Coupler Conundrum

[DVConnecticut]

I received a nice NH box car for Christmas. The problem is that it has Kadee couplers, while the rest of my stock (about 15 cars and engines) have Horn Hook couplers. I understand that the Kaydee are better, but is it worth it to convert the rest of my stock to Kadee or replace the couplers on the one (well, two) cars. I have another NH box car with the Kadee from long ago. I can 3d print the Hook Horn couplers.

 

[timlange3]

Kadee's are more prototypical if you care. They also have the delayed uncouple feature where you can uncouple two cars over a permanent magnet between the rails, push the uncoupled car some distance then pull away. Those that take their rolling stock to run on other railroads usually standardize on Kadee's. There are six large railroads in my town where we have 10+ engineers, we all use Kadee.

But I would not covert 100 cars to match the 1.

 

[Iron Horseman]

I received a nice NH box car for Christmas. The problem is that it has Kadee couplers, while the rest of my stock (about 15 cars and engines) have Horn Hook couplers. I understand that the Kaydee are better, but is it worth it to convert the rest of my stock to Kadee or replace the couplers on the one (well, two) cars. I have another NH box car with the Kadee from long ago. I can 3d print the Hook Horn couplers.

Back in the day, I converted hundreds of cars to Kadee. Back then nothing came with knuckle couplers from the manufactures. So obviously I thought it was worth it.

But in your case, it doesn't sound like you are as serious about it, so I would probably not convert a fleet of 15, to match 2 cars. Nothing really wrong with X2F couplers other than the way they look. I would save the Kadee's until such time a critical mass of new cars with Kadee is reached.

Can a 3d printed coupler have the "spring" it needs to work right? I mean just because it looks like an X2F coupler doesn't mean it works like one.

 

[skyliner]

Another option is to convert just one end of one car to Kadee, so that it has Kadee on one end and horn-hook on the other. Then that car can serve as the coupler "transition" car-- connect horn hook cars to one end, all your Kadees to the other. Doesn't allow as much mixing of consists, but you get to run everything by only changing one coupler.

 

[DVConnecticut]

Back in the day, I converted hundreds of cars to Kadee. Back then nothing came with knuckle couplers from the manufactures. So obviously I thought it was worth it.

But in your case, it doesn't sound like you are as serious about it, so I would probably not convert a fleet of 15, to match 2 cars. Nothing really wrong with X2F couplers other than the way they look. I would save the Kadee's until such time a critical mass of new cars with Kadee is reached.

Can a 3d printed coupler have the "spring" it needs to work right? I mean just because it looks like an X2F coupler doesn't mean it works like one.

It does include the plastic leaf type centering spring and there are several sites to download free files, but I believe you will need a very fine printer nozzle to get it right. I have a 0.4mm on my Prusa core one, but the structure around the hole for the screw is too thin and breaks before I can get the filler off it. I believe it would require a 0.2mm or less to get enough material to be sturdy enough.

 

[ctclibby]

I received a nice NH box car for Christmas. The problem is that it has Kadee couplers, while the rest of my stock (about 15 cars and engines) have Horn Hook couplers. I understand that the Kaydee are better, but is it worth it to convert the rest of my stock to Kadee or replace the couplers on the one (well, two) cars. I have another NH box car with the Kadee from long ago. I can 3d print the Hook Horn couplers.

DV: In my probably limited opinion, convert them to Kaydee; you only have 15 to do now and you do not have to do them all at once. Consider buying new[er] cars - they probably will have Kaydee's installed, maybe not. I am in process of doing just that as over the years I bought randomly and have a bunch of horn-hooks to do. I try to do some every few days. Also if they have plastic wheels, change them to wheels with metal treads, gauge the wheel sets, add weight if needed and generally upgrade the cars as I go. Plastic treads tend to gather more crap on them vs metal - which causes you to clean the track and all of the car/power wheels more often.

L8r

 

[Rico]

I agree with Todd, converting fifteen cars wouldn’t break the bank and you’d be ready when (not if) you get newer cars.
This can be done slowly over time as Eric pointed out by leaving one car as a “converter car”.
I think most everyone has a few of the Kadee knock offs kicking around you could have free, you’d likely want to change them out later too tho.

Try this for now, look at the horny hooker coupler, cut or shave off the end of the hook and the pin part if that makes sense? They’ll look more like couplers and I believe they might even mate up with a knuckle coupler.

 

[J.Albert]

As mentioned above, 15 cars really isn't that many to convert if you want to "go Kadee".
Who manufactured the cars -might- make a difference in how easy it would be to convert them.

Just remember this when it comes to couplers:
Son, there's really only one word you need to know...

"Kadee" ...

 

[trailrider]

IF the cars with hook-horn couplers have the draft gear boxes on the car body, it may be relatively easy to convert to Kadee. There are bulk packages of Kadee couplers, which may reduce the overall cost. If your cars have truck-mounted couplers, it might pay to convert them to body-mounted. Truck-mounted couplers may work fairly well on 80-85 ft. long passenger or some freight cars when the cars are pulled over tight radius track (22 inch minimum), but work do so well if pushed.
Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year to all!

 

[wright]

Kadee have gone up in price but are the most dependable. The plastic versions are cheaper but are not nearly as robust. Even parking a train bunched up can cause them to bend, take a set and not work correctly.

 

[RetiredinIowa]

Are all knuckle couplers the same?

Going to buy another locomotive and some rolling stock (will need two locomotives and a set of rolling stock for each of my two tracks)

Here’s what is on the Athearn locomotive I just bought… would like all the locomotives and rolling stock to have the same!

 

[Rico]

I think that’s a McHenry (or similar) coupler, it will mate up with other knuckle couplers.
For a short train it should do fine but not as robust as the metal Kadee and may take a little more oomph to get it to latch on to another.

Great choice of loco by the way!

 

[wright]

The coupler on your locomotive is the least bad of the plastic couplers. It has a metal spring to close the knuckle. I still prefer Kadee. I haven’t ever had a knuckle coupler that wouldn’t connect to another brand of knuckle coupler so whichever you end up with should work fine until you get them converted to Kadee

 

[RetiredinIowa]

The coupler on your locomotive is the least bad of the plastic couplers. It has a metal spring to close the knuckle. I still prefer Kadee. I haven’t ever had a knuckle coupler that wouldn’t connect to another brand of knuckle coupler so whichever you end up with should work fine until you get them converted to Kadee

Thank you!

 

[RetiredinIowa]

I think that’s a McHenry (or similar) coupler, it will mate up with other knuckle couplers.
For a short train it should do fine but not as robust as the metal Kadee and may take a little more oomph to get it to latch on to another.

Great choice of loco by the way!

Thank you!

 

[cv_acr]

Are all knuckle couplers the same?

Define "same". There is some variation in appearance and size, but they are generally all compatible with each other.

I do hate the two-piece split-body AccuMate couplers made by AccuRail and also used on some older Atlas models. Those work like crap and I've had minor compatibility issues with them so they go straight into the trash for proper Kadees. The McHenry coupler shown here is basically a direct copy of a Kadee but in plastic instead of metal. It's 100% compatible.

 

[RetiredinIowa]

Define "same". There is some variation in appearance and size, but they are generally all compatible with each other.

I do hate the two-piece split-body AccuMate couplers made by AccuRail and also used on some older Atlas models. Those work like crap and I've had minor compatibility issues with them so they go straight into the trash for proper Kadees. The McHenry coupler shown here is basically a direct copy of a Kadee but in plastic instead of metal. It's 100% compatible.

Excellent clarification… thank you

 

[diesel]

I gave them all a fair chance but I believe Kadees work better than any of them.

 

[Iron Horseman]

I do hate the two-piece split-body AccuMate couplers made by AccuRail and also used on some older Atlas models.

I agree, although I wouldn't go as far as hate. I dislike them, and replace them as soon as possible with Kadee or ProtoMax couplers.

And since no one has mentioned ProtoMax, they are Walther's brand metal knuckle coupler. They are such a close clone to Kadee that I cannot tell the difference.

 

[steelwheels]

Here is a common-sense idea: swap the trucks?
@ H
seen so much junk at train shows which has been destroyed by model railroaders.

Very true, and the reason I buy new.

Pep