I have eight Walthers Superliner cars that I would like for the diaphragms to touch. What would be a good Kadee coupler for this? Currently, I am using the old reliable Kadee No. 5. I have looked at replacing the diaphragms, but no one make a working Amtrak style diaphragm.
Thanks in advance.
TSP makes working diaphragms for Superliners…in different styles.
Out of curiosity, what radius are you running?
David B
Right now 26". I am planning a layout that will have 30" radii.
You mentioned you were using #5s. Have you tried the #43 which has a shorter shank?
Although you plan on 30" radius, such a close coupling may prove troublesome in yard tracks and especially any backing through yard turnouts.
If the #43 or 33 short shank will work, you do need to allow that the diaphram faces will slide extremely free while negociating turns especially when backing.
I use American LTD dipharams and sometimes find that a catch/ snag will happen on backing through a crossover. Burnishing some graphite into the face plates does help.
Thanks for the responses. I will keep all of your suggestions in mind. For right now, I will keep the No. 5s on and will switch out couplers when the time comes.
On my early Walthers Superliners (not the most recent run) I got some dark gray packing foam from a Spectrum locomotive box and cut it into rectangles that I could put inside of the door / diaphragms on the cars. The diaphragms don’t touch still, but with the foam blocking the view it’s not noticeable anymore.