Has anyone ever replaced the british hornby/bachmann couplers with american knuckle ones? i want to automaticly uncouple my trains, and the only way to do that with the hornby ones is with a big plastic ramp in the middle of the track. would the knuckle couplers have to be really far forward to get past the buffers?
thanks, sean
corksean12 wrote: Has anyone ever replaced the british hornby/bachmann couplers with american knuckle ones? i want to automaticly uncouple my trains, and the only way to do that with the hornby ones is with a big plastic ramp in the middle of the track. would the knuckle couplers have to be really far forward to get past the buffers?thanks, sean
Now not being familiar with European trains and whether or not the bumpers actually work on model trains, I can only state that I would think the the couplers would only need to positioned so there is no pressure on them from the bumpers to operate properly. Also positioned so as not to be put in a bind on curves from the bumpers. This would determine the distance you asked about. Ken
I converted one car. I completely removed the Hornby coupler and mounted a KD draft box and #5 coupler. The problem is the issue of the buffers like you mention. I decided not to convert anymore cars.
The Hornby couplers are a pain in the neck to uncouple. But I have decided to leave them alone.
Kadee make a #5 coupler with an extra long shank, this may help.
Apologies for coming in here guys, I do American garden railways - in the UK. Anyway, what era are you looking at? The modern brit stock has knuckle couplers with no buffers, so no problem there then, these are in fixed rakes though and I have to say I'm not to sure about mating up with older stock. However, the only way to model older brit stock accurately was hook and loop with sprung buffers, a bit tedious. The secret with KD's is to extend the coupler and cut back the buffers - or spring them! The question is, is it worth it? The buffers would only be a problem on a layout curves, not uncoupling - wouldn't they?
Cheers,
Kim