Kadee 5 vs. 58


macjet

macjet

Member
I have been buying #5's in bulk for the past two years but am considering switching to 58's. I put reliability way above looks. Any difference between the two as far as operational reliability is concerned?

Thanks.

Jacob
 
If you're shooting for reliability then #5's are the way to go.
Unless you are all about reliability when laying track, then #58's are for you.
The later look great and operate great on good track but will give you problems on irregular trackwork.... like at the club layout?
I keep the 58's for showcase rolling stock or cabeese.
 
I agree. The #58's are fine looking and work well as long as you control the trackwork. Even on your home layout, mixing #58's with #5's will find any bad spot you have. Running them at a club would probably be a disaster unless the trackwork is a lot better than most clubs I've been at.
 
Virtually all the modelers in my area (including me) are gravitating towards 58's. If you use bamboo skewers to uncouple, the 58's are better than the 5's.

If your track is rough enough and your coupler height varies enough that #58's uncouple just moving in a train, then you have way more problems than picking which coupler to buy.

58's look better than 5's. Throw in semiscale wheels and it really improves the looks of the car.
 
Don't forget the #158's "whiskers". No more brass centering springs!!! So far these have been working real good on all of my "keeper" stuff.
 
I'm "old school". #5's almost exclusively unless I need a long shank for car clearance. No need to fix something that ain't broke.

Bob
 
I've found that the #58s I have don't seem to always couple as easily as the #5s and #14s. They don't come uncoupled, but they just don't couple every time without a little help.

I have the #118s or so (scale head shelf couplers) for tank cars. They seem to couple fine, despite being #58 sized heads.
 
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