As I continue with the hobby I’ve come to know one thing for sure; There is nothing like a Kadee coupler!! I have tried Intermoutian, McHenry and a host of others. All you you’re doing is setting yourself up for failure, no question in my mind( 7 years experience with knuckel couplers). I just took some of my other rolling stock and Engines up to my train room to run for a little while and it’s always the same thing. If there is a problem with uncoupling it’s something other than a Kadee. My oppinion is save your self some time and money and do it right the first time.
KD has been doing it right for over 45 years+.
is switching all my couplers to kadee, a good time and derailment saver. cause right now all i have is a trainline set( wothless, im not going to be using it at all as soon as i get a new loco) and an athearn flat with kadee’s. i havent tried hooking them up yet though
I do not know much, but I do know that Kadee is the standard, go for it!
Excellent coupler!!! Very durable!!! Highly recommend!!![^]
I don’t know, are trainline couplers knuckel couplers? If so you can take your time. But I would move to change all of them to Kadee’s if you only do a couple cars at a time. It will stop a lot of derailings and uncoupling problems. If you have a look on eBay you can get them at a real disscount sometimes about a buck or buck fifty a car.
Kadee’s by far. Everything else I’ve used pales in comparison.
Nick
The items I’ve received lately that are made by Walthers have the Bachman EZ Mates in them. They were rather quickly replaced by the Kadee metal couplers when I tried to pull a 10 car Superliner train up our club’s helix and they kept coming uncoupled. Close observation showed that the coupler shanks were actually flexing and allowing the couplers to separate.
Seems every time I’ve tried other brands of knuckle couplers, I convert them to Kadee’s again. You gotta go with what works.
I’ve been using Kadee couplers since 1960, when their number 4 with a metal mounting box was the only choice available. In all that time, I don’t recall ever breaking a single one.
I just wi***he manufacturers would come up with a better way to attach couplers than those snap-on metal covers used by Athearn and a few others, or those press-fit plastic covers used by AccuRail.
notice the kadee box has a slight indentation…when the magnet pulls on the uncoupler the angle encourages the coupler to slide to the uncouple position.
Not just the magnet pulls the coupler to the right, the down pressure does it too, this is thinking on the part of Kadee, they are doing it RIGHT.
Plus the square spring centerer gives less pressure for the uncoupling direction than the other way. Schmaaart.
Vunderbar!
I love kds, but the 58s aren’t uite as reliable as the 5s, ut I’ll take em over McHenrys anyday.
Matthew
In 30 years of using Kadee couplers, I’ve only had one failure. The uncoupling wire came loose from the knuckle and wouldn’t pull it open over a magnet. Since all magnets have now been removed that wouldn’t even be an issue any more.
In comparision, All the plastic knock off’s I tried in recent years have had several failures within a very short time. Outright breaking, poor action, stretching and bent knuckles have all been common.
I am however being tempted by the Sargents…
I like the Kadees #58’s and now they sell them in bulk, so i’m going to donate my #5’s to a local train club if they want them.
But what is that odd looking hook hanging down from the little coupler???
Now I am in the process of changing all my Locos over to #78’s they have the draft gear box already assembled, yep mount it all in one step!! 78’s are also a scale coupler so they look real nice. All of my rolling stock will get #5’s unless some how I need a different one. I have been running again tonight and living with my old misstakes of using something less!! So I have more cars here in the my house to work on again. Oh well, lessons learned…
They are the best coupler on the market today. The #5 is best al-round,espeically if you don’t mind working getting the height right. But I like the many choices,short shank ,long shank,high shank, low shank ,mid mounted shank, then you have the #58. KDs are very strong .In 30 years of using them I’ve only broken 2, both times on cars I dropped. Plus KDs don’t have a memory.
I think it represents the airline, it’s also there for magnetic uncoupling. If it bothers you do what I do; cut it off or make it shorter because they usualy have to be bent to keep from catching on turnouts.
I use KD #5’s and haven’t had a problem yet. KD is the best.
ICMR
Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]
I’ve had many, MANY faliures with the plastic couplers, and one faliure with a kadee. I was running a 6 unit consist of katos when the fron trip pin went too low and caught on a strong grade crossing and the knuckle broke right off!
Matthew
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life
Kadee couplers will give you no strife
So for my personal gaurantee
Make your coupler choice Kadee
Sung to the tune of never make a pretty woman your wife.
EVERYBODY SING!!![:D][:D]
Tom