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Modeler’s Spotlight Video – Inside Cody’s Office for May 2015
Cody, given that they are basically the same coupler, why do you suggest having the same coupler on each end of the car?
Like those Oxford cars, picked up the Mustang last week for my layout, all of the guys at switch tower JX are jealous now of its new owner. Great accessories for layouts modeling the 60’s and 70’s. Thanks.
Cody,
It’s been my experience that installing the Kadee brass centering spring upside down (against the draft gear cover) makes them not to want to uncouple or delay properly over the magnet.
Does it really matter if the couplers are not the same model as long as they are mounted at the correct height and the trip pins have been curved correctly? I think not.
Well Cody, Another great episode as always. I like the new oxford vehicles, and the new athearn bi level auto racks, along with the new locos from athearn, and kato. Alot of new items will come along, just wait and see. How are you doing on your home layout. Let us see some progress photos.
When trimming those coupler springs, don’t forget to wear safety glasses. I speak from personal experience
Hey, Cody, I was just wondering if it’s possible to make the Cody’s Office videos available as a podcast? Not sure if this has been mentioned/suggested before, and I must confess I have no idea what’s involved with turning the videos into a podcast. I just thought it would be a convenient way for us to enjoy watching it on our mobile devices without having to remember to check the website every month.
Dear Cody,
After all these episodes, maybe you’ve already received this question, but if you haven’t here goes:
What do you mean when you refer to “separately applied details” on a model engine, freight or passenger car? Are you pointing out factory-applied details, or are these customer-applied?
Thanks so much, on to episode 200!
Glad to hear you’ll be at the National Train Show in August in Portland, OR. Looking forward to seeing you there. On a completely different subject, would you mind sharing the shade of green you have on the MR&T facia? It really pops in the videos!
Hi Cody thank you for the answer I enjoy every episode.
Concur with both of Robert Carlson’s comments.
Kadee instructions call for bronze springs to be installed above the coupler. My recollection of their introduction is that the different side spring configurations allowed better delayed uncoupling over ramps.
As long as standards are met for coupler height, etc., the type springing used in Kadee couplers pertains only to delayed uncoupling. If the coupler faces are of the same type, i.e., regular or scale, they’ll work fine together. Same applies to coupler lengths, overset, underset, different ends of the same car, etc.
Hi Cody, fitting Kadees was fine but that one was easy. I collect 36 & 40 foot billboard reefers and boxcars and have had to replace hornhooks etc etc on all makes such as Rivarossi, Tyco et etc. including truck mounted ones. Not so easy!
Great episode as usual Cody but disapointed we did not saw better the big O scale passenger cars .
Amen to wearing eye protection while working on the sheet brass centering springs that come with Kadee #5 couplers. The other thing that has to be done with each centering spring is to make sure that the front edge doesn’t have anything that the coupler might catch on. In many case I’ve had to file that edge smooth. Using the whisker couplers can save quite a bit of rather fussy work.
I have another solution for skirting attachment. I use snaps. Not down and dirty cheap. I found them in a boating store. They are used for attaching canvas on boats. I have also seen them in large sporting goods retailers and hardware stores. I paid about $15 for the kit. It came with tips that fit over a pair of locking pliers. for the pop rivet side. The other side has a screw for attachment, which also doubles as my way of holding the fascia.
Thanks, Cody, for more great information. When I change out my couplers, I also add just a small amount of dry lubricant to the draft gear box to keep the coupler shaft moving freely.
I hot glue velcro to wood. For throttle points on the facia I stick it to plastic strip and screw that to the layout. It doesn’t come off the plastic.
Two points about the Kadee couplers: 1) I believe the #5 springs are phosphor bronze, not brass. Who says nitpicking is dead? 2) Why have identical couplers on opposite ends of a car? I’ve used an offset-shank coupler on one end of a car to avoid having to use three washers, while a #5 with one or no washers at all works on the other end, to get proper coupler height.
Cody,
I have a question from the outstanding article written by Andy Renshaw in the June 2015 MR, "A New Look for a ‘Blue-Box’ Car. In Step 10 of his process (page 41) He says that to reduce silvering he brushes on a thin layer of white glue immediately before applying decals. Could you please expound on/explain this process in more depth for me? It sounds like a great idea and I’d like to try it out. Thanks and Go Pack!
Hi Cody awesome show, like it so much I have to watch it every day to get my daily dose of “Cody’s Office” & when can we go see the MR&T & etc during the summer Cody & winter Cody to???