Magnetic Couplers

[Karl S]

My locomotives and rolling stock are all Bachmann items in On30 scale.

My locomotives are 2-6-0 and 4-6-0

I'm having a little trouble with my couplers staying hooked up.

Can anyone make a recommendation as to the best magnetic coupler to put on my cars.

[richardl]

My locomotives and rolling stock are all Bachmann items in On30 scale.

My locomotives are 2-6-0 and 4-6-0

I'm having a little trouble with my couplers staying hooked up.

Can anyone make a recommendation as to the best magnetic coupler to put on my cars.

Have you used a coupler height gauge to check out all the couplers?

Are the couplers sagging?

Rich

[rogertra]

You need to buy yourself a Kadee On30 Coupler Height Gauge: -

http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page815.htm

BTW, your post should have been on the On30 board, I'm sure the moderators will move this post there soon.


Cheers

Roger T.

[Karl S]

I've ordered a height gauge. What if the couplers are at the same height but still come uncoupled?

How do you adjust a coupling if it isn't the right height? Are couplings adversely effected by track imperfections?

I appreciated any help you can give.

[ebtnut]

Are the couplers coming apart at random, or at a particular spot?  And is it all the couplers or just one or two cars?  If they uncouple at the same spot, then check for a dip in the track.  If it is just one or two cars, make sure the small spring or tab that holds the knuckle closed is working right.  The springs can pop out, and sometimes the little plastic tab just loses its "springyness" over time.  And certainly use the height gauge to check that all of the couplers are at the same height.  For couplers that are a bit low, a small washer between the truck and the car bolster will help.  If too high, you may need to replace the coupler with an off-set shank style from Kadee.

[Ken G Price]

Are couplings adversely effected by track imperfections?

I appreciated any help you can give.

Yes, they are effected by track imperfections.

[ebtbob]

Do the couplers have a coiled spring to hold the knuckle closed or a piece of plastic,  like a "cat's whisker"?  If the latter,  replace the couplers with ones with a coiled spring.  Now,  98% of my On30 equipment is from Bachmann and love the stuff save for one thing.   The coupler boxes are very shallow and in most cases,  a Kadee coupler of any sort does not fit in the box without binding when the cover is re-installed,  so I stick with the Bachmann EZ Mate II which is the one with the coiled spring.   I have absolutely no problems with them.   Now to Roger,  what is the difference between the On30 height gauge and the standard HO height gauge from Kadee?   That is the one I have been using for years and to be truthful,  virtually no cars or engines that I have from Bachmann came where the coupler heights did not match up to that HO gauge.

[Len]

Bob,

The coupler pockets on some new cars are designed to use both the thin plastic couplers, like Bachmann's, and Kadee's. They have "lips" on the box cover so part of it sits down into the coupler box with the plastic couplers. If you use Kadee's, all you do is flip the cover over, so it sits on top of the box instead of down into it, and install the coupler normally.

Len

[ebtbob]

Thanks Len.   I never noticed that and will check out some of my cars.   But I have had extremely good luck with the EZ Mate IIs and probably will not change them out.