Large Scale Central

Kadee Couplers

Modeling Rolling stock
#15

John Wilda said:

I’m looking for new couplers for a few pieces of stock. So, for those who use Kadee couplers; who uses what and why?

John,

Kadee is a great overall choice for a standard coupler on your locomotives/rolling stock. There are many choices after that if you decide on Kadee. As for specific manufactures couplers it’s all over the board as to what folks like/chose for couplers. What I can tell you is the only couplers that do not play nicely with anything is USA trains as they only play nicely with USA (however I love their products). As for the rest of the manufacturers most play nicely together along with Kadee .

#16

I would add that you should ensure, regardless of the coupler that you standardize on, that you use a height gauge. This will ensure that all of your rolling stock’s couplers are aligned.

I use the #1929 Type “E” Coupler Height Gauge (Gauge #1)

#17

KD makes a wide range of couplers in “G” and #1 scale, The G scale are basically for, well G scale the #1’s are made for 1/32 scale. They have a large selection of specialty couplers made for specific engines like Bachmann Shay or Bachmann Heisler in either scale.

As has been stated body mount is best for operation and they look right. As for Garden Railroading Urban Legend #21, Yes #1 couplers have a smaller face area so they are less tolerant of vertical differences in track work. I have ran them for over 20 years with no problems.

What are you modeling? Standard gauge, than use the G scale ones if they suit your eye. Narrow gauge? the #1 couplers are spot on scale wise (in 1:20 scale) for most narrow gauge couplers that were/are used in the real world. Most all Narrow gauge railroads used a 3/4 size coupler except Colorado, they used the full size ones.

If you decide to go with KD, no matter which size, buy their height gauge and use it!!! Standardize the coupler height on all your cars and locomotives, no matter what height you decide on, use it on all rolling stock no matter how much work it takes to convert. A few hours spent standardizing saves years of grief with poor operations.

Of course this is just my opinion, but opinions is what you asked for, right(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

Rick

#18

Thanks Dan, and the Kadee box points out they used the original style couplers for the size of the post for the coupler, the new AAR couplers have a larger hole and the very latest not only have a larger hole, but the 2 angled “facets” on one side of the hole.

I was alerted to this fact when using new 3d printed coupler boxes with a correctly sized post.

Greg

#19

When making a choice; as observing many, many other’s experiences, no-mater if some manufacturers’ couplers may seem to work with others; I don’t think recommending “Mix and matching” is a good plan, in the search for frustration free operation of your rolling stock. I don’t think that promoting such practise, is in the best interest of people new to the hobby.

Others may have different opinions…

Fred Mills

#20

John

It looks like you could go with body mounts… I didn’t see any r-1 switches .

https://www.gscalecentral.net/threads/leeds-hill-railroad-ii.311894/

Is it done yet ?

#21

There arent any on the loops, just in the yard plan. But that could change. But, remember, I do have the R2 curves by the door to the house.

#22

John

Greg has some info on his site : https://elmassian.com/index.php/large-scale-train-main-page/couplers

This might also help : http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips.html

#23

Fred Mills. said:

When making a choice; as observing many, many other’s experiences, no-mater if some manufacturers’ couplers may seem to work with others; I don’t think recommending “Mix and matching” is a good plan, in the search for frustration free operation of your rolling stock. I don’t think that promoting such practise, is in the best interest of people new to the hobby.

Others may have different opinions…

Fred Mills

I’m not going to argue that statement. However you probably should write a letter of disgust to Garden Railways magazine as they have written many articles on mixing and matching. Now back to helping a man whom is “not” new to the hobby according to his postings if you read them twice as suggested by the experts in the hobby .

#24

I use body mounted “G scale” ones set to height with the kadee gauge because that’s what my club does and makes life easier. I personally like the #1 better as it looks right to me being smaller. I have one car that came with them. I will say it couples up decent enough to the larger ones. So if only occasionally using equipment from others with the bigger ones you would likely be fine.

#25

Thank you everyone. This has been most helpful. I think I will need to stick with truck-mounted couplers for the time being, since I do have a section of R2 curves on my line. I have removed all R1 switches from my track plan, but they might make an emergency appearance at some point. (Plus, if I want to run anything under the Christmas tree, they have to fit around R1 curves.) Also, since I have some interesting grades to my line, I’ll be using the G-scale couplers.

I will definitely buy a gauge so I can fit things properly.

Kadee recommends #831 for all the rolling stock I have right now. They recommend the 790 for my Forney. However, I don’t really like the off-set couplers. Any opinions/comments/ideas?

#26

John Wilda said:

Kadee recommends #831 for all the rolling stock I have right now. They recommend the 790 for my Forney. However, I don’t really like the off-set couplers. Any opinions/comments/ideas?

I dislike the off-set couplers as well so I only use centerset. You will need to build or buy a shim to get them to correct height. Some of us here have designed 3d printed adapters. See here https://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/26803/3d-printed-gp9-kadee-adapter/view/post_id/337814 to get an idea of what I’m talking about. I don’t believe anyone has for the Forney yet. Eric?

#27

I don’t have a Forney, so I haven’t looked at it.

John: Kadee’s recommendations generally assume that you’re not willing to modify your equipment at all. Putting centerset couplers on engines often requires cutting the engine up to some extent.

#28

Eric Reuter said:

Putting centerset couplers on engines often requires cutting the engine up to some extent.

Well, I’ve already done that modifying it for R/C control and battery power. But, again, if I was to do that, it’d end up a body-mount coupler. I’m concerned about the mobility restriction there.

#29

Maybe you saw this already, but there’s one for sale at TrainZ with the offset coupler. It looks like to use the centerset, you’d end up having to mount it above the bumper (or whatever that’s called).

https://marketplace.trainzauctions.com/offer/details/LGB-20251-SR&RL-Forney-Locomotive-EX%Box-307523

#30

Looks like you would definitely have to cut into the body.

Perhaps a bulkhead coupler like the 791:

Clearly it would depend heavily on what you couple to the loco and your curves. (I am assuming you meant LGB forney, since you did not say it was a Bachmann after Eric’s post)

#31

You might care to call it “The end beam” on the locomotive…

The Kadee 791 may be applicable for the front end of that locomotive also…it is also used on the front of Bachmann 10 wheelers, and the LGB Mogul.

taking a step farther…it might work on the Piko locomotives too. Piko does not seem to realize that most locomotives had couplers on the front end too…offset shank couplers look like hell, to my eyes, and are not prototypical, although somebody sure as heck will come up with a picture of one…!!

Fred Mills

#32

Eric, that link doesn’t bring up a Forney for me; just a main menu. weird.

Greg, that is correct. It is an LGB. I like the look of the 791. I’m going to buy a height gauge and maybe this one coupler and go from there.

#33

John Wilda said:

Eric, that link doesn’t bring up a Forney for me; just a main menu. weird.

Greg, that is correct. It is an LGB. I like the look of the 791. I’m going to buy a height gauge and maybe this one coupler and go from there.

A space crept into Eric’s link…

https://marketplace.trainzauctions.com/offer/details/LGB-20251-SR&RL-Forney-Locomotive-EXBox-307523

I removed the %25(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#34

The tang, or whatever you call the coupler mount on truck mounted couplers is low, so you almost have to use the offset coupler. I have used the 831 offset truck mounted coupler on most of my rolling stock. Last head count was over 130 pieces of rolling stock. Yea, it looks kind of bad, but it gets the job done.

Backing up a long train with truck mounted couplers can be done, but the track has to be free of any dips, and the speeds have to be slow. Even with that, sometimes a truck will just cock sideways a bit and cause a derailment.

With the Kadee height gauge, I also use a 1/8 thick piece of strip-wood to make sure the trip pin is 1/8th inch above the rail-heads. I have found that most of the 831s I mounted had low trip pins, and low trip pins will snag on diamonds, switches, and crossings.