LOL
OK, Chad, maybe I won't.
Rich
Alton Junction
RichOTrain,
The Key to doing so, to not loose your 2 floor lighting, is to replace your 10AMP Breaker for that Room with a (Chad Recommended) 20 Amp one, (15 AMP if 20's are sold out), as your RR power pack may surge during the 'Reverse' hammer...My entire Town went Dim (Population 4000ish), as I threw the Direction on my Undec B.C. Dash 8
They said they were not Prepared for my circuit loading as DC current is very abrupt & demanding on the grid..
I could care less, becauz it was my requirement during the video production.. I guess I will have a Suday to decideif an attorney will have to look into community power consumption, as I have a snmole & see all sorts of left over 'Christmass lights' all over town..An HO Dash 8, Power Cycling?? Gun Laws, Flu Vaccine, Taxes, Health Care, 30 Below Zero?
Bring it!!!! My Warm GP9 & SD Whatever, will WHALE on everyone!!!!!
ChadLRyan Don't try that at home!!!That was serious Coupler Abuse, Do Not do that, Please....
Don't try that at home!!!That was serious Coupler Abuse, Do Not do that, Please....
I'm gonna try it.
I hope the OP has considered Kaydee's for the Future!!!All them other units in the video stayed connected with Kaydee's too..Don't try that at home!!!That was serious Coupler Abuse, Do Not do that, Please....
King Chad, Ruler of Coupler Land, strikes again !
Who can dispute such irrefutable evidence?
Still, I use Kadees exclusively.
Maybe the OP is out buying some Sergents.
Joe Staten Island West
Yup!What Jeff said is Accurate & Correct!
As I stated, I 'only' modify those that have to 'Be' that way.As shown yes, it can work..I only offer, you the modellers, the alternatives to make them work.So, As Jeff & I have said & believe in, Kaydees for everything!!! unless there is some odd exception..Good Luck, & thanks for looking!
That's well and good but I want couplers that are compatible off the shelf with other types. The Sergents couplers do not fit that bill, A Kadee must be modified as shown above. So that means I'd have to modify all Kadee's that will come in contact with a Sergents coupler. And they aren't even self centering. I'll stick with Kadee's.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
I may not 'just' offer opinion...Hence, I offer Proof...
A Video from your's truely, of these actually working together in harmony, is at;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky4tQMQ_VN0&feature=youtu.be
Yes, I had trouble being 4-6 armed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the couplers, but with the NYPD Blue style (camera movement) calamity, you will see the positive results... (Perhaps, I need an assistant, GirlFriend, video Pal, etc...)... Please Share 'Your' thoughts here, I will see them & respond, here much sooner!!!!Thanks!
jeffrey-wimberly Biggest problem with Sergents for me is that they're not compatible with anything but Sergents.
Biggest problem with Sergents for me is that they're not compatible with anything but Sergents.
I believe at one time, that I did successfully couple a Sergent equipped car to a Kaydee unit, but it was a heavily modified 58 series. And, it has to be altered for that purpose, in a very precise way.It also looks very odd when coupled as the Kaydee Scale Coupler, it is much larger than the Sergent unit, & rides offset (kinked looking) when closed.To Make a Kaydee 58 series work, one must carefully file down the closure hook, a smidgeon more than 50%, one must also file & polish the crown (on the Kaydee) of the mating face to allow a slip fit into the the Seargent, this is a trial by fit process, & it will be obvious what needs to be done. Also, this is not acceptable to do as a standard practice to all units, just that one coupler that HAS to work with that 'other one' that does not have any other coupler options (like a steam loco pilot)..
It can be done but there will need to be precision effort, similar to that of the MTH Electronic Couplers, they are #58 compatible, but require modification to them selves or that mating No 5 Kaydee to be 'perfect'..
All this is all up to the modeller & their comfort, & skill level, but it is an option..
_________QUOTE:richhotrain wrote the following post at 01-19-2013 4:55 AM:
What happened to the OP?_________
Donno, hopefully researching & making a great decision..
A few months ago - October to be exact - there was a post about a maintenance log. I am just now getting around to setting mine up and one of the columns is for coupler type. I say this because I am firmly committed to Kadee and will convert any new car to Kadee as soon as I obtain it. There have been some knockoffs over the last few years but they just don't hold up over the long haul - no pun intended. So I would encourage their use and to create some kind of a routine inspection process as well.
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
Hi,
I suspect the OP got his answer (KDs being the way to go) and didn't care to get enmeshed in conversations of exotic couplers or "more than I want to know" stuff.
Oftentimes we (including me) regulars give newbies with basic questions a whole lot more information than they need or want or even can understand.
When I jumped into DCC a few years ago, I was always grateful to the guys on the Forum that kept their answers to my elementary questions on my elementary level.
Of course that is often very hard to do...................
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
What happened to the OP?
DEPENDSON YOUR DESIRE FOR REALISM AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU HAVE .GO TO LOCAL HOBBY SHOP ANDSEE ALL THE VARIETIES. THE ONLY REALISTIC ONES ARE "SERGENT" COUPLERS- I HAND ASSEMBLE THEM BUT IT TAKES SOME PRACTICE -THEN THEY ARE GREAT- BUT MUST BE HAND COUPLED AND UNCOUPLED
MDF
Here is where you can get some of the KaDee supplies:
The venerable #5:
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?ID=4800
THe assembled #5:
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?ID=4797
Couler height guage:
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?ID=200456792
Insulated coupler height guage:
A whole passel of KaDee stuff {most of what they make} on theses pages:
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Search2.asp?Search=KaDee&scale=HO&Submit2=++Search++&offset=0
OR
You can get them here:
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/HO-Scale-Couplers-s/1467.htm
Just trying to be extra helpful!
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
pirate Until very recently, the last several years I have had minimal involvement with model railroading. I finished my layout and showed it once in awhile, but that was it, nothing new and I didn't keep current at all. Back then, the Kadee #5 was the top standard for couplers and they had just come out with a close to "scale" coupler, the #58. What surprises me, is that after all these years, the Kadee #5 is still the main coupler. I've even noticed that a lot of new releases now come with Kadee #5's as standard equipment. What I wonder is why hasn't there been a move to a more scale coupler like the #58?
Until very recently, the last several years I have had minimal involvement with model railroading. I finished my layout and showed it once in awhile, but that was it, nothing new and I didn't keep current at all. Back then, the Kadee #5 was the top standard for couplers and they had just come out with a close to "scale" coupler, the #58.
What surprises me, is that after all these years, the Kadee #5 is still the main coupler. I've even noticed that a lot of new releases now come with Kadee #5's as standard equipment. What I wonder is why hasn't there been a move to a more scale coupler like the #58?
I use some. But the number 5 is popular more than for the head size, it's also the box fit, spring and way it works to uncouple. Anyway, back to the head size, for long rolling stock and locomotives the effect of elevation changes(intended or unintended) normally has a negative effect on coupler height making them too high or too low. A scale sized head is smaller and so slips under or over the other coupler more easily, especially if it too is a small(scale size) coupler head. This effect is also more evident with longer trains where there is a lot of coupler pressure on the knuckles.
Since we run long cars and multiple long locomotives on long trains, operational reliability of a coupling is the first priority. If one of our 20 to 30' trains uncouples on a grade then derails and other unpleasant things can happen.
All of our rolling stock is taken through an inspection procedure and recorded. You'd be surprised how many rtr cars have incorrect coupler height and/or bad wheelsets. We try to keep our coupler height to within .020"(+/-0.010") of the centerline gauge. With #5s we have found this to be a good balance between what works and perfect. With scale couplers we have found it necessary to be almost perfect. It is not easy to change the coupler height on rtr cars, unless it is to raise the car with shims. But when you do that if it requires too much shimming the scale effect is lost. So, which is better a coupler head that is too big or a car body that is too close or far away from the trucks, or an out of scale coupler box position?
Richard
Pirate,
There are some reasons why we have not seen the 'masses' move to a 'scale' coupler:
The last bullet sort of sums up my reasoning for my staying with the standard Kadee couplers. They operate fine, there are many mounting options, and while not perfect in the 'looks' department - They sure are better than the competition! My 'standard' now is the #148 'whisker' coupler for most applications.
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
KaDees for sure. I've tried them all and came back to KaDee for lots of reasons. They stay connected better, have real coil springs for the knuckle, many different versions for installs, use mostly metal vs plastic, good tools to work with, etc.
I do not like putting any coupler in the truck even though they make a version that will fit into some. Building custom shims for a #5 coupler box is in the long run a much better way to go.
For HO, the quality brand is KaDee. They make couplers for just about any HO car/loco ever made.
Per se, there is no "universal" coupler. However, KD # 5s fit the vast majority of freight cars out there.
The KD website has conversion tables that will make your choice easier and quicker.
By the way, there are other knuckle coupler offerings out there, and some folks will be quite happy with them.
However, I have yet to hear of someone that regretted having KDs, and I've been playing with HO trains since 1960.
NP2626 Mr Besley, where do you get that the O.P. is stating that he is only asking about Kadee Couplers from the above post?
Mr Besley, where do you get that the O.P. is stating that he is only asking about Kadee Couplers from the above post?
I don't believe that I implied that at all. My point is that there are Kadees, and there are Kadee wannabees.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
alman49 Hi, my question is this: I have a variety of different traincars, I want to convert to a knuckle coupler. Is there a universal? which one should I consider? Any help will greatly be appreciated.
Hi, my question is this: I have a variety of different traincars, I want to convert to a knuckle coupler. Is there a universal? which one should I consider? Any help will greatly be appreciated.
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
Which type(s) of couplers are on the cars now?
The question is not "which coupler to use," it's "which Kadee coupler to use." Though a few prefer the Sargent couplers, which are also a top-quality product, Kadee remains the standard.
I personally use the #58 coupler for most installations. These are drop-in compatable with most cars and engines produced today, and I use them even when upgrading rolling stock I bought back in the 1950s. The head on the #58 is closer to prototypical size than that of the venerable #5. Since the #58 was introduced after I'd started converting old horn-hooks to Kadee, I have a mixture of #5 and #58 on my layout. They play well together, with no issues.
For some installations, Kadee makes specialty couplers, like long-shank, short-shank, overset and underset. The links in earlier posts will help you find those when you need them.
Oh, one more thing. Get the Kadee coupler mounting gauge. This simple gadget will help you mount the couplers so they are correctly set up to interact with other cars and trackwork.
Not sure just what mix of cars you have. Some of the conversions may be "Talgo" style couplers (coupler truck mounted). You can use the Kadee in the "swing arm" or better yet convert to body mount. Simply cut off the coupler "arm/ extension" from the truck and mount the #5 kadee in it's own box. Some minor cutting, filing or shimming w/ styrene is usually all that needed. Body mount is far superior in operation and coupler height. While at it, it is good idea to get the height gauge http://kadee.com/htmbord/page205.htm and the 2/56 tap and drill set http://kadee.com/htmbord/page246.htm.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Since having been in this hobby off and on since around 1960, the only coupler that I will use anymore, after having expermineted with most of them, are Kadees. I am firmly commited to Kadees as I feel they are the best there is. I buy the #5s in bulk packages of 20-25 pairs. I have also used others of Kadee's numbered couplers, where they were the recommended type, for the application.
I recommend changing to KaDees also.
Since you have a variety, Here is KaDee's own conversion chart {simply find your maker, type of equipment and then the matching KaDee coupler # to it}:
http://www.kadee.com/conv/holist.pdf