couplers

[yeorail]

Hi
Why does Bachmann have to keep changing the couplers for the Spectrum g scale??? 3 loco's - three couplers Original on Climax mates with all Large scale trucks, Shay brown couplers sometimes erratic and the fFrney lower will mate but loosely and a completely new coupler -Why??? Also why won't Aristocraft - in the same business group - also mate up with Spectrum?  Finally do they think we'll all change our large scale trucks to the new Spectrum ones just to couple up - they must be having a laugh.
yeorail

[grayfitz]

 HI ALL,couplings are a problem if you run different brands of locos,I only have Bachmann carrages and with four different brands of locos I have four seperate carrages ,each with a Bachmann coupler one end and a Aristo, USA,MTH and Spectrum each on the other ends. I dont have any misshaps with these combinations.. GRAYFITZ.(Australia)

[yeorail]

Exactly my point - I have all Bachmann stock save 2 cars and they don't all couple up .As I said three locomotives three coupling types!

[Kevin Strong]

Bachmann has two coupler heights--3/4" centerline, which is what is on the 1:22.5 "Big Hauler" equipment and early "Spectrum" locomotives; and 1 1/8" centerline, which is on the "Spectrum" 1:20 rolling stock and "Spectrum" locomotives I believe from the K-27 forward. This lines up with the couplers on Accucraft's 1:20 equipment. Bachmann includes "adapter" couplers that allow you to lower the couplers from the 1 1/8" to 3/4" centerlines. I have not seen couplers that go the other way, though it would be nice.

To my knowledge, while Bachmann has made minor refinements to their couplers over the years, they're all compatible in terms of mating. I've had a fair amount of B'mann stuff through here, and have never seen B'mann couplers that don't mate to other B'mann couplers (provided they're at the same height).

As for mating with other manufacturers' couplers, it's hit or miss. The Bachmann couplers mate with the Accucraft 1:20 couplers, as well as the Kadee "G-scale" couplers, provided they're mounted at the same height. They don't mate very well with other varieties of couplers, such as those from Aristo-Craft, USA Trains, and a few others. Some, they'll mate sporadically or if you lift one up over the other, while others don't mate at all. This is "just the way it is" in large scale. From the earliest of days, each manufacturer has done their own thing in terms of couplers. Compatibility between brands seems almost accidental.

Later,

K

[RBMN #425 Fan]

i have a mixture of bachmann and aristo-craft. and i figured out how to couple both cars together.
step 1: close both couplers. step2: lift bachmann coupler up and on top of aristo-craft coupler. step3:drop bachmann coupler into aristo-craft coupler That's It!
Hope this Helps
         RBMN #425 Fan