abcraghead
Mmmm, turbos
Hey Bill:
What do you do with the old #5's that you are disacrding in favor of #58's?
What do you do with the old #5's that you are disacrding in favor of #58's?
What kind of coupler do you like?
- Thread starter mushroom2
- Start date
Hi bob, thank's they are about the same length in the shank as a #5 Kadee with just about as big mounting hole. The truck coupler pin is less than 1/16" and the diameter of the hole in the dummy coupler shank is about 1/8" not a very good match. I made a little centering washer and it's now mounted on a truck. The first was the most difficult the next ones should be easy now that I know how to do it. Spent a lot of time coming up with a 1/8" diameter washer with a 1/16 dia. center hole.
Cheers Willis
M
Mountaingoatgreg
Guest
Not yet....But they have been "thinking" about it.
Be Wise Beware Be Safe
"Mountain Goat" Greg
only 2 1/2 hours away from Kadee international HQ's
Be Wise Beware Be Safe
"Mountain Goat" Greg
only 2 1/2 hours away from Kadee international HQ's
HaggisKennedy
Coal Shoveler
I just got a batch of #118s (the shelf couplers), so I'm retrofitting the tank cars that have #58s now. According to the instructions, you can simulate Type H titelocks (passenger car couplers) by cutting off the top and bottom shelfs, so that might be another retrofit to the passenger car fleet (at least those from 1950 onwards).....
Kennedy
Kennedy
JeffShultz
Stay off the tracks!
So, how do the #118's compare to the 58's in size?
HaggisKennedy
Coal Shoveler
JeffShultz said:
Way bigger. The pamphlet says they're even bigger than the #5s in just the coupler face size. It also warns of interface problems with mounting locations (like diaphragms on passenger cars).
Kadee says that they're functional to the extent if you have crappy trackwork, the cars may not uncouple on their own. Plus, they won't uncouple automatically when you pick up a car; you have to twist it slightly.
Kennedy
HaggisKennedy
Coal Shoveler
Well, the trackwork isn't the best, but I don't have any uncoupling problems with the #58s now, so it's not real, real bad. But, by cutting off the shelfs on the 118, it will be very similar to the Type H Passenger car coupler.
Regarding size, the brochure says the scale size of the 118 is direct from the actual prototype Type SF coupler drawings. Have not yet reconciled the apparent differences between that statement, and the ostensible prototype dimensional issues with the #58. I don't know the prototype relation to the #58.
Kennedy
Regarding size, the brochure says the scale size of the 118 is direct from the actual prototype Type SF coupler drawings. Have not yet reconciled the apparent differences between that statement, and the ostensible prototype dimensional issues with the #58. I don't know the prototype relation to the #58.
Kennedy
HaggisKennedy
Coal Shoveler
I forgot to mention a couple of things. The insert says that the dimensions on the 118 is scale to the prototype Type F. However, they DID NOT say that it was scale to HO scale. What this may mean is that while the dimensions are in line with each other, it's not a true HO scale coupler. This could be due to practical operating/manufacturing issues.
The second thing is that I don't know what the prototype dimensions of a Type E (which may be what the #58 is) are, nor the Type F. The Type E is standard, but the Type F is an alternate standard, with or without shelfs. The Type F may be dimensionally larger, but that would introduce knuckle interoperability issues for those cars still using the Type E.
Kennedy
The second thing is that I don't know what the prototype dimensions of a Type E (which may be what the #58 is) are, nor the Type F. The Type E is standard, but the Type F is an alternate standard, with or without shelfs. The Type F may be dimensionally larger, but that would introduce knuckle interoperability issues for those cars still using the Type E.
Kennedy
kjd
Go make something!
my favorite couplers are rotaries made from #5s or more recently #58s.
http://members.trainorders.com/pmack/dumper.htm
http://members.trainorders.com/pmack/dumper.htm
ok guys i am a newbe here so hi all. i have just left the couplers that came with the rolling stock and motive power on and ran them.
but from what i gather from this thread is that the kadee stay coupled better so how hard are thay to install and any specal tools needed to do it and do thay uncouple like the stock ones or do they reqire something specal to uncouple them.
but from what i gather from this thread is that the kadee stay coupled better so how hard are thay to install and any specal tools needed to do it and do thay uncouple like the stock ones or do they reqire something specal to uncouple them.
Hi emt49 and welcome to the ModelRailroadForums. As you have read in the posts everyone has their own ideas and ways of doing things, and when they are discussed here on the forum, hopefully everyone comes away from the discussion with some new knowledge to make things easier for themselves. I would say the Kadee magnetic couplers are probably the most popular of the brands. Coupling is achieved when two so equipped cars come together. Uncoupling can be done manualy or magneticaly.
Here are a couple of links that may be of some help to you and explain the coupler operation
http://www.mgsharp.com/Kadee_HO_Couplers.htm a bit on installation of Kadees, the prices are in English pounds but these products are available on the American continent. It also shows a tool set, some things are somewhat necessary to do a decent job of installation and some are a convenience. Your decision I guess
http://www.kadee.com/index.shtml Kadee's home page lot's of information here. Click on the "How the Couplers Work" link and there is an animated display
Hope it helps, after you read the pages you can ask some more questions about specific problems.
Tools for me are Kadee Coupler Height gauge, needle nose pliars, tap and die set with drill bits for 2-56 screws and a home made height gauge and a decent quality vernier guage.
Cheers Willis
Here are a couple of links that may be of some help to you and explain the coupler operation
http://www.mgsharp.com/Kadee_HO_Couplers.htm a bit on installation of Kadees, the prices are in English pounds but these products are available on the American continent. It also shows a tool set, some things are somewhat necessary to do a decent job of installation and some are a convenience. Your decision I guess
http://www.kadee.com/index.shtml Kadee's home page lot's of information here. Click on the "How the Couplers Work" link and there is an animated display
Hope it helps, after you read the pages you can ask some more questions about specific problems.
Tools for me are Kadee Coupler Height gauge, needle nose pliars, tap and die set with drill bits for 2-56 screws and a home made height gauge and a decent quality vernier guage.
Cheers Willis
Empire Builder
Great Northern fanatic
I Am Confused
You can couple dummy couplers????? I thought that since they were "dummy" couplers that they couldn't really couple!!!!! I thought that dummy couplers were more of a looks thing than functional, like dummy locomotive, which you can add to a train to make it look like there were several locomotives pulling the train, when there is really only one or two engines actually pulling the train, isn't it the same with dummy couplers, that they are there to make it look like there is a real functional coupler there, when really it is only a non-functional dummy coupler!?!?!?!?!?!
COULD SOMEONE PLEASE STRAIGHTEN THIS ISSUE OUT FOR ME???????
RCH said:
You can couple dummy couplers?????
I thought that since they were "dummy" couplers that they couldn't really couple!!!!! I thought that dummy couplers were more of a looks thing than functional, like dummy locomotive, which you can add to a train to make it look like there were several locomotives pulling the train, when there is really only one or two engines actually pulling the train, isn't it the same with dummy couplers, that they are there to make it look like there is a real functional coupler there, when really it is only a non-functional dummy coupler!?!?!?!?!?! COULD SOMEONE PLEASE STRAIGHTEN THIS ISSUE OUT FOR ME???????
Hi Eric, LOL yes I can understand your confusion. Perhaps the name dummy coupler is a misnomer and could be called Non Operating couplers instead. The knuckles do not open or close, however they do FIT together in a coupled position. They have to be physically coupled and uncoupled by hand and while performing this operation thats where at least one of the cars will be during the operation.
The photo isn't too clear but the best I could at the moment two couple together and two uncoupled
Willis
The photo isn't too clear but the best I could at the moment two couple together and two uncoupled
I like what I see, but I can't get my hands on any!jbaakko said:
Last time I was at their site it said they were completely out of everything. It looks like they have them back in stock now though (?). Where did you get yours? Is ordering directly from them the only way to get them?