paharleyman2001
New Member
Hey guys I want to change a few things on my cars are all couplers interchangable what I'm saying is can i put couplers from one car and put them on another
couplers
- Thread starter paharleyman2001
- Start date
ICG/SOU
HO & O (3-rail) trainman
Kadee, Bachmann EZ mate, McHenry, Proto2000, ProtoMax, Accumate, Accumate ProtoHO will mate up with each other. Some will mate up better than others (I prefer Kadee of the above list). Sergents I have not tried, and the older horn hooks won't mate up with anything above but other horn hooks (horn hooks are a one-piece coupler that don't look very realistic).
As for pulling couplers out of one car and putting them on another, it will depend. Some Kadee (standard #5) and Proto2000/ProtoMax will require a brass centering spring. The McHenry's and EZ Mates, along with the Accumates have centering springs built on them. I prefer the Kadee #14 (#148) for standard couplers and Kadee #119 (scale shelf couplers) for tank cars. They have small wire springs to center them within the coupler box.
Also, be advised that some cars may be higher/lower than others, so a high set/low set coupler head on the shank may be necessary. Also, if you have snow plows or something of the like on your locomotives, you'll want longer shanked couplers (#46, I think) so that in a curve, the trip pin of the attached car will not contact the snow plow and cause a derailment.
As for pulling couplers out of one car and putting them on another, it will depend. Some Kadee (standard #5) and Proto2000/ProtoMax will require a brass centering spring. The McHenry's and EZ Mates, along with the Accumates have centering springs built on them. I prefer the Kadee #14 (#148) for standard couplers and Kadee #119 (scale shelf couplers) for tank cars. They have small wire springs to center them within the coupler box.
Also, be advised that some cars may be higher/lower than others, so a high set/low set coupler head on the shank may be necessary. Also, if you have snow plows or something of the like on your locomotives, you'll want longer shanked couplers (#46, I think) so that in a curve, the trip pin of the attached car will not contact the snow plow and cause a derailment.
nwdrummer379
Class of '11
Speaking of Accumates, I think they are about as accurate as a blind sniper. Maybe its just the way they were set in when I built the kit. Lets just say I traded them in for a pair of McHenry's within a day. Sorry to hijack the thread but has anyone else had a problem with them?
ICG/SOU
HO & O (3-rail) trainman
I only have used Accumates in the beginning when I started getting some Atlas cars and locos. I had problems with them not coupling with other brand couplers, so I removed them and replaced them with Kadee #5 and #14.
Unless the car or loco I get comes with a Kadee on it, I remove whatever is on it and replace it with a Kadee #14 or Kadee #119 or a long shank Kadee (for locos with snow plows).
Unless the car or loco I get comes with a Kadee on it, I remove whatever is on it and replace it with a Kadee #14 or Kadee #119 or a long shank Kadee (for locos with snow plows).
tomustang
I'm Blunt..
Just want to add, since this happens the best solution is buying or making your own coupler height gauge, this is Kadee's
You can make your own, it's not that hard
ICG/SOU
HO & O (3-rail) trainman
Oh yes, and get the coupler height gauge. I keep mine on the test track, on a electrically isolated section, since the one I got isn't insulated.
Buy the red and grey washers from Kadee, and you can adjust car height. I've also found having some spare trucks and wheelsets on hand will work too. My "problem" cars that require adjustment are usually the blue box kits I had as a kid, that I've put metal wheelsets on.
Buy the red and grey washers from Kadee, and you can adjust car height. I've also found having some spare trucks and wheelsets on hand will work too. My "problem" cars that require adjustment are usually the blue box kits I had as a kid, that I've put metal wheelsets on.
I for one use Sergent Engineering Scale couplers, I have over 900 cars equipped with them and some people say they have been able to get Kadee #58's to work with them but I don't recommend this practice because this has a tendency to force the couplers to the side and when going through a tight radius or turnout may cause a derailment.
I went to a scale coupler when Frank Sergent first offered these back a few years back and have had the best of results because they offer prototype operation, scale size, great appearances, and the ability to couple in curves because the lack of a centering spring, just like the prototype!
Here are some comparison photos of Kadee's vs. Sergents, you will see a Kadee #5-#78(58) and a #118 the 118 is compared to the new Sergent AAR type F coupler.
I went to a scale coupler when Frank Sergent first offered these back a few years back and have had the best of results because they offer prototype operation, scale size, great appearances, and the ability to couple in curves because the lack of a centering spring, just like the prototype!
Here are some comparison photos of Kadee's vs. Sergents, you will see a Kadee #5-#78(58) and a #118 the 118 is compared to the new Sergent AAR type F coupler.
paharleyman2001
New Member
Hey guys I did some reserch and found out what kinda coupler it was it is a delayed coupler it is magnetic and and disconnects when the cars on on top of it and it will connect back up when you roll off of it. Thanks for the help though guys
Any of the couplers described in this thread, with the exception of the Sergent's, are all capable of delayed action uncoupling. That's what the metal pin hanging down from the bottom of the coupler is for. The magnet attracts it and pushes the the coupler face opne. As soon as the car is away from the magnet, the coupler face closes again. What you need to decide is what brand to buy, not if it's delayed action uncoupling, since that's the common feature between all the knuckle type couplers except the Sergent.
