Kadee Whisker Couplers


B_Kosanda

Member
Well I thought I'd give the new Kadee #158 scale whisker couplers a try. I've had some problems with the return springs on the original Kadees losing their ability to return the coupler to center. This mostly occurs on my locomotives where the couplers are forced hard over to one side or the other between MUed locomotives. The new whisker couplers performed really well on my decoupling magnets and were able to couple/uncouple to single cars sitting on a siding. A good report I guess. Time will tell how well the whisker springs hold up. Has any one else tried these new couplers?

Bill
 
Nah, I don't have centering devices in mine, I have to manually center them. Good 'ole Sergents.
 
Josh,
It is nice to be able to uncouple a cut of cars without touching them though, isn't it? At least that's my goal. I end up with some kind of coupler maneuver lots of times. So, no matter how hard you try to make it work, there will always be flaws.

Bill
 
Bill I am with you on the the theory of not touching the cars while cutting, sorting or picking up cars.

I spend a lot of time making all my cars meet NMRA standards and then some... weight of the cars, metal wheels and gauging them, smoothing out the trucks for wheel placement (with micro mark de burr tool), coupler height and length, and I add powder graphite to my coupler boxes for smooth operation on the switching. I check and re-check everything before they go into service. One hiccup and then it is back to the backshop for full service again.

Keep us posted on the longevity of the whisker series....thanks
 
I have been using the 148's, which I know are not to scale, but I have been extremely pleased with the results. I have bought a package of 158's but haven't had a chance to use them. Not having to play with the centering all the time is a big benefit.

i have used the 58's in the past, but found them occasionaly slipping out from the more tradional 5's, especially when there is a high/low situation.
 
I certainly plan on using whiskered couplers from now on, for the benefits already listed plus they're less labor-intensive to install (not having to fiddle with that spring plate). But, like Grumpy Bob, I'll hold off getting the 158's - I have a fair number of 89-footers on my layout and they are very hypersensitive to the slightest dip or bulge in the track! And with the humidity variations in my trainroom (a two-car garage), those imperfections keep re-appearing as fast as I can fix them.
 



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