Are these coupler any good

[Hutch]

I have a 1/2 dozen or so cars with these couplers. I don't know who made them but they seem pretty good and they work with Kadee's. Should I replace them or just oil them?

 

[ctclibby]

Hutch: As long as they work, why add more work for you? If they become problems, you can replace them at a later date.

Later

 

[D&J RailRoad]

They certainly look like Sergeant couplers. You need a skinny stick with magnet on the end to open them.

 

[Hutch]

These came on Varney cars and they don't move much with a magnet. They do couple with Kadees so that's a good thing. They are a little stiff in the draft box but the coupler itself opens and close easily, just not with a magnet. I cant imagine why they put those straight hoses on there. I used a speaker magnet to try to get them to move but they would not open magnetically.

 

[Hutch]

I just watched a video on uncoupling Sargent couplers with a magnet. These won't do that.

 

[MikeGTW]

Those are old Kadee couplers

 

[Hutch]

Thank you, no wonder they work well with my new KDs.

 

[westtexjohn]

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"............old Chinese proverb, maybe.

 

[Hutch]

I just had one apart, they aren't the Kadee couplers Mike posted. This needed a spring so I removed from the box and there's another spring inside the rectangular opening which goes against a post. Of course I lost the spring and replaced the coupler with a 148. It seems like a nice idea but difficult to assemble. I tried making a another spring fit but got frustrated and swapped the whole thing. I did get the spring on the knuckle, I'm getting good at that.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

That design allows the coupler to swing side to side when the train is pulling.
When the car is being pushed, the coupler presses in against the spring in the rectangular slot and keeps the coupler centered on the car for better tracking.

 

[trailrider]

I think those are old Kayde couplers. The draft gear slot is identical to the later version where the "gladhand" is located in the jaw pivot hole. I vaguely remember that the vertical pins on mating couplers could be spread apart by some type of uncoupling ramp located in the track. That isn't convenient, but unless you need to separate the two cars, they should be just fine.

 

[Iron Horseman]

I just had one apart, they aren't the Kadee couplers Mike posted. This needed a spring so I removed from the box and there's another spring inside the rectangular opening which goes against a post. Of course I lost the spring and replaced the coupler with a 148. It seems like a nice idea but difficult to assemble. I tried making a another spring fit but got frustrated and swapped the whole thing. I did get the spring on the knuckle, I'm getting good at that.

No, not the ones Mike posted but still definitely an old Kadee. #411 I believe. I used those in the early 1960s.

 

[MikeGTW]

more like this there were several Kadee versions

 

[riogrande5761]

Those are old Kadee couplers

They sure look like KD's to me, maybe older KDs.