you guys that use this type of coulper ,which is best and why? thanks John
http://www.nmra.org/beginner/couplers.html
In addition KD makes 40 + coupler & hardware sets in both metal & acetal plastic, conversion kits, shims, washers, height gauge,http:www.kadee.com/htmbord/page120.htm
trip pin pilers, http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page160.htm
wheel sets, freight cars and four uncouplers.
http:/www.kadee.com/conv/list.htm
Kadees are solid, durable and reliable.
McHenry’s make good yard junk. They look just like Kadees but break with alarming frequency–I have had them snap off when I started a train a little too quickly.
Kaydee Metal. McHenry Plastic. The McHenry will fail first.
John,
When McHenry couplers first came out, I was excited to have an alternative to Kadee. After installing them on several of my weighted, free-rolling cars, I bumped them in a simulated yard collision. The entire heads of the McHenry’s fell off! The impact was no more severe than would happen with normal switching. I sent them back and was sent replacements. They were re-inforced, but still not as durable as the Kadee. For the time invested in installing and adjusting couplers per car, there is not enough price difference to justify my going to plastic couplers. I have a whole box of McHenry, Accumate, and other plastic knuckle couplers. I install Kadee almost exclusively now. There are a few special exceptions (the tender coupler of my Cab Forward), but not many.
Mark C.
McHenry’s are inferior. 'nuff said.
I second that opinion. Got a bunch of McHenry’s recommended by my HS. Will all soon be a gondola junk load. Kadees’ are still the best.
You guys must realy abuse your couplers.
I run 20 to 40 car trains and have had some jerky operation, and I can’t seem to destroy even a Mchenry coupler.
HELP I have about 100 sets of McHenery. YARD JUNK? Would they be OK for a home type operation?[?]
mccouvillion’s post could be mine. Glad to try something different, amazed at the breakage rate, blamed it all on a cost cutting car shop maintenance foreman (ok, thats a little different, but as CEO, I knew I could’nt have made such a poor choice!!)and went back to Kadees.
Never looked back!
And the foreman was transferred to another RR.
Kadee has the superior knuckle spring design. Kadee couplers have the little copper knuckle spring, which can be replaced, albeit with some difficulty. McHenry and Life-Like couplers have a plastic hinge on the knuckle, which will eventually break and can’t be repaired.
KADEE! KADEE! and KADEE!..it’s the best coupler!..the only thing i use from McHenry is their delayed action uncoupler magnet…it’s a good magnet to uncouple the cars but their coupler needs lots of improvement before I’ll put them on my rolling stock…Chuck
I too switched a couple cars to test them altough I did not break any I did find that the plastic shank caused a lot of lifting on grades. I now put 2 doz. in a bag and try to sell at train shows and cant even get a dollar a bag.
Not strictly true. http://www.mchenrycouplers.com/ The McHenry #1 couplers are rubbish and deserve to be on the scrap heap. However, if you check out the product range, all the newer products have metal springs and are a lot better. I use them for specific applications, such as the Rivarossi passenger cars. I ahve had good sucess with them with these. One thing they have done much better than Kadee, is that they have a better method of securing the springs. I have never had a spring come off one of my McHenry couplers.
Kadees are better, slightly, and McHenry’s are cheaper. You pays your money and takes your choice. The early Mc’s were pretty weak, but the later ones with a metal spring on the knuckle don’t seem too bad; I haven’t broken one in about two years now. I have a few plastic that came on some engines and I am kinda waiting to see how they do over time, but I generally install KD’s on engines if it either didn’t come with knuckle couplers or I have a problem.
I have used all of the Kadee ‘clones’ and the the only ones that seem to be just as reliable are the newer McHenry’s with the coil spring. They appear to have built up the shank/knuckle area or changed plastic, as I have not had any coupler failures. Amazingly, the Accurail couplers seem to be very reliable. When I buy engines/rolling stock, I change out the ‘living spring’ couplers couplers that come with them before they hit the layout. When I need to order couplers, I usually get ‘20’ packs of Kadee #5’s. I do use the newer Bachmann/McHenry’s as they have some nice mounting that even Kadee does not have! They come on the little ‘blue’ cards at the LHS…
Jim Bernier
I started using Kadee’s before "delayed "uncoupling came out and have nothing but good to say about them. I like the selection and the versatility. No matter what your problem Kadee has a solution.
Bob
I’ve only ever broke one McHenry coupler and that was because of a high speed collision.
Kadee has a plastic coupler line (plastic shanks - the 20 series, I believe) and a metal one (metal shanks - the 40 series). I not only have broken the McHenry’s, I have also broken the Kadee plastics. Of course, the good ol’ #5 Kadee is all metal.
After some experiments, I’ve gone to all metal Kadees and have had no more failures. Heck, I’ve had stuff hit the floor coupler first and once I find the coupler (it usually flies out of the draft box from the impact), I just stick it in again and off we go – after repairing any damage to the car, of course.
You guys with DCC
Here’a a test.
Back to back, KD to Mc and throttle up.