Houston we may have a Problem here:
Found a rather sizable glitch:
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Percy07.JPG)
Thats a STANDARD unmodified LGB car next to Percy, there is about a 1/2" hieght difference between the couplers. The tongue of Percy will bend low enough to couple but not the other way around, no way.
This is a very nice model but as it is Percy is very limited to what it can be expected to couple to, Thomas, the coachs and the troublesome trucks I assume all have this non-standard height couplers, meaning every one of them will require some form of serious mods to put the couplers back down to standard height.
Why Why Why was the coupler placed at this non-standard hieght?
Is this sort of stuff done on purpose ???
Isn't Percy at the same coupler height as the new 1:20.3 cars?
Dear Vic,
If you look in the bag with the track clips and extra couplers you'll also find spacers to lower the couplers to LGB height.
And yes, we did put them in on purpose!
Have fun!
the Bach-man
Vic,
Had you read through the documentation that came with the set, coupler height is explained along with the use of the "extensions" that the Bach Man mentions.
In the documentation Bachmann refers to the lower coupler height as "garden height."
Interesting what can be learned from reading supplied documentation.
Merry Christmas and enjoy your new Percy.
One of the "Enthsiastic Children"
JD
Aaargh! I already tossed the box. the adaptors likely went with it. I didnt see anything in the box, but like Brian, I could have missed them if I wasnt looking for them. The only thing I kept was the registration card (which I still need to mail)
Are these adaptors available thru the part dept? If not, I was already planning to add my own blocks when Percy gets his face-ectomy :o
Sorry but the last thing I was expecting was a non-standard coupler height being a issue. I will definetly keep an eye out for these on future Thomas purchases.
Quote from: vic on December 21, 2009, 10:41:37 AM
Aaargh! I already tossed the box. the adaptors likely went with it. I didnt see anything in the box, but like Brian, I could have missed them if I wasnt looking for them. The only thing I kept was the registration card (which I still need to mail)
Are these adaptors available thru the part dept? If not, I was already planning to add my own blocks when Percy gets his face-ectomy :o
Sorry but the last thing I was expecting was a non-standard coupler height being a issue. I will definetly keep an eye out for these on future Thomas purchases.
Number one rule: NEVER TOSS THE BOX unless you have everything within it :)
Quote from: Jon D. Miller on December 21, 2009, 12:10:24 AM
(SNIP)
In the documentation Bachmann refers to the lower coupler height as "garden height."
(SNIP
Jon - what do they call the higher coupler height? (I don't have a Thomas set or manual)
AL
It's bad enough that "G" is in so many scales, but everyone does their own coupler height. Yet we manage.
Bruce
gbbari,
I'm not sure they indicated a "name" for the coupler heght as shipped.
The Thomas set is in the States and I'm in Canada at this time, so can't check.
I still find it interesting that folks will receive a new piece of equipment and not read the supplied documentation. Result being they miss important information and then "jump" all over the forum playing a blame game for an issue that is not of the manufacturer's making.
One of the "Enthusiastic Children"
JD
Well JD...
I have been in trains since childhood, involved with every major scale under the sun, and in large scale since 2000 and have bought literally hundreds of peices of off the shelf rolling stock, and in all those years and all those pieces, I have NEVER encountered such an intentional coupler height difference issue. You are conditioned since the 1970's to accept that you can open the box and the coupler styles aside, you can couple anything to everything else with the same coupler attached.
Its something even seasoned model railroader are NOT going to be thinking about when they buy off the shelf stock... ::)
These items should have been shipped with the adaptors in place, so parents and kids can couple anything as soon as they open the box, then if some want the more "proto" Thomas look then they could have the option of removing the spacers and get that more "proto" coupler height. Not the other way around.
I just want to make others who are buying these items to be aware to look for the adaptors. I'm not the only person who wasnt aware we needed to modify our items just to make them work with everything else.
I'm sorry but is there even such a thing as "Proto" Thomas???? :D :o ???
It's hard to eat crow with dignity, even harder when people are rubbing it in... Just smile and pretend its the Christmas turkey. everybody makes a goof once in a while.
Happy Holidays
NM :P
Quote from: Jon D. Miller on December 23, 2009, 11:59:07 AM
gbbari,
I'm not sure they indicated a "name" for the coupler heght as shipped.
The Thomas set is in the States and I'm in Canada at this time, so can't check.
I still find it interesting that folks will receive a new piece of equipment and not read the supplied documentation. Result being they miss important information and then "jump" all over the forum playing a blame game for an issue that is not of the manufacturer's making.
One of the "Enthusiastic Children"
JD
They do indeed name the "height"....it's there in the Supplied Documentation..."Garden Railroad height" pg numbered GTC01-IS001 near center of page....Vic if you need the parts, We'll share ours!
Merry Christmas!
cale
Yes, years ago we could take anything out of a box and it would couple. Once we started body mounting couplers for better running and changing to knuckle couplers things didn't always match up. LGB is no longer the company that sets the standard.
Bachmann included everything necessary to help us mix and match coupler heights in the
thomas and Percy sets. Perhaps it would have been better if there were no couplers mounted on the engine or cars and the instructions said here they are set it to your preferred height! Can you imagine what would have been said then.
Everything is there for the experienced modeler to set their desired height. This is something that the beginners do not need to worry about.
Chuck
Chuck,
I agree leaving the couplers off would likely lead to more problems then it would solve, I do like the idea above about assembling them with the spacers in place, I think that would eliminate surprizes when the new modeler buys non thomas rolling stock and tries to couple it, this would also allow the Thomas (dare I say rivit counters) to remove them for a more true to Thomas/"proto" look.
Just my two or three cents
NM
Thanks Cale but I've already been hooked up on MLS with spacers from another xmas tree set ;D
...and I'll be dang sure to add the ruddy spacers onto Thomas before I chuck the box into the recyler next time! :o
Quote from: calenelson on December 23, 2009, 10:23:04 PM
(snip)
They do indeed name the "height"....it's there in the Supplied Documentation..."Garden Railroad height" pg numbered GTC01-IS001 near center of page.... (snip)
cale
Cale - Jon noted that the description "garden" [railroad] height" (which implies some sort of "standard") was used in reference to the lowered coupler height when using the optional spacers. I was asking about the name (or "standard") used to describe the coupler height as shipped (out of the box), since it appears to not match coupler height in other brands that use hook and loop couplers (such as LGB etc).
AL
AL
ok-point taken
they don't necessarily call it anything specific "as shipped"...but list the extension pieces as "High Coupler Position Piece" and "Low Coupler Position Extension Piece" from there it goes to the above mentioned Garden Railroad Height.
I can see how someone could/would ignore the enclosed paperwork, it's packaged inside the "comic book", 4 pages of addendum on what appears to be 8.5x11 white paper...haven't we all read the Big Hauler book? I'd have not noticed or cared if I hadn't been looking for a parts diagram... :D
Recieved the coupler adaptors today, already added, makes a huge difference in usability.
PS the Face-ectomy has begun, Cheif Surgeon-err Mechanic Jigsaw was disappointed how easy Percys Pilsburry Doughboy face came off, just press his face sides and it just pops right off, no need to "get medaevil" on him... :(
(http://bestuff.com/images/images_of_stuff/210x600/billy-the-jigsaw-puppet-59874.jpg)
Good for You Vic...
got our Thomas A&C out this evening...tried as shipped...Clarabel let go every time it came to the first Corner..(using all Bachmann track around the tree)...
switched to the "Garden Height" with provided mounts...
still WILL NOT NEGOTIATE the turn...headed out now to add some handy zip-ties to couple till we can gut him and get him outside....
total BUMMER!!!! Like I don't have enough to do tonight before Sun-up!!!!
>:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
was this "anticipated"?
Merry Christmas!
Are the bumpers binding and causing the problem? Had that problem with the small scale and had to modify the bumpers
NM
We ran Thomas for over thirty hours during our club's annual Holiday Train Show. Had no problem with cars coming uncoupled.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1HHNX10xKA
This is short video of Thomas negotiating LGB 1100 curves.
http://www.grblogs.com/index.php/2009/11/20/thomas-the-tank-aamp-percy?blog=4
Here's a link to my GRBLOG article that covers initial experience with Thomas. There is a second video of Thomas in action. At no time during the show was there a problem with the hook and loop couplers.
We (the club) were well satisfied with the set throughout the show.
One of the "Enthusiastic Children"
JD
NM
it appears to be the hooks in the H&L fighting each other as the cars track into the curve sections...really odd. got to be a headche for all involved yesterday, so Thomas went to the sheds...we'll give it some more attention later this week...may consider "chain" to couple the cars and remove all H&L .
cale
Cale
It appears from looking at various threads that some sets tend to uncouple and others do not. It may be the tension of the hook against the loop or how level the track is. There is a lot of movement of the hooks as you go around a curve.
In any case since I wish to use thise ourdoors on the layout, I have replaced the loop and hooks with knuckle couplers.
For a real simple replacement use the stock Bachmann couplers found on their 1:22.5 cars. Many of us have these in our spare parts box. On R1 curves the plastic spring that goes out from the coupler is a tad tight and it is hard to couple and prone to cause derailments on R1 curves. I simply cut the spring off. I can couple and uncouple on R1 curves and the cars track much better as well on R1 curves.
I put modigfied 830s on Thomas as he will see frequent work on the railroad as a switcher.
Hope that helps
Stan Ames
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/cale_nelson/Thomas/RoyandThomas.jpg)
*Roy Rogers* stands in for the Fat Controller, inspecting track and couplers....