Don’t know if this has been asked before but I need to know if there is a supplier that makes or sells link and pin couplers. I am working on a layout that is dated 1880-1920 and just wondered if there is such an animal anymore ??? Thanks for any help.
J R
Please don’t tell me that you’re in N scale. [:P]I’m not sure if any working models have ever used a link and pin. Most people want their couplers to function well, and will sacrifice a little appearence to do so. In over 30 years in this hobby I have never seen anyone use one or make one.
Hi JR;
Kemtron (now Precision Scale) had link & pin couplers in the Walther’s catalogue years ago - like 1974 edition, and probably since then.
Weren’t they illegal after 1886?
Illegal for interchange but used in logging and industrial well after 1886. If you want to see how they worked check out the famous Buster Keaton silent film The General. In fact there is a lot of good information there about older railroading, including how they got the oil into the old oil burning headlights. It is also very funny with some fabulous stunts – all real, no body doubles or camera trickery.
Dave Nelson
If these are for HO display/dinorama then check with Precision Scale they had some last I checked BUT If your in HO and planning operational use I have one word of advise
DONT DO IT!!!
I am in large scale and have a couple of link and pin engines and cars in 1/2" scale and I can tell you coupleing and uncoupling is a wholy PAIN IN THE (well, you know) !!!.
In large scale the pins are large enough you can reach in between the cars and uncouple, but i still need tweezers or something to hold the link up while trying to drop the pin in place. Even as large as 1/2" scale cars are this can be a very hard thing to do, especially on a layout. I can live with it in large scale cause the trains with links are only ment to go from one spot to another, so I usually dont have to do any uncoupling. Also I have the pins tethered on a rope and a small eyebolt to hold the pin when disconnected, so they dont get dropped and dissappear. If these are for operational use on an HO layout I cannot possibly see how you will be able to even reach the pin if its between two boxcars.
1886 is about the time the automatic coupler and Westinghouse brakes were installed on trains. I try not to ever tell someone how to do there layout but I think you would be far happier with the operation characteristics of your layout by using Kadee’s on your stock.
Try and experimant with the link and pin idea BEFORE you commit to it, Try adding them to only two boxcars and then try to link and unlink them the same ways you might have to on your layout. This way you can determine if this system is even functionall feasable for an HO layout . You may be surprised how sadisticly hard trying to link them at small scale can be.
Good Luck, Vic.
JRLauch,
Haven’t checked recently, but the last time I asked, Jay Cohen Model Trains in Florida said he could provide as many of the HO scale Alexander link and pin couplers as I wanted. His URL is:
http://jaystrains.com
If it’s really urgent, phone him. I don’t know his source, but I probably should add some more to my supplies.
Does anyone know of another source ?
Hope this helps.
Bob
JRLauch,
Following up on Nigel’s response to your query, Precision Scale Co., Inc. in their Catalog 3, HO and HOn3 Steam Locomotive and in their Catalog 4, HO and HOn3 Passenger & Freight Car, lists several coupler pockets in lost wax castings for links and pins. They don’t offer links, other than a locomotive drawbar and a specialized coupler for a side dump ore car. You may have to fabricate you own links and you may have to turn your own pins.
Bob
LGB have a set of link and pin couplers in their parts catalogue to fit their G-Scale stock, never used them myself as they wouldn’t suit the stock I own (German narrow gauge).
My feelings exactly, but as the first one to respond I didn’t want to be as blunt as that, hence the somewhat cute remark about N scale.
Yea, even though I’m shooting 1870-1890 myself (which means some cars would have link and pin), i’ve decided that the world moved ahead in 1869 and put automatic couplers on every car by then. I would hate to have to handle them in the yards.
Only thing I would even consider maybe having them on, is my passenger cars, but then i’d have a conversion boxcar up front to link the engines to the cars and to allow freight to be moved as well.
Jay.
That’s what we like, another satisfied customer.[:D] Stick with the HOn3 Kadee’s,and you’ll be happier for it.
JR:
If you want to try using link and pins, you can make an operable set out of kadees. Try to find two kadees where the knuckle is broken. Pull the trip pin out of the coupling so that the (rest of the) knuckle falls off. Bend a piece of wire (about 16 gauge) around your long nose pliers to make the link. Take a pair of spikes or track nails to use as the pins. Put the link in one coupler and drop the pin in. Bring the other car up and put the link in the coupler ther and drop the second pin in.
It’s not fine scale, but it will give you the experience. Oh, yes. Now take your brakeman and snip a couple of his fingers off. [V]
Not to bust your bubble so soon, one option would be to have a designated “set” of cars, passenger cars for example that are all link and pinned and a kadee at the head end only, or install the link pocket at a designated rear only car that way as it goes around the layout it would give the impression of an older trainset, just some options for you.
JR,
I can ou are still looking for L&P couplers, I use HO scale originally made by Alexander. I believe Hobyylinc seels them now for about 16% less than retail.
Thom
11 year old thread back from the dead. …
My bad. Missed the date again.
iPhone got me
If anyone is interested working link and pin couplers for G, O, and N (yikes!) scales
are available from Shapeways. Didn’t find any for HO or S or TT.
The three piece prototype arrangement doesn’t work in model operations.
I replaced the link-n-pin part with a u-shaped link. It works and isn’t noticable in O or HO scale.
HO scale article at:
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/1879/cars/couplers/
O scale article at:
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/link_n_pin/
Tried it in N scale and it really doesn’t work.
Thank you if you visit
Harold