Couplers ….

[Myrastation]

So, all of my old locomotives, freight and passenger cars have the original Arnold/Rapido N scale couplers.

To be honest, I’m not much bothered by that except where I may want to buy anything new such as a string of CN or Amtrak passenger cars ….. then I run into a problem. So I can leave them strung together as a set and in that case the on,y coupler I have to change is the lead coupler on the baggage car. This will also require the locomotives be outfitted with a compatible coupler.

Same with freight cars, I can leave sets of them strung together and only change the ends, but it still requires changes.

This was hammered home to me today looking around a shop that had a lot of 2nd equipment and even most of that had Kaydee/ micro-trains couplers.

Obvious issue is cost, I have a lot of rolling stock, I am surprised at how much I have and my “wish” is a bit different than when I was a kid too. Now more interested in passenger lash-ups than I was back then. So I sat down to try and figure out what it would take and one thing jumps out at me right away, I can’t seem to find a Compatibility chart anywhere. If I go the Kaydee site they have conversion charts for every scale from HO up. The Micro-Trains site has no such info.

Does anyone know of a “place” I can go to do some reading, figure out what might be required and how many of these things I would need?

Any helpful pointers apprecited.

 

[Michael B]

Hi Mike.
I don't think there is such a site.
For rolling stock, I just change out the trucks.
That costs 5-6 dollars per car though...

You can get couplers only, which mount with a screw.
They have a few different types.
If you like, I can load a pic of the three types I have.
I only use them on locos and cabooses.
You could buy a 10 pack of couplers.
If you do buy couplers only, make sure to get the
pre-assembled version!

I run MT trucks with IM wheels.
GOOD metal wheels, with metal axles, make plastic trucks roll better and last longer, and they do not pick up the gunk.
That ups it to $10 per car though...

 

[Rico]

I went thru this some time back as well.
I found a deal on a bulk pack of Microtrains trucks and converted my favourite cars, and as you said left others in sets.
I also left a couple cars as conversion cars, MT couplers on just one end.

 

[Myrastation]

I went thru this some time back as well.
I found a deal on a bulk pack of Microtrains trucks and converted my favourite cars, and as you said left others in sets.
I also left a couple cars as conversion cars, MT couplers on just one end.

Do the freight and passenger cars generally just take the same coupler?

I look at the Micro-Trains website and there about 600 different product numbers there with no real summary of what works with what.

I understand that for locomotives there will be fit issues but are there for rolling stock as well?

 

[Rico]

The couplers remain pretty much the same other than shank length, some in height in specific cars also.
There are couplers that simply pop in when you take the Rapido out but they don’t always sit right in my experience.
When it comes to swapping out the whole truck yes there are differences, again mostly short, medium, or long shank. There’s also type of truck as in 70 ton, 100 ton etc. which for the most part is the number of springs for example.
Passenger cars have totally different trucks and shank lengths but I think the MT guides help you there.
I’m sure someone more verse in N can add to this or correct me?
As with most things in life buying in bulk usually saves money.

 

[Michael B]

Do the freight and passenger cars generally just take the same coupler?

I look at the Micro-Trains website and there about 600 different product numbers there with no real summary of what works with what.

I understand that for locomotives there will be fit issues but are there for rolling stock as well?

As you have seen, there are many types.

What you want is one coupler that can do it all.
But there is no such thing, so do the smart thing - choose the one which fits as many locos as possible, and can also be used for car conversions.

I bet that coupler "A" is the one for you.
I do not know what the official MT number is though.

The tru shanks are interesting, although non-operating, they are the right size and very cheap. I use them once in a while

 

[Myrastation]

As you have seen, there are many types.

What you want is one coupler that can do it all.
But there is no such thing, so do the smart thing - choose the one which fits as many locos as possible, and can also be used for car conversions.

I bet that coupler "A" is the one for you.
I do not know what the official MT number is though.

The tru shanks are interesting, although non-operating, they are the right size and very cheap. I use them once in a while

Thank you.

I wouldn’t say I’m looking for “one coupler that can do it all” though that would be wonderful. Back in my previous MRR days Kaydee was the gold standard. I went to the Kaydee site and there is no N scale, so I do some digging and find out they have split the company up and N scale is now Micro-trains, OK. So I go to the Micro-Trains website and am presented with pages of coupler package photos indicating what car or locomotive the coupler is for.

Thinking that there must be a better way than scrolling through all these pages I go back and look at the Kaydee site and see that they have comprehensive conversion tables for each scale - “Athearn Locomotive XXX takes this coupler …”

Wonderful says I because I will have to do locomotives as well if I start down this road and go back to the Micro-Trains website looking for a similar conversion table and cannot find it.

Now, I have to say at this point that I have written to MT and they have responded that if I select the “information” tab from their main menu all of the conversion tables are there. I take them at their word on this - problem is that when I open the website, and select the main menu there is no “information” tab - so back to the beginning.

I think I will leave the Arnold/Rapido couplers alone - seems the path of least resistance and also ensures I can’t buy anything new.

 

[Smudge617]

Thank you.

I wouldn’t say I’m looking for “one coupler that can do it all” though that would be wonderful. Back in my previous MRR days Kaydee was the gold standard. I went to the Kaydee site and there is no N scale, so I do some digging and find out they have split the company up and N scale is now Micro-trains, OK. So I go to the Micro-Trains website and am presented with pages of coupler package photos indicating what car or locomotive the coupler is for.

Thinking that there must be a better way than scrolling through all these pages I go back and look at the Kaydee site and see that they have comprehensive conversion tables for each scale - “Athearn Locomotive XXX takes this coupler …”

Wonderful says I because I will have to do locomotives as well if I start down this road and go back to the Micro-Trains website looking for a similar conversion table and cannot find it.

Now, I have to say at this point that I have written to MT and they have responded that if I select the “information” tab from their main menu all of the conversion tables are there. I take them at their word on this - problem is that when I open the website, and select the main menu there is no “information” tab - so back to the beginning.

I think I will leave the Arnold/Rapido couplers alone - seems the path of least resistance and also ensures I can’t buy anything new.

Here's MT's conversion charts.

Conversions

micro-trains.com

 

[Myrastation]

Here's MT's conversion charts.

Conversions

micro-trains.com

Thank you - that is the strangest thing. I click on that link and it takes me directlky there and I can see the “Information “ tab on the page.

If I go to the MT page from directly typing the address in, or by clicking a search result it takes me a page with out that information.

Even more strangely when I sent MT a screen shot of the page I get they responded with “we have no idea how you got to that page …” and sent me a link to the conversion chart … the link is dead for me ….

Very odd.

Again, thank you.

 

[Rico]

That’s funny, I couldn’t find that either.
Nice work Smudge!