Looking to switch all my rolling stock and locomotives to one style of coupler for easier opporation. What would you guys reccomend?
Their is only one"Kadee.
2nd vote (among many) for Kadee #5s.
Kadee is the only option worth considering.
-Kevin
Kadee is the gold standard and has been for decades. I’ll add a caveat, though: how much rolling stock do you have? I’ve got a very small fleet for my rural shelf layout (1 locomotive and about 15 cars) and have considered switching them all at some point in the future to Sergent couplers, which look amazing. They’re pricey, though, and require manual line-up, so I wouldn’t recommend them if you’re not into hands-on switching or have a lot of rolling stock to convert.
I’ve been using Kadees since 1955, and while there are several other brands compatible with Kadees, they don’t offer as many options to fit almost any brand of locomotive or rolling stock.
Wayne
I do HO and love the Kadees.
The #5 coupler is the old standard (oversized) one that fits quite a few rolling stock items. It has a separate centering spring that goes in the coupler box with the coupler. Easier to handle is the newer #148 version that has built in whisker centering springs. The whiskers are hardly noticeable. I buy the #14 item, a 25-pair pack of #148s that runs about $1.44 per pair. That #14 pack does not include coupler boxes so I also have some #5s small packs that come with the boxes.
https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/kadee-ho-14-standard-whisker-couplers-bulk-pack-148-25-pair/
For some cases you may need longer or shorter shank versions, so you may wind up buying a few of those when needed. For unique situations, you can see what couplers are recommended for specific locos and cars here. There are instructions as well for most couplers.
https://www.kadee.com/convpl.htm
As someone noted, they also offer the “scale” couplers, more realistic and smaller.
My de facto standard for couplers was Kadee #5s for decades. That was until they came out with the #148 “whisker coupler”. That’s all I use, now. I’ve seen other couple manufacturers claim that theirs are “as good as Kadees”. When you compare your products to another’s, I’ll stick with those until they can claim that they are better.
There is “style” and there is “brand”. It’s hard to argue against KD style and brand. But I have some cars that were bought with KD style couplers from another brand. They don’t work as well as KDs. Some are junk, but some work OK. When they break or misbehave, I change them to KDs. Walthers sells a metal protomax coupler that looks a lot like the KDs - I don’t know how well they perform… does anyone know? I tend to be a loyal customer myself, but I’d be curious to know how this clone performs.
Simon
Don’t mess with the OLD Kadee #5. The new #148 with the built in “whisker” centering springs is SOOOoooo much easier to install that I no longer mess with #5’s. I also like to purchase the #14 pack as it includes enough #148 couplers to equip 25 cars. If you need coupler boxes, buy the #242 Universal Black Box packet.
I’m also a KD fan but I’m not a good operator and a jerky train movement on a grade will occasionally cause uncoupling so I went with Shelf Couplers on my passenger trains. I have always thought that the #5 & #148 are a bit large for HO scale so I now use the KD #119 “SE” Scale Shelf Coupler on my passenger cars.
The shelf couplers work much better (no unwanted uncoupling) and to me the scale couplers look 100% better than the standard #5 or #148.
The #119 works with the #5 & #148 perfectly. My E7s that are used for pulling my passenger cars have the SE #119. I tow my Southern Pacific Heavyweight “Lark” passenger consist with Cab Forwards and those tenders have the SE coupler installed. I also use the Cab Forwards in freight service and the SE couplers work great with the #148 couplers on my freight cars.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Kadee #148 whisker version of the old faithful #5. There’s a whisker version of all the Kadee couplers now, I believe. The whisker version is just better than the brass spring type although the old #5 still works reliably. The steel whisker springs are just pretty much foolproof and given the type of load cycles they will last forever. The other brands use plastic springs that are trickier to install and are easy to kink or break as you do so. The Kadee whiskers do not break, they will stab you though. Just be careful not to trap the whisker in the gearbox and don’t kink those wires.
The only Kadee to steer clear of is the restricted space gearbox with the goofy reverse spring assembly. The only dud Kadee in the range. They make a whisker version of this now which is a snap to assemble, literally. You get the snap together version of the gearbox and the regular whisker coupler you need. It’s now a snap.
If you need a restricted space gearbox then don’t use these:
Which are for the original coupler without an integral spring (the #5 for example)
Use these instead:
https://www.kadee.com/ho-scale-couplers-c-272_230_231/252-small-snaptogether-gearbox-ho-p-335.htm
With the appropriate whisker coupler
Plus, if you price them out Kadee are cheaper.
The next best is Walthers Proto followed closely by Bachmann’s E Z II. Do not bother with the original EZ, it’s not good enough. The E Z II has the thinner shank you need for some applications (oddly most of those are Bachmann products, what a coinkidink. ). You can file down a Kadee shank to fit but that is TEDIOUS. </
Hello All,
Any Kadee!
In any scale!!
My HO coupler toolbox begins with Kadee #5 and pretty much goes sequentially to part #637.
This range includes items from couplers to parts, tools, trucks and wheelsets.
If I were to prioritize my “go-to” coupler is would be the venerable #5, with or without the standard #242 Gearbox.
A solid runner with great performance. I buy these in bulk so I always have a few on hand.
The other coupler in my toolbox is the “Whisker Type” #148.
On these couplers the “springs” are fine wires as opposed to the more substantial brass “springs” on the #5s.
Neither coupler is “superior” to the other. Their reliability relies on the application.
The #148s are most efficient when paired with the #262 “Narrow Snap-together Gearboxes & Lids”.
I have fitted all the locomotives and rolling stock on my pike with Kadees, even if they came equipped with “Kadee ‘compatible’” OEM couplers.
The Kadee website is a treasure trove of information on not only coupler conversions but all things model train.
Good luck and…as always…
Hope this helps.
Surprise! Another Kadee guy. I started doing this years ago with a lot of old cars with plastic wheelsets and horn-hook couplers. Slowly, I replaced those relics. The cars basically work much better.
I typically use the closer-to-scale #58 Kadee couplers. I like the way they look. I found no problems with interoperability between #5 and #58.
I don’t replace #5 couplers. They work fine. I will leave Walthers Proto-Max in place too. But, when I buy rolling stock or locomotives with plastic couplers, they are gone before the equipment ever sees my track. The fact is, I will end up replacing them anyway, because they will fail, so I just got 'er done right away. Likewise, I keep a stock of the Kadees I use along with metal wheelsets so I can just build kits right the first time.
I’ve never had a Kadee fail.
KaDee is the defacto standard coupler of choice. Walthers Protomax II works just as well which means should you buy a Walthers car or locomotive equpped with their Proto Max II coupler there is no need to replace it unless you are using KaDee 158 scale couplers.
I favor KD #148 “Whisker” couplers.
I’m surprised no Sargeant fans have weighed in.
http://www.sergentengineering.com/
I have not seen one in person, so I have no opinion.
After my divorce in 99, all my trains were packed up. Those “strong” box springs of the Kadee #5 weren’t all that strong, when unpacked 15 years later. Back then I didn’t know any better and some of the coupler boxes were glued with CA.
I still have a lot of extra box springs, but I prefer the 148’s
pt714 (fifth post from the top) mentioned Sergent couplers, but also noted that they’re not self-centering and are more expensive than Kadees.
If it were affordable and reasonably simple to convert my steam locomotives to Proto-87 standards, I’d definitely consider Sergent couplers, but it’s too late in the game for me to change. Kadee it is!
Wayne
Is the uncoupling occurring over Kadee magnetic uncoupler? I fixed this by inserting a Kadee coupler knuckle spring (the small spring that keeps the knuckler closed) in one of the wheel axle pockets. It creates enough drag to keep the slack out of the train.
No, I don’t have any uncouplers on my grades. I had problems with the #148 on my grades when stopping and starting. All of my passenger cars are a bit over weight so no need to add drag.
It might have been because of the weight of my passenger cars on my 3½% grades. I never had problems with them on level track even going over uncouplers. I haven’t had a freight uncoupling problem just my passenger cars.
The shelf couplers fixed the problem and I like the looks of the SE couplers better too.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I would not replace all the couplers. I have always gone with, use the others till they break and replace with Kadee. Now I have had some that it was replace right away, but those have been few.