ScaleTrains couplers


B

beiland

Well-Known Member
Several days ago I unpack a brand new ScaleTrain's ET44AC, operator edition locomotive. I was very pleased with the way it ran, even while I only ran it for a few short burst.

Yesterday I tried to couple it up with another loco to just try running the 2 together. I could NOT get the couplers on the Scaletrain to stay closed properly and thus keep the locos coupled. I was rather surprised that they were not Kadees, but rather some plastic coupler.

Are they using a plastic coupler to avoid and electrical interaction between locos? They do make use of a knuckle closing spring like the Kadees, but the spring appears to be too weak to keep the coupler closed.

Has anyone else experienced such a problem?

PS: I have another one of these very engines that I have not unpacked yet,....AND I have 4 of their Rivet Counter C44-9W that I have not unpacked yet.
 
I don't like the ScaleTrains couplers. And you cannot fit a Kadee #5 or any other coupler with the brass spring in the coupler box. I use Kadee #148 whisker coupler. Some engines with snowplows need to have #146's. Offhand, I don't know if the coupler box is plastic or metal; I'll have to go look later.
 
The cheap, non coupling, piece of garbage couplers are easy to deal with.
Ya have to take them off the locomotive first.
When ya have em free of the loco, hold them between your forefinger and thumb, either right side up or up side down, doesn't matter. Extend your arm out so the coupler is directly over a trash can then separate your finger from your thumb. Those couplers will never trouble you again.
As Willie says, the Whisker couplers work fine.
 
Please Excuse My Abruptness About this Issue

I want you (and who ever) to know the atmosphere under which I experienced this issue with the couplers. It was Thanksgiving weekend and I was a bit rushed to get 3 trains running on my new layout for an 'open house' I was trying to put together for the folks in my trailer park,..who have been wondering for several years 'what was I doing' in that shed in my carport.

One of the 3 trains I wanted to run for them would be a double-headed BNSF engines pulling a container car train. I thought some of them might relate having seen that TV ad with that scene.
So I pulled out 2 Athearn genesis engines with the BNSF colors,....2 engines I had purchased years ago and were still brand new in their boxes. Right away they were derailing on some curves, and derailing on turnouts. on top of that the handrails were following off at various locations around the perimeter of the locos,...and my trusty old MEK was letting me down. I was getting real frustrated with these brand new Genesis locomotives!!
https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/athearn-genesis-sd70-truck-problem-12189565?pid=1333974714

So next I decided to unpackage 2 of the ScaleTrain BNSF engines I had. I got the first one out and it ran real smooth. I decided to couple it up with another 6 axle diesel I had laying around, and IT WOULD NOT STAY coupled to that engine. I inspected the couplers on the ST engine and discovered they would NOT open and close smoothly. I first thought perhaps a weak spring, but subsequently discovered some plastic flash or something that was impeding that smoothness.
By now I think you can see I was getting REAL FRUSTRATED with these NEW engines. That's when I first posted this subject thread, and send an email to ST about their 'lousy couplers'.

I subsequently got the second ScaleTrains loco out of its package this past weekend and the stock couplers worked much better than those on the first engine. I was also able to drag a thin exacto knife blade thru the gaps on those first uncooperative couplers, plus add a new springs,...thus getting them to operate better than before. ( but I am still concerned about them long term)

....and of course now I know that the Kadee whisker couplers could be used, AND the rivet counter models use metal couplers.

Conclusions: I'm feeling better about the ScaleTrains locomotives, but I am still real concerned about those Genesis truck problems
 
Willie, I did not try that truck fix yet.
1) I was waiting to hear something from Athearn
2) I have a ton of other work to get done by Christmas open house on 23, 24 Dec.
 
Sure speaks to having good couplers !!

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/your-...ing-tragedy-or-mishap-12217037?pid=1334047060

We had just finished building my first helix for my layout . Test ran a box car train of mixed length cars around 36 cars from memory ran great no prob. So my mate charlie says lets run the tank train . These were new Athearn at the time, three loco's box car 46 tanks boxcar and a caboose just as it got to the top of the 5 turn helix the screw holding the KD on the front the box car decided I'll part company with this lot ,...... consequently the train ran backwards down and was like watching water coming out of a tap as the train left the track and proceeded to the concrete floor some 4ft down . To this day I don't think I'm meant to have this tank train as the strangest thing will happen with it Arrrrg
Click to expand...

...and why would a manufacturer of good quality trains put lousy couplers on their engines??
 
beiland said:
..and why would a manufacturer of good quality trains put lousy couplers on their engines??
Click to expand...
This quote indicates that the coupler was on the boxcar, and it was the screw that let loose.
But I digress, as I posted earlier in this thread, I discard the ScaleTrains couplers before I even test run the trains. I have read on a forum somewhere, maybe this one, that Kadee will not sell bulk couplers to loco/freight car manufacturers; they will only sell their retail packages to them. That makes them more expensive to them. But at the cost of a ScaleTrains engine, it can't make that much difference in the overall selling price. The fact that a #5 brass spring won't fit in their coupler pocket is annoying at best. Thanks for their whisker line now.
 
I am with Willie on this one. I change out all my couplers to Kadees using various sizes depending on situation. Kadees are dependable and the whisker series are even better in some cases. I do not trust any of the plastic couplers that manufacturers come out with. I have had many snap or fail on various occasions. Frustrating for sure. If you have to use coupler boxes and it has a screw might I suggest using a "Loctite" or similar for the screws. I use a little dab of Loctite Threadlocker Blue 242. It's cheap and works very well. Some guys use super glues or other glues but I am not a fan of that for locomotives, rolling stock sure why not.
 
TLOC said:
The manufacturer perceives them as good couplers
Click to expand...
I've not changed my couplers out to Kadees yet, as I thought I would give them another chance. But wouldn't you know the 2 ScaleTrains engines uncoupled from themselves,... pulling a dozen container cars around the layout,....obviously not a good design if they can't stay coupled to themselves.

I might understand them not wanting to pay retail prices for couplers on their cars, BUT on their engines??

(BTW I have experimenting with fitting the whisker couplers on the engines to make sure they worked,..yes they did fit)
 
D&J RailRoad said:
The cheap, non coupling, piece of garbage couplers are easy to deal with.
Ya have to take them off the locomotive first.
When ya have em free of the loco, hold them between your forefinger and thumb, either right side up or up side down, doesn't matter. Extend your arm out so the coupler is directly over a trash can then separate your finger from your thumb. Those couplers will never trouble you again.
As Willie says, the Whisker couplers work fine.
Click to expand...
I have a newbie question about HO couplers. I'm just getting back into MR after a near 50 year hiatus, and back in my younger days, most of the HO engines/cars I knew back then had the old Hook and Horn NMRA couplers. Now, knuckle couplers are much more prevalent (not to mention realistic). So my question is: if I want to convert my old Burlington Zephyr passenger cars (made by Athearn and which have the Hook/Horn couplers which Athearn labels as part# 90601), what are the best replacements, including proper size, to convert to knuckle couplers? Any input welcome here. I know nothing about the various knuckle couplers out there/their sizes, etc. Want to make sure I'm making a good choice that will fit the gear box for the coupler housing, etc. Thanks all! Ogre
 
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