It is my intent with this writing to layout a history line, so to speak, with a couple companies in the hobby. Both companies are in the conversation of model railroading regarding the couplers they make. Also, to hopefully clear the air somewhat about some misconceptions and miss information that is out there. It is a bit long, my apologies. Inventive Models is a company out of China that does more than just couplers. Prototype Couplers is a company based here in the U.S. and has continued with where Sergent Engineering unfortunately left off.
First, Inventive Models. I was first made aware of Inventive Models by/in the Sergent Couplers Group.io that someone suggest to me to look at for tips on assembly. Eric Xing was on the platform and introduced his brass HO (1/87) scale couplers that he was working on. For years, people who used Sergent couplers were hungry for more variations to become available again. There were several couplers that prototype modelers and train modelers, in general, were looking for. Type E couplers- with lower shelfs, double shelfs (found on tank cars and some covered hoppers); Type F couplers, typically found on locomotives and coal hoppers; Type H couplers that are found on passenger cars and passenger locomotives. Narrow shank variants in the same couplers were also desired because there were people out there that used a more ”scale” coupler draft gear box - the narrow shank variation allows for the couplers to be used in these draft gear boxes.
Eric of Inventive Models was able to produce a brass preassembled coupler for those who were interested and offered them, in addition, to what was available already from Sergent Couplers as a ”assembled option”. There was a little bit more of a bump up in cost (starting @ $5.40/pair up), however there was a demand, so to speak, for the couplers. There was a HUGE response from the guys that were in the Group.io; most of whom were already using the Sergent couplers but, for whatever reason, had not moved forward with getting more variations. The first batch of brass couplers that Eric produced, sold out within 3-4 weeks (+/-). Rightfully so, it was not a very big batch, but they went quickly once people seen what was available and what they needed/wanted.
Inventive Models did another run of couplers in brass again. While doing this he made some design changes to better fit the market; thickness of the shaft was taken down a hair, thus creating a better fit in coupler boxes that were found on a lot of manufactures freight cars and locomotives (any coupler box/draft gear box that would take a #5 Kadee coupler or equivalent). After the 2nd run was released, most of the couplers were sold out within a few weeks. Most of the variations that were remaining were more ”oddball”; long shank Type F, narrow shank Type F and H, and even some long shank Type Es. There was still a small demand for the couplers, but it wasn’t enough to justify more being made; because of Inventive Models other ventures, the couplers are a ”no inventory” item and no plans were made to make more at the time in brass. There was also a demand in the S scale community that Inventive was being questioned about- could it be done? The S scale couplers, at the time was stuck in the same predicament; there was not enough demand for the couplers at the time to justify the tooling for them to be made. However, there were people quietly waiting for them to be offered and they pounced. A gentleman organized a preorder for the S scale couplers and was getting a LOT of response to that. From what I understand, the S scale couplers did more than what Inventive expected. I, after looking at what was going on, I reached out to Inventive and asked if I did the same thing, could we get the couplers made? YES!!! There was more people that came out of the woodwork to order. The response was overwhelming in aspects of the people in the hobby who had been waiting for the couplers. I have ran three (3) preorders before this year, 2025, and the response continues to increase. Not only does the response grow to order, it also grows in terms of people wanting to learn more about how they work. The funny thing is, not a lot of people know the history of the couplers; ok, some due however, there continues to be an influx of people coming to the hobby, or, looking for more prototypical operation in which these couplers filled that demand. The thing that some people don’t know is there is, in fact, 2 companies offering these couplers.
There is Prototype Couplers, a company in Vermont, that has essentially picked up where Sergent couplers left off. The idea came from Alex Woychosky. He was looking to improve what he had, as far as models and then, there became a HUGE demand shift in couplers of a prototypical form. In the middle of the 2nd preorder I was running, Frank Sergent stopped doing business. It was almost like a light switch was shut off to the hobby in the coupler conversation; there were people in the hobby who thought that there wasn’t anything going to be available. It was sad, and still is, to see Frank gone, however there had been hints for some time that he was looking to get away from them. With him leaving, there was a huge demand placed in Inventive’s lap. As with a lot of us, we work full time jobs, then have a hobby that sometimes, can make a little money to put back into the hobby (why not have the hobby make money for the hobby if you can) but, it becomes time consuming and respectfully, some of us don’t know when that time will end.
Alex was able to take files that Frank made public and work with them to create his own functional couplers in which he had made in brass. I still have some that I had him send me to see what was going on. They were good representations of what the modelers would want but, they were not cost effective and would be potentially better suited for “self” use. After a little bit of time, decisions were made, and Prototype Couplers was being formed. Alex was able to make molds and use an investment casting material to make a coupler that was cheaper than the brass ones. Ironically, he was doing the same thing Sergent was doing with some of his variants that weren’t more commonly used/sought after on a frequent basis. The samples that he came up with were awesome but there was some stuff that needed to be worked out before they could be offered for availability. Once those things were worked out, the hobby got a 2nd source for the couplers. The couplers take a little more time to prepare for assembly but, done right…time, it is all about taking your time, test fitting, and checking operation before gluing…they operate as smooth as railroad wheels sliding across the rails while emergency braking!!! Smooth!!! There is always a learning curve with new products so… I started to do just that.
The investment castings from Prototype Couplers must be checked for fit, and you may have to do this a couple times. The original diecasts where/are the same way; flashing can be in places that won’t allow for proper assembly and/or function; thus you must make sure the pieces go together first before gluing. This was something that some overlooked but, I helped inform people about the process, my process, with assembly and that the couplers are just as good as any other. The fact that PC couplers, Sergent, and Inventive Models couplers all work together, it is HUGE. There has been a growing product line with Prototype Couplers since they started, and they offer a full line of both HO, S, and O scale couplers now. From my conversations with Alex, the weather soon will not be an issue with production; with the method of PC’s process, the cold air that sets in during the winter hinders production. The fact that we, the modelers have 2 companies doing this is amazing. However, there was, and still is, a lack of information floating around about Prototype Couplers- some people don’t know they exist.
I am not sure why, even at the time this is being written, why not a lot of people know about Prototype Couplers. I mean, there was a lot of people who knew/know about the miscommunication of the companies themselves, there was also questions about who was who, who was doing what, and how come this company name goes to this company website. While Eric was taking off, there was someone who purchased a domain name bashed Inventive Models and Eric for a “poor business model”, it is sad to see. A few months back, someone questioned me about who was making Alex with Prototype Couplers products for him, they also asked if there was any association between the 2 companies. Outside of both knowing what each of them was doing, no, there was no association and Prototype Couplers (Alex) makes their own couplers. I was then told to Google Inventivemodels.com and see what comes up. Well, it comes up and you click the link, and it goes to the Prototype Couplers website. That is/was NOT right!! It was a matter of time before several people on different platforms did some digging and found out who owned the domain and then more came out. Initial blame was placed on Prototype Couplers for trying to do this, in which, that was not the case; the persons responsible for the misconception issues were called out.
Both companies are active still in the coupler conversation, which in itself, is one that has people on both sides of the aisle for more than one reason or another; those who will not use anything other than Kadee and other compatible couplers for their layouts, those who are invested too much into the forementioned couplers to change what they are already using; those who want a more prototypical coupler for their layouts, those who want to have more prototypical operation on their railroad layouts, those who want something “easier” to use for their model railroad operations. Inventive Models now has molds to make diecast couplers; there was the addition of the Type F coupler and the Type E coupler with a lower shelf. The price of the couplers in diecast are cheaper than the brass but the tooling is more expensive. Prototype Couplers has their original investment castings still being made, as well as the original diecast Type E coupler that was available from Sergent Engerineering.
There has been some question about scale of the couplers that we have available for us to use. The word “standard” comes up and then there is the question of what defines the word itself. At which, then the question is- what exactly is defined as the standard for couplers in HO (1/87) scale, or any scale in model railroading?
Are the couplers that most people swear by really a standard or, is it what has been opinioned as the “standard” for so long and there has never been any competition?
-Cory “CA” Fane-
CA Customs Weathering
8/2025
