I’ve been using Kadees (mostly #5s) for years and never had any problems with them. My model railroading has been mostly ‘armchair-type’ the past 10 yrs or so and a lot has changed! The only choice back then was to install Kadees, and after following this string I see no reason to not stay with Kadees. Are newer design Kadees compatible w/ older #5 design? Any neat ways to avoid having the tiny coupler springs from launching into the carpet? I’ve tried tweezers, a very small screwdriver and even various X-Acto type hobby-knife blades with varying degrees of success. Is there a specific tool that I should use to make it less stressful to install a couple hundred pairs of Kadees? Are the newer design Kadees less of a headache to install? I have approx 100 pairs of #5 Kadees stockpiled and hate to not use them. Thanks in advance…
Bill - yes, the older Kadee MKD-5, the newer #5, the 58, & the 78, are all compatible with one another and with other knuckle couplers, including Accumates. The Sergent Engineering “finescale” coupler does not mate with Kadee and its clones or with Accumate.
The Kadee 58’s use the same shank and centering spring as the 5, and install in the same draft gear box. The only glitch you might have is that they do not come in different shank lengths or with offset shanks, so special installs require some ingenuity instead of just dropping in an offset-shank or extended-shank coupler (which I think look silly anyway). I have not hit a piece of equipment yet that I couldn’t install a 58 in and end up at the correct height with a little work.
As for the knuckle springs - Kadee make a spring “pick” to make handling them easier. I just use a hobby knife. Make sure to slip the spring over the longer prong on the knuckle first. These springs are recessed into the side of the coupler on the 58 and 78. Haven’t had to replace one yet on a 58, so I now have a mighty stockpile of spare knuckle springs!
I am a Kadee guy as I find these are the most robust and reliable. I have found the plastic couplers have a “memory” and if they are kept in the “sprung open” position for a prolonged period then they will stay that way and loose all closing ability.
I use kadee the most and I’m completely sold on them. There are study and work great,McHenry what are they made out of,paper? In my opinion Kadee is the best.
Sante Fe 4-8-4[:D]
hey ‘BentnoseWillie’ – Thanks for your quick response1
One is glad to be of service. [#welcome]
Fergmeister… Your use of the word “Memory” is fantastic. You probably wanted to show that the plastic has fatique and loses tension to the point of being no good.
Biill, you could send me those 100 couplers, Ill use em eventually (Just kidding =)
Recently I had an issue with a 300 dollar Broadway engine not having Kaydees on the front, I wanted to clarify that the BLI’s plastic coupler as come with the engine will work with a Kaydee equipped rolling stock. But you need to lift the engine up and out of the car to uncouple. (there is a thread with photos and assitance from Tony’s Hobby Shop on how to install Kaydees)
One of the “Light Bulbs” that came to me recently is using the offset couplers on my Athearn 50’ Express Reefers. I was tired of stacking spacers under the trucks to the limits of the screw thread. These Kaydee off sets will raise the knuckle high enough off the track and couple! YAY!
But it is my hope that someday Locomotive Builders will allow a “Drop in” slot for Kaydee or similar couplers without having to cut.
Go Kadee…
Buy the best and toss the rest.
I’ve used Kadee since I got into M RRing. I’m now using the scale #58 ones, although these require good trackwork and smooth joints to operate because of the smaller coupler lips. I will advise anyone to use Kadees. They couple much better than Bachmann’s E-Z mates, the only plastic couplers I’ve had experience with.
K/D’s by choice.
I’ve been using kadees longer than I care to remember - tried others, but always come back to the old #5. Nowadays I don’t use the magnetic feature (it’s not prototypical anyway) so I also cut off the curved trip pin and use skewers for uncoupling.
I’ve had experience with installing KD’s and though I find the coupler spring setup a bit frustrating at times, it’s a lot better than unwanted uncouplings that I get regularly from the McHenry’s the LHS talked me into getting. (He was out of #5’s) I just ordered more 5’s so I can quickly put the McHenry’s where they belong. In the junk pile next to the freight car repair facility!
Stuck on KD’s for 2 main reasons.[:D]
1st, plastic couplers dont store well. if the car slides in the box and puts tension on the coupler, it will take a “set” and basicaly.,its junk from there.[V]
2nd, we regularly run 75-100+ car trains. Plastic couplers will not live long like this. So why bother with them.[;)] Ever hear of a KD being pulled apart???
hey timbowa – I gotta kid you on this one - you state that you “cut off the curved trip pin because it isn’t prototypical anyway and use skewers instead”. Since when are ‘skewers’ (or 1 : 1 scale fingers) prototypical? Please note that I intend to continue doing same thing as I add more rolling stock to my new layout in the making. . .
I have used Kadee #5’s on all my HO equipment for the past 25 years with 100% satisfaction. I tried some McHenry type couplers on Walther’s ore cars with very poor results. They we’re replaced promptly with Kadee couplers. Also had good performance with the conversions for AHM/RIVAROSSI passenger cars. My fleet of rolling stock numbers in the 600+range and locomotives in the 250+ range all equipped with Kadee couplers. I would recommend them hands down. Hope this helps in your decision making process.
Thanks for the compliment but case in point since writing the earlier post I bought a Bachmann Silver Series Train Set (passenger Cars). The engine and cars were fitted with Accumates. I hauled the train, up my 6’ x 5% curved grade and just as the engine hit the crest, I had a runaway train, Man those coaches go like stink! Anyway after inspecting the couplers and realizing that they were a bit “sloppy” out they came and were replaced by Kadee’s. I still had problems and after further inspection realized the Bachmann coupler arrangement, which was linked with the trucks and swivelled when the trucks swiveled[%-)] were slack and moved in an up/down arc. A shim between the coupler box and the car body has solved this. Regardless I haven’t much faith in plastic couplers as they are easily fatigued and can’t handle the rigours on the MESS.
Nothin’ beats Kadees…'nuff said.[^]