KADEE COUPLER Academic Achievement Tests [S]

[ATLANTIC CENTRAL]

So when do report cards come out?

["JaBear"]

BN7510, I’m not sure as to what stage you were at with your research 9 years ago, but you certainly had a fleet of very good running cars. OK, so there was a derailment, but that was running in reverse at speed, not a normal model railroad operation as far as I know!

I do like the polished wood floor!

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

So when do report cards come out?

With an A+, you won’t have to hide your report card from your parents, Sheldon.

 

Cheers, the Bear.

[BN7150]

Atlantic Central, please rate yourself. Model answers may not be published. If you ask me to explain a question, I would be happy to do so.

JaBear, I think that the easy-to-derail 4-wheel cars in non-North America push the modelers towards this kind of research. I wrote the results of the research on my blog. Here's a list of coupler-related posts, but they should be difficult to translate into English.

[BN7150]

A grade (full score 100 points, passing score 40 points or more)

Q. A-1: Explain the phenomenon that the coupler head sometimes hangs down even if the mounting height of the pocket is correct.

Q. A-2: Explain the claim that the coupling of underset and overset shank couplers can cause trouble.

Q. A-3: Explain the points to keep in mind when installing Kadee couplers in non-Kadee pockets, with specific examples.

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S grade (full score 100 points, passing score 30 points or more)

Q. S-1: Think about the reason why #5 (including #6, 7, 8, 16) made the left and right coupler's reversion forces different.

Q. S-2: Guess why Athearn BB lowered it's center height by 0.040 in. while Horn-hook (developed in 1952-1954) and Kadee both have the height of 25/64 (0.391) in.

Q. S-3: Anticipate the phenomenon of concern for #804 for O scale, which has a structure in which the centering spring contracts when a pulling force is applied. (including #K4, #K15 in HO, also MTL #1025)

The more I get to know Kadee couplers, the more I am amazed at how thoroughly they are thought out.

["JaBear"]

Q. A-1. If a coupler droops it, requires shimming in the coupler box to rectify the situation. It is not a common fault I’ve found.

 

Q. A-2. To be honest I’m not sure if I’m qualified enough but in my experience that if the coupler heights and operation is correct, whether an over, under, or normal shank coupler are used together shouldn’t cause trouble.

 

Q. A-3. When I started upgrading cars, I did keep records of what had been done to each car, what couplers had been fitted; were there and how many shim washers placed between the trucks and bolster to get the correct coupler height, did the trucks coupler box “pin’ require bushing; or shimming to stop coupler droop etc. but I haven’t kept it up so as to be able to give you specific examples.

 

Cheers, the Bear.

[snjroy]

BN7150

 

Q. A-2: Explain the claim that the coupling of underset and overset shank couplers can cause trouble.

I have done this on several locos. Never had problems - it fixed problems, it did not create any.

Simon