I have a mixture of all the coupler types in the poll. So I thought this would be a good question to ask before I got too heavily into any specific coupler. I tried searching the forum for this subject but did not find what I was looking for. Please no trashing of anyones product. I have probably run across the negative aspects of each so knowing what you like about each I think would be more helpful to me and others.
i have Bachmann’s, they work and are inexpensive, but all my new kitbash projects are getting Link and Pin couplers, so eventually I’ll phase out most of the Bmann’s.
Hook and loop work for me.But then again I havn’t tried anybody elses so it’s not really a expert opinion.
Hi All,
At this time I have all LGB equipment but the layout has not been built as yet. I plan on using the Hook and Loop couplers for now and at some point in time I would like to have knuckle type couplers. The article in the Garden Railway Magazine about 2 years ago regarding the many different couplers was most informative. Prior to my installing the knuckle type couplers I will again refer to the article.
Ron
[:)]
i have lots of aristo cars so its ac couplers i use them on u$a cars. no problems. i use loop and hook on my u$a engines and a transfer car very good luck.
7yrs now going on 8 soon.
100% KD’s on everything.[^]
jb
Way to go, John!
I’ll second that!
Oooooooops, I forgot to tell you,
I model mostly RhB - I do have some NA N scale stuff and some HO SBB stuff etc. - but ever since I was introduced to the nifty Kadee couplers 30 years ago I’ve been using them on everything.
Some consider it outright sacrilege, but I remove the center buffer on the IIm RhB stuff to fit the Kadees to “regulation height” and get the proper end sill to end sill distance (well almost correct [;)][:)][:D]).
In this case it is function over prototypical looks, besides the auto couplers are long overdue in Europe in any case. [;)][;)][;)][:p]
I said other, I have Kadee’s on ALL 3 Count’em 3 pieces of rolling stock! i think eventually I would switch to Accucraft for no other reason than the operating cut levers and the prototypical look[;)]
Although I’m unsure as to who carry’s them and as to what they cost vs. Kadee’s
Kadee are the best I think.
I like the look and mechanics of Bachmann couplers…Since most of my equipment is Bachmann.
Kadee’s are probably the best as far as size and looks go and when I modeled in H.O. thats all I used . Now on my outside railroad i’m using mostly Aristocraft cuz most of my rolling stock is from them . All of my USA freight cars have Aristo couplers on them also . I did keep my USA streamliner cars stock cuz the couplers are metal and work good . The Aristo couplers have kept my trains coupled together reliably and are relatively cheap in price . If I ever decide to body mount my rolling stock and motive power I will switch to Kadee .
I use Kadees, and would recommend them wholeheartedly. First, they’re 100% reliable. Second, they make various styles of couplers for many of the most popular locos and various installation situations you may encounter. They also offer them in two sizes–“#1 scale” for 1:32 and 1:29 equipment, and “G scale” for 1:24 to 1:20.3 equipment. The #1 scale coupler also works in 1:20.3 as a 3/4 scale coupler, used by a number of narrow gauge railroads.
The Accucraft couplers are a relatively close second for those modeling 1:20.3, and modeling a narrow gauge railroad that used full sized couplers. Their major drawback is that there’s only one mounting style, and its side-to-side swing is not quite what the Kadees are. They are the best looking coupler on the market.
Prices on the Kadees and Accucraft couplers are comparable. Shop around, and you can find them for around $4.50/pair.
All other couplers are distant also-rans.
Later,
K
I have standardised on Bachmann knuckle couplers on all my equipment, they easily retro fit to other manufacturers stock, LGB, Aristo,USA etc.
Locomotives are sometimes harder to retro fit, but, as most of my locomotives are Bachmann, no problem!
kadees are the cream of the crop at a extra cost! per car
Hi all
I rather like the
center buffer and three link chain or link and pin couplings as these give the narrow gauge look iam after but can be a painfor shunting.
I am not a great fan of the upside down giant Tri-ang coupling used by a lot of manufacturers it is reliable in most cases but looks revolting
regards john
Thanks for the quick review Kevin. I’ll stick to the Kadee’s and glueing my little fish hook eye on to attach the cut lever chain to.
I use Tenmille AG047 couplers,
They are protoypically correct for my railway and they work very well too.
regards
ralph
Hi John,
That’s precisely why I switched to Kadees, wearing a “hairshirt” while running a model railway is not my idea of fun.
Oh yeah, in HOm I had people show up for operating sessions with magnifying glasses. While the Kadee couplers (711) are a joy to operate, reading the car numbers on the 1969 HOm RhB is a different matter.[;)][}:)][:)]
Of course the proto went to much larger numbers in recent years, they probably heard about the operating problems.[8D][:)][:p]
I change everything to body-mounted Kadee couplers. Truck-mounted couplers tend to push rolling stock off of the track when backing up, especially up hill, because the pressure is placed onto the wheels instead of the car body.