…of course, anyone can set the couplers to the Kadee coupler gauge standards, but “How” they may have done it, often makes the difference.
I can safely say, that I have at this point in my life, probably converted over 800 cars to body mounted Kadee couplers. The latest project has been for another fellow’s, 100 or so cars.
I mount the couplers on properly mounted Styrene shims, with proper screws, “After” checking, both the under-frame, and trucks for any faults in mounting or construction. This prevents the couplers from experiencing any height changes in service, to the greatest extent, except for abuse, or very rough handling.
I also have seen the very shoddy methods, others have used for body mounting couplers. It amazes me how they ever could expect to enjoy the use of their rolling stock with such poor methods…seeing everything from Balsa wood slivers to card stock, and paper used for shims, and very much oversize wood screws to white glue used to “Secure” them. Then of course there are others that seem to think that using nuts and bolts, along with glue, is going to make it easy to replace a coupler, if it gets broken, which can happen on a very active, OPERATING railroad, even with good handling and storage.
As far as visiting other people’s layouts, and hoping to have matching couplers, or coupler heights; it’s just the luck of the draw. Before I would worry about matching the “Unknown”, I’d just set my own couplers (Whatever brand I choose) to whatever the proper height is, for my chosen coupler, and not worry at all, about what height the other sod sets his. It will be his loss, not mine, and I will just write visiting him off from further visits with my equipment.
Bothering to waste time, engineering an adjustable height coupler mount, rather than just getting my own rolling stock finally built, with my properly installed couplers, seems like a fools’ game…although I must admit, that some of the people I most admire, seem to enjoy very much the challenges of such engineering projects…I think we all would like to see pictures of such a device, even though few will ever build, or use one.
Here on “Our” railroad, we inform all potential visitors, what our couplers are, and explain that if they care to use their locomotive(s) in an operation; they are most welcome, but…their locomotives must have the same couplers, properly set. This opens the door for them to enjoy our fleets of rolling stock, and the fun of OPERATION. Bringing their rolling stock here for display is always welcome, but not needed. This also saves transporting a lot of extra equipment. We also do not provide track power.