I am returning to model RR after 60 years, things have changed a lot.
Question: How can I tell the difference between short, medium, and long shank couplers?
Thanks
[#welcome]
Here you go.
https://www.kadee.com/coupler.htm
Welcome back! Things have changed a bit in 60 years. I started out in HO in 1951 so I’m an old timer too.
Newbies are moderated (delayed) for the first few post.
EDIT:
I read your Bio, how bout El Paso for a hobby shop? A lot closer than Albuquerque. I spent 20 years in Alamogordo and there were several good hobby shops in El Paso.
There is a nice train shop in Lubbock.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Well I find for HO, 99% of the time the Kadee No.5 medium shank / centerset coupler will work. The long or short shank (or overset or underset) couplers have the same coupler head, they just adjust how far the head sticks out from the car or raises or lowers the coupler head slightly. For example, on a passenger car with diapragms, you might need to use the long-shank couplers instead of a medium-shank.
Hello All,
Is your question about identifying couplers that have already been installed or are you asking about how to discern the difference when they are not installed?
Also, I am thinking you are referring to HO scale couplers.
Hope this helps.
Until you said “I am thinking you are referring to HO scale couplers.” I didn’t know Kadee didn’t do N scale couplers. His Bio says he is modeling N scale. I guess he’s going to have to look at something other than Kadee.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Hello All,
Good observation!
I didn’t read his bio just the question.
“Never mind.”
Hope this helps.
I assumed HO scale as well. Here’s some info on N scale couplers:
https://www.nscaledivision.com/information_on_couplers.htm
Mike.
Micro-Trains …a spin-off from Kadee, offers all sorts of N scale couplers.
Wayne
If you are a part of 21st Century model railroading, you’ll find that for HO scale, 99% of the time the Kadee #148 medium shank/centerset coupler will work. Though the old standard #5 coupler is still available, the #148 “whisker” spring coupler is SOOOoooo much easier to install that the #5 is totally obsolete!
Except that the #5 and #148 are the same coupler, just different shank / spring arrangement. I suppose a new 2021 automobile with standard transmission is “obsolete” compared to same model with automatic tranmission. The car still works though.
IIRC the brothers who started and ran Kadee eventually split the business in two - one brother took the N scale stuff under the name Micro-Trains, the other kept their other products under the Kadee name?
I knida remember that but as I wasn’t into N it must have just gone zip over my head.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Get a bunch of standard couplers and use them. When you get into a situation where the standard ones don’t work, you’ll know. Put the one that’s not working back in the package for next time, and put in a new one that fits better.
I had to use a few long shank couplers on engines, in particular for the front ends of old Athearn F7s. The pilot interferes with the coupler, and the long shank version is enough to solve the problem. I got this engine in the 1950s, and only had one of them, so I always ran it nose forward and never had to couple to the front.
The short ones are shorter than the long ones. [;)]
Where you might want a long coupler is in a passenger car or the front of a steam engine. I don’t know what auto racks use, not my era. I’ve never needed a short coupler, but maybe on an A B unit it would be useful
If the O.P. is modelling in N scale, why is this conversation still talking about Kadee HO scale couplers?
Earlier, I posted a link the Micro-Trains site for N scale coupler choices, and they seem to offer just as much in N (and Z, too), as Kadee offers in HO.
Wayne
That is not in evidence in the OP’s 2 posts.
I try to be helpful but I don’t routinely research an OP’s profile to find the hidden details.
Not a slam on the OP. Our longest running electrical dilemmas usually involve some secret information not shared with the forum.
[quote user=“BigDaddy”]
doctorwayne If the O.P. is modelling in N scale, why is this conversation still talking about Kadee HO scale couplers?
You’re right, but this may have gone unnoticed…
Yeah, you’ve got a good point there, for sure, and there are lots of times when we have to pump an OP for more info, simply to be able to answer their questions and/or issues.
Wayne
Allow me to point out that there are HO modelers who use N scale couplers because thry consider them closer to scale. If you’re modeling turn of the century narrow gauge, for example. I don’t know from personal experience, since for interchange reasons, my club specifies couplers have to be compatible with Kadee Number 5’s…which brings up the interesting question as to whether there are HO-N pairs that work together
First let me thank everyone many of the suggestions were very helpful. I especially liked the comment that the long ones were longer than the short ones. (LOL) To solve my problem I will do as suggested, purchase both long and short couplers.