why did kadee stop making the earlier couplers?
i have a set of #4 couplers from when I was in high school. why did kadee stop making them?
and what were the first three Kadee couplers like?
(To the younger crowd: Kadee used to make couplers that were mechanically actuatedâtrip pins, and all that. The #4 was one of those. Then they introduced magnetic actuationâMK-4, etc.)
Either because âeveryoneâ abandoned using them. Or Kadee wanted âeveryoneâ to go over to the magnetics.
It does seem odd that they did that, though. Sales is sales, it seems to me.
As far as the #1, etc.: A good question. Perhaps 1 through 3 were never released to the public. Or perhaps 4 superseded them.
Old magazines would probably answer some of the last question. To sell couplers, you had to advertise. In Model Railroader, in particular. And you had to âdisplay your waresâ. So a tip-toe through old mags will reveal if #1-3 was ever released.
Ed
Next question, what happened to WD 1-39?
1 Like
i found a patent granted in 1969 (?)
All the failed water displacement formulas before the 40th one worked
The 1969 patent is for the N scale/old timer coupler.
Sheldon
.
Better question: What happened with Preparations A though G?
.
-Kevin
.
1 Like
do you know what Preparation H is for?
Kadee used to sell a single âtest couplerâ I thought I had a #2, but I could only find a 6,7, and 8. Since I bought them, they must have been inexpensive. Not sure I ever found that I needed them.
.
Of coarse I do. I just hope whatever was wrong with Preparations A through G was discovered before they reached the human trial phase of product testing.
.
Back to KadeeâŚ
.
I still have a stock of #4 couplers. These are all metal, including the draft gear box, so they are unsuitable for brass models or models with metal underframes.
.
I have had these for 20+ years. I am pretty sure they are not made any longer.
.
The head size is identical to the #5. The slack in the centering spring in the draft gear is a nice feature. The centering spring does not work very well. Everything must be burnished and cleaned of burrs before any assembly. Installing the slack bushing in the centering spring will drive you crazy. Peening the rivet is no fun at all.
.
Boy do I love those #148 whisker couplers.
.
.
-Kevin
.
I donât recall any #1, 2, or 3 Kadee couplers, but my first HO trains, 1956, I think, came with #4sâŚ
I wasnât too pleased when they went to the Magne-matics, with that ugly, fat trip pin, as they wouldnât work with the uncoupling ramp for the #4s, and I cut quite a few of them off.
A lot of those later ended-up on MoW equipment, and are still in service, although this one is on a friendâs layoutâŚ
I seem to recall that the original Kadees were the K-Type, as Iâve read references to the same.
Wayne
i asked Kadee and got the following response:
The #4 coupler was discontinued for a number of reasons, the mold was wearing out, the coupler just isnât used as much as it once was, it was difficult to assembly for many modelers, and we have newer coupler designs that work better in many places the #4 was used.
We do still have a limited supply of the #4 coupler only (no boxes) we sell directly upon request.
The #3 coupler was a fully assembled #5 coupler but now itâs an assembled #148 whisker coupler.
All other coupler numbers not currently produced have been discontinued for any number of reasons but mostly because weâve develped newer better couplers to take their place.
Sam Clarke
R&D / Tech Advisor / Artist
based on the patent and the #4, it looks like earlier couplers relied on a
Iâve got an MK-8 on a little steamer. I think the 6, 7, and 8 were variations on the length and/or the offset of the shank. Iâm pretty sure the 8 was a long shank, and the 6 the short shank. The 7?..
The MK-8 (I THINK there was a K-8ânot sure) is kind of hard to describe. There were (are) two roundish plastic thingys that went above and below the coupler. There was a hole through the middle for a 2-56. The interesting thing was the centering spring, which wrapped around one of the thingys. The ends sorta stuck out and were bent upâon either side of the coupler. So, when the coupler was shoved sideways, the prong on the spring shoved it back to center.
I believe I needed to use the MK-8 instead of the MK-5 because the assembly was narrower, and would fit in the confined space.
When Kadee came out with the MKD (magnetic delayed) series, they had to redesign the 6,7,8 mount, because that one used asymmetrical spring pressureâsomething the old MK spring couldnât do.
Incidentally, I used an MK-4 on the front. There was a VERY TEENY coupler pocket (due to my, uh, detailing). I just cut the back half of the coupler shank off and epoxied what remained into the hole.
Thanks to Wayne for showing a photo of a K-4. They were the only drop-fit coupler for the all-metal cars that Ulrich made. Those had the coupler box cast into the car. And you DIDNâT want to try removing it. On the plus side, I think maybe a Sergent ânon-compatibleâ coupler would be a drop-fit, also. Talk about ahead of yer time. By about 60 years.
Ed
In the early Magna-matic days, the #5 was often referred to as the MKD5&10 as in âfive and dimeâ store.
In fact that was what as on the old packages:
Somewhere along the line, they dropped the â&10â from the name.
Also donât forget the FIRST magnetic ones didnât have the delay feature, they just used a magnet instead of the diamond shaped ramp of the #4. It wasnt too much longer that they figured outhow to get the delayed action, thus the MKD numbers - Magnetic, Kadee, Delayed
âRandy
Pretty sure the 5âs originally came without coupler boxes, the 10âs with.
Then they probably figured it would be, overall, more cost effective to sell only 10âs. And then got worried about losing sales when people kept looking for 5âs. And thus did the combination of 5&10.
Or so it seems to me.
Ed
That is the interesting part of trying to find a MK or MKD 4. I am working on an old Mantua flatcat from the 1950âs and the coupler box accepts a #4. I only had one in my KaDee box, I must have used the other one for some project years ago. Trying to find some is quite interesting. I contactd KaDee with the hope they might have a package or 2 in the âlostâ area.
The original Manuta can came with a coupler that had a âpushâ pin for uncoupling and the #4 would fit perfectly!
Maybe yâall might have one in a stash box, or maybe Cody Grivno might have one???
What was Kadeeâs answer?
I join others in being curious why #5 is suggested and not #1-4?
In knowing this is an old Post. Just to follow up, This coupler looks like a few I have and came in brown or black plastic/Delrin.
I have 9 MKD #4 with the curved trip pin, metal draft gear box and cover and centering spring #S-23. Barry547, are you coming to the Train Collectors Association, TCA, york shown April?
