Ive noticed that the brass centering spring on Kadee #5’s has two little tabs that stick up too far to allow the coupler box lid to fit flush against the coupler box on some of my freight cars. #148’s seem to solve this problem. Question, are 148’s as reliable/effective as the good ole #5’s? What do you folks use when #5’s wont work?
I used to trim the tabs of the #5 centering springs until they fit. Ever since Kadee came out with the #148 “whisker” coupler, that’s all I use now. The #148s actually work better than the #5s as far as the remote uncoupling; the spring tension is perfect. I noticed that sometimes the centering spring for the #5s were off just enough to prevent the coupler from being pulled to the side enough to allow the delayed action uncoupling magnet to work properly. Some rolling stock has shallow coupler boxes which requires removal of some of the material from the shank to allow it to swing freely from side to side. Be careful removing this material; if you go too far, the whiskers will fall out.
The 148’s work great, many modelers I know have switched, I know I have. They can even be carefully filed thinner to fit in Bachmann coupler pockets.
Sheldon
I haven’t replaced my #5’s, but most any new car I build gets #148’s these days. MUCH easier to get together, especially if there is some sort of clip-on coupler box cover, because you only have to worry about the car, coupler, and lid, not that pesky spring as well. The whisker springs are metal and work just as well as the metal pan of the #5’s.
–Randy
Great info guys, I just ordered a supply.
I use 148’s, 118’s and 119’s (118 and 119 are shelf couplers). I use 148’s on some freight cars but lately I’ve switched to the shelf couplers. I use them on tank cars, covered hoppers and cars with different height coupler pockets that keep couplers from being the same height. They do a great job of keeping the cars together on rough track. I also use them on most of my locos. It’s easy to change a full shelf coupler (upper and lower shelfs) to the lower shelf type coupler seen on many prototype freight cars today. Just cut the top shelf off. The shelfs on Kadee shelf couplers actually work.
I use Kadee® #5, #38, #118, #153, #156, #158 (#151) and also new #112
Ich verwende Kadee® #5, #38, #118, #153, #156, #158 (#151) und Neu auch #112
The 148’s are great for cars with built in pockets with smooth sides. The problems I’ve had with them are with the Kadee coupler boxes that come with them. These are the ones with the two screw holes on the sides. The 148 springs are just the right length for one to get jammed in these ears and give the coupler a permanent set to one side or the other.