This is an oldie/newbie question.
I’ve decided to have a Rail Fan passenger train on our previously all freight layout. I acquired three Walthers heavy weight cars.
When attempting to couple them, the diaphragms get in the way. Do I press them harder together to allow coupling? I don’t want to break anything.
Thanks
On straight track, you should have no problems coupling the cars by pushing them together until coupled. Wide curves are needed for full length passenger cars.
To run passenger excursions on my layout, I picked up a pair of Proto 1000 RDC’s, no diaphrams to worry about here and no need to turn the loco at the end of the line.
Hello there…
your best bet would be to replace the couplers with Kadee #5s or 58s# (or whisker equivelants) as they will couple a little more gingerly.
Another ‘fix’ is to lighten the spring on the diaphrams.
David B
Oddly I have the exact opposite problem…uncoupling them for storage.
In that case I lift the car off the track slightly, then pull it as far as I can to one side and wiggle it.
I have both problems. Have a hard time getting them to couple, but then once they do it is a nightmare to get them to let go. It is times like these I wish the Kadee magnets were still in the track.
I feel your pain.
I also have a cure for, “The Kadee Magnet that Isn’t There.”
I buried steel plates (chunks of tin can) under the ties, and only place the magnet when I want to uncouple at that spot. While the original idea was to save a couple of bucks, it sure does cut down on unwanted uncouplings.
Then I discovered a spot where I occasionally needed a magnet, but didn’t have a buried plate. The solution - drive two parallel rows of flathead nails into pre-drilled holes. The nailheads are set just below the tie tops. The magnet (permag delayed uncoupling type) snaps down and stays put, and the Kadees uncouple as designed.
Hope this is useful.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)