Just getting back into the hobby it has been since 1980's since I have had a layout. Alot has changed I just bought some DCC engines and I noticed that the couplers have changed to the EZ-matt couplers my question is are these couplers good since all my old cars have the old style I will have to change them over to the newer couplers. Also what couplers will I need for my cars I see there are center, short, and long couplers I would guess that the center shank are standard. Also since I have to change over 100 couplers is there anything out there better than the ez-matt couplers.
Thank All for replying, Rickho
Center shank is standard. You want Kadee Number 5 couplers. You can buy them in a 20 pack, which is just the coupler and the spring, at a much reduced price.
Gene
I toss all plastic couplers on sight. Have thrown them away for the last 15+ years.
The old standard in my home was number 5 from Kadee.
Now I use number 148 whiskers as I am getting older and those brass plates are a PAIN.
I still toss ALL plastic couplers... mchenrys, 1996 Bachmann plastic couplers, any other plastic couplers ON SIGHT.
The plastic couplers go straight to the trash can and thence to the landfill to sit for 5000 years buried, sometimes still in the little baggie or cardstock they arrived on.
Whenever I buy rolling stock kit or RTR, I automatically buy Kadee as well without any qualms on the excellent quality. Metal wheels too but not on topic for this thread.
Never had a Kadee fail. Not ever in my 30+ years in the hobby.
I keep a pile of kadee couplers at the workbench whenever I run trains, I usually see it part when a el-crappo plastic coupler finally parts and breaks. It only takes moments to replace never to have the same problem ever again.
If the HO scale manufactors will quit trying to save a dollar on something that we the buyer have to fix... and use Kadee at the factory, I will imagine sales will improve because we see the quality. Especially when they pass the gauge test the first time without modification.
Lesson: Buy a pile of Kadees and install them yourself right away, save yourself the headache of plastic couplers. We are trying to enjoy trains and de-stress from troubles not fix them because factories trying to be cheap.
To see a new HO scale model have a little "Kaydee-compatible" couplers line in the spec sheet means:
We have crappy couplers, YOU buy Kadees and put em on yourself."
I hope you know where plastic couplers will find an even worse home ;)
*cough* mememememememe *cough*
1980's... Nobody has explained to rickho how he's supposed to install Kadee couplers on the proprietary talgo trucks that came with his old, poorly detailed, underweighted 1980's rolling stock.
rickho, unless your cars happen to have coupler pockets (with covers) you will have some work to do in order to change coupler style. You'll probably have to add some weight, too. May as well ream the truck journals and install some metal wheel sets while you're at it.
Good catch Craig.
I think there are replacement trucks or couplers equippted to go on the old horn and hook style of those days.
One idea to ease the transition is to convert a car with one end kadee and the other left as a horn and hook and use it to pull the older stock until you either upgrade em or replace them with newer stock.
Sorry for the soapbox on Kadee, something about plastic couplers tips me into the abyss.
QuoteOne idea to ease the transition is to convert a car
I agree completely, and rickho will probably have to
buy a car with coupler pockets to use, unless he has purchased some newer stuff along with his new locos. I suppose some of his 80's stuff might be Athearn, in which case the upgrade/update would be fairly straightforward.
I have a bunch of old Tyco rolling stock, and what I did was cut off the truck-mounted horn hook, and installed a Kadee #5 in the "black box". I did this by drilling a hole in the bottom of the model. The height was incorrect though, that was a pain to fix.
Quote from: Conrail Quality on August 07, 2007, 09:15:51 PM
I have a bunch of old Tyco rolling stock, and what I did was cut off the truck-mounted horn hook, and installed a Kadee #5 in the "black box". I did this by drilling a hole in the bottom of the model. The height was incorrect though, that was a pain to fix.
It really
can be a great deal of work. And, in the final analysis, what does one have to show for the time and expense? Many of those old cars are grossly out of scale and are poorly decorated/detailed. The transition car is a better choice until the roster can be improved. I know in some cases sentimental value can outweigh practicality.
thank you all for reaponding I do have some newer cars as well so I will change the couplers so I can pull my old cars and will buy the kadee couplers so I can change over my stock.
Thanx again Rickho
Just don't get frustrated getting couplers the right height can be maddening. Be sure to get a coupler height gauge - Kadee makes a beauty and Micro-mark has a very simple design that works well.
I suggest you do a transition car for the time being. Putting Kadees on some poorly manufactured 20 year old car might be a waste of good money!
Quote from: Craig on August 07, 2007, 09:58:34 PM
Quote from: Conrail Quality on August 07, 2007, 09:15:51 PM
I have a bunch of old Tyco rolling stock, and what I did was cut off the truck-mounted horn hook, and installed a Kadee #5 in the "black box". I did this by drilling a hole in the bottom of the model. The height was incorrect though, that was a pain to fix.
It really can be a great deal of work. And, in the final analysis, what does one have to show for the time and expense? Many of those old cars are grossly out of scale and are poorly decorated/detailed. The transition car is a better choice until the roster can be improved. I know in some cases sentimental value can outweigh practicality.
You're right, I did it pretty much because of the sedemental value (I inherited those Tyco's from my grandfather).
this may sound a little barbaric but i use the old hook couplers and i still find a
way to get them on the knuckle. i just sort of push them together
they give me no trouble while running
its just a hassle when hooking and unhooking
u have to walk over and do some sort of manuver with the couplers...
it may sound dumb and i may be lazy to go to the hobby store and find replacements but they will stay together if you try.
if u got 20$ i still suggest buy them...
IHC makes a conversion coupler called a Magic Mate 2000 that will couple to both the horn hook and knuckle types they are sold in 8 packs . I still have a few on some of my old timer work cars from IHC and their locomotives comes with them equiped most of the time.
(http://www.walthers.com/prodimage/79929189/02191293338238.gif)
Stephen
I'm surprised to see that no one mentioned dummy couplers. They are ideal for permanent diesel lashups (ABA or such like), unit trains and many passenger trains. In addition to staying well coupled, they look much better because they are closer to scale. They're no good for cars which need to be coupled and uncoupled a lot but they are great where they can be used.
You can also do A-B-A, or any other combination lashup with a drawbar.
On the dummy coupler, are they more durable as well. I would guess that they are a single molded piece instead of multiple moving parts. Espically for my passenger train I can see this bing an option. And a little cheaper cost wise also?
Hi Jay,
Doneldon has a good suggestion for you to consider. I model late steam-early diesel era and I have 3 long passenger trains (6-8 72+' cars on each). Head end cars such as baggage, combine, RR post office, REA, etc. all need good, reliable couplers. For me that means Kadee #5s, though there are many other options.
For the rest of the passenger trains I use dummy couplers mounted in draft boxes that are screwed into the underside of the car.
One thing I have found is that in order to keep from having any derailments; specially when backing through turnouts - which is a great way to test your trackwork!, I allow the draft box to swivel freely as well as the coupler. This free-play draft box with dummy couplers had completely stopped derailed cars that are being backed, as well as uncoupled cars when the train is running.
As others have said, don't put dummy couplers on head end cars that may be switched and/or changed at various locations.
lanny nicolet
That is great information. Thanks! Noting that in the pile of must remember information.
One thing to remember about passenger trains is that the consist did not necessarily remain the same. For instance, taking the C&O (now why would I chose the C&O?) the George Washington, for example, started from DC and Phoebus, VA. The two sections joined in Charlottesville and stayed together until it got to Huntington, WVA, where it split again for Cincinatti and Lexington (?). In addition, the dining car would be cut in and cut off at various places.
This was done on several other roads.
Gene
I second with woody;
Drawbars are the best way to go in the case of a permanent lashup.
I have several units in stages of awaiting paint, and they will be lashed up. If there werer any reliable way and safe to the units, I would permanently wire the decoders together also and use only one address (I learned-the hard way-not to do that with independantly coupled units).
Many years ago, before most of you were thought of, Varney, Athearn etc had those manual couplers in all of their kits. As a kid, I had wished for kadee couplers to be cheap (yes, they had them back then).
I reiterate; go the drawbar route for permanent lashups.
Rich
Many of Tyco car bodies are no worse than the old Athean 'blue box' kits, so why waste them?
Get a pack of Kadee #212 Talgo Adapters and a pack of IHC "Magic-Mate" couplers. Use them to do make a few quick-and-dirty transition cars using the existing Tyco trucks. By putting a "Magic-Mate" on both ends you don't have to worry about which way the car is facing when coupling to knuckles or horn-hooks.
This will give you some breathing room while you convert your cars to better trucks and body mounted couplers.
To change the trucks just pop the Tyco trucks out. The hole in the body is too large for a small screw, so there are three options:
1. Fill the hole with '4-minute' epoxy, and when it sets up drill and tap it for a 2-56 screw.
2. Glue a piece of styrene plastic rod of the same diameter into the hole, cut it flush, and drill and tap for a 2-56 screw.
3. Easiest - glue some 5/32" OD styrene tubing into the truck hole, cut it flush, and tap for a 2-56 screw. No drilling required. I use Evergreen #225 styrene tubing, which has an inside diameter about half way between a close and loose fit for a 2-56 screw.
If you want to use a smaller screw for some reason, just glue a 3/32" OD tube inside the 5/32" tube.
Len