Any comments on the #148 Whisker type coupler by Kadee?
I was at my LHS this weekend to pick up some stuff and decided to by some old No. 5 and he talked me into the #148.
He says Kadee is going to stop making the No. 5, any truth to this?
Mark in Houston
I haven’t seen any of the new 148 couplers yet but am certainly looking forward to trying them. Elimation of the separate bronze centering spring is going to be a nice touch.
I haven’t heard about the #5 being discontinued, but since the 148 is going to replace it, why not?
That bronze “centering spring” you know, the device that rarely centers the coupler is the primary reason I use McHenry’s. I plan to try the 148 -hope it works better
so the 148 would replace the 5 with the fact it didn’t have a seperate centering spring?
I just heard about it on this thread, looked it up, and I’m left wondering if the springs will be enough…but on the bright side now I don’t have to restock another 2 bulk packs of centering springs! Just 1!
It would be nice to get rid of those shiny centering springs. Although as improbable as they look, they do (for the most part) get the job done. I’d like to see how well the “whiskers” work before I think of abandoning the good old #5.
will the 148 fit in place of a 28?? i think most my roll. stock takes 28 and i hate the spring centering plate. the whisker coupler is the way to go
I have 2 pairs of #148’s installed(got them at the National last spring). They look like a #5 and drop right in. I have not heard that the the #5 will be discontinued, at least from the Kadee folks at the show. That shiny centering spring on the #5 was just right for giving the coupler the centering and ‘delayed’ uncoupling, but it wore out within a year of heavy use and did not provide much in the way of centering after it got weak. Bulk packs of the #148 will be my new ‘standard’ after I go through the 2 #5 bulk packs I have ‘on hand’.
Jim Bernier
I can’t wait to try a #148 on an Athearn Blue Box loco instead of a McHenry knuckle, I’m just too lazy to cut up all the mounting stands/lugs on my B-Bs to put a #5 on.
Never did like or understand how the copper centering ‘spring’ worked.
Must be a reason why Athearn switched to Bachmann EZ-mate ‘whisker’ type couplers in DEC 1998.
It about time Kadee caught up with the competition.
Now if they could just eliminate the knuckle spring, they would have the perfect coupler.
Re Athearn switch to Bachmann EZ-mate.
Maybe a price/unit consideration? As much as we love the products it’s still a business.
Jon
I hate the Kadee Couplers because of the spring. If the spring pops out,your screwed.
Allan.
With all respect, I must disagree about the springs - Kadee couplers come with spares and I’ve never run out of them. The copper centring spring has also never posed problems for me - you just need to make sure the two “spring” parts make good contact with the flat piece at the rear of the spring, and it’s properly set up. Admittedly sometimes you get one or two that are slightly bent but you can sort this problem out with some fine pliers and a little patience. I’ve found that the plastic “tag” that E Z Mates use in place of the coil spring is nothing like as good for reliably closing the knuckles, and the moulded centring tines don’t work well with delayed uncouplers.
At our local train show sunday,the KD rep was giveing the 148’s away at two per pack,I going to try them soon as I can,I like the looks of them!!
Jim
[#ditto] I’ve found many people that have problems are putting them in upside down (the spring goes over the coupler not under it). That makes the left-right tension incorrect and they never work right. Another common problem, especially installing them in the old MDC Roundhouse, is that the coupler covers get fastened on too tight.
I can’t imagine Kadee would stop making them. The entire #40 series of coupler (which everyone seems to ignore) share the design concept. If nothing else they would have to continue to make the springs for the millions of couplers out there “in service”.
There are always extra ones in the packet. I’ve got piles of them because they provide so many in each pack.
Is there anyword on offering a semi-scale couple like the 58 with the whiskers? I stopped using the number five several year ago. I recently heard the Kadee was finally going to offer bulk packs on the 58.
What about the 25,000,000 model railroaders that rant about converting all their cars to " no. 5 's" that I keep reading about on this forum?? what will they do now?? Again I reiterate, when can we expect ONE kind of workable, authentic looking, reasonably priced coupler?
Maybe when the prototype starts using ONE kind. Don’t even know what to say about all the historical equipment with different types. And then all the model manufacturers make ONE coupler pocket for ever kind of equipment!?!. I don’t think that is possible, don’t think it will ever happen, and am definitely not holding my breath.
Mark, tell your LHS guy he’s full of pigeon poo. Here’s the email I got back from Kadee today:
The #5 is presently the back bone of our coupler line and we have no
plans to discontinue it. There must be zillions out there in the model
railroading world and to discontinue the old standard simply would be
ridiculous. However, along with the new #148 Whisker coupler we are planning
an entire series of couplers including the scale head versions. With this in
mind, the #5 will still be available but the new couplers will cut into the
#5s market and, as we bring more into the market, we’ll be pushing the
whisker style more than the #5 types.
I hope this helps and thanks again for your comments.
Sam Clarke
Kadee Quality Products
Like the “Athearn has quit making Blue Boxes”, the “Number 5 is going away” rumor is one we’ll probably wind up having to quash on a weekly basis around here[banghead]
Hi,
I hope they don’t discontinue the Kadee 5. It’s very popular. Seems a bit rash of them.