkins]

I replace everything with Kadees before anything goes on the layout. I've never had a problem with a properly adjusted Kadee. It's just too easy not to be sure I won't have to worry about couplers.
Tom Watkins

[Anonymous]

Speaking of R-T-R cars. How do you get atheran R-T-R couplers off.

[Anonymous]

I only use Kadee. I gave the others a try when they came out and started coming with kits and used equipment I purchased. As others have mentioned, they need shimming, they often don't have enough spring to keep them coupled in longer trains especially down grades, and I even had some break in half. Just not worth it to me.

Warren