Hi Gentlemen:
I am an scale O gauger who just bought a Bachmann K27 and 5 cars from AMS and Spectrum. I plan on building kits from Phil’s and others andI need advice on which coupler I should standerize on. I like swichting cars rather that constant running.
Also who’s track do you guys recommend?
Thanks
George
Hey George, and welcome.
Nothing like starting off with religious questions. 
The following are my opinions. You’ll get two dozen more…
Couplers: If you’re operating, Id recommend going with Kadees, since you can uncouple them with a flat bladed screwdriver.
Track: I use AMS code 250 and handlaid switches, but lots/most people use commercial switches. I like the look of the lower profile rail, and the wider ties.
Again, welcome!
Welcome aboard! I can only tell you what I use.
I replaced all the stock, truck-mounted couplers with body-mounted Kadees about three years ago. This was mainly for appearances – so far I haven’t done any switching or operation, just continuous running. But at least I can have that option for the future.
My layout was built using brass, Code 332 sectional track with Split-Jaw rail clamps. Flex track would have been better but sectional was easier under the (very unusual) circumstances of my layout. Someday I may try replacing some of the track with Code 250, just for appearance sake.
One more opinion…
First, I love your choice of “starter set”! 
I use brass 332 as I run track power (Way too many engines to convert). Brass is a great conductor and I prefer the look of the rail as it tarnishes over aluminum or stainless. I love the Spectrum couplers, not as big a fan of the Accucraft/AMS coupler though they are more “realistic”. I do not do ‘operations’ so the Bachmann are my prefered coupler. It seems pretty apparent that the KD’s would be a better choice if I was into operations. For you, I’d suggest the KD’s.
Welcome aboard George, you’ll find lots of great advice and friendly comments. Of course any projects require pictures because we all like to see what you’re doing. As far as your questions here’s my opinion.
Couplers: I only use Kadee body mounted couplers on all my equipment. They stay coupled together and like Bob said you can use a flat bladed screw driver to uncouple them for operations. Plus you can pull 100 car trains without anything coming uncoupled.
Track: This is a difficult subject because it all depends on what kind of railroad you are going to build and whether you are going to run with electrical or battery power. As a former dealer most of my outdoor railroad is Aristo Craft code 332 brass track, but I also have aluminum switches from SwitchCrafters. All of my track floats in grave ballast and all my rolling stock have metal wheels. I run all battery power with the Aristo Craft Revolution control system so aluminum track is the way I’m going now as I add to my layout. Beside aluminum track is about 1/3 the cost of the current brass track being sold.
Either way, just like O scale, this is a great hobby to have fun with.
Chuck
Hi George.
I’m kind of a misfit, on my scratchbuilt and Phil’s I use a hybrid: an Accucraft gearbox with a straight shanked KD coupler.
The rest are body mounted KDs.
Depending on the App. most are KD 830’s.
I use LGB track and switches on my outdoor layout.
Hi George, only a coupler questions? Well, that’s not too many, should be easy…
Ohhh Coupler Question. You like to ask the hard ones, don’tcha?
OK, so from your post, I surmise that you are running 1:20.3 scale on 45 mm track. This is important. What you might not know is that there are many scales that run on 45 mm track. 1:22.5, 1:24, 1:29, 1:32, 1:13.something, and a few others that I won’t try to confuse you with, you being a nube and all, and also because I don’t remember them.
Are you sure that you don’t want to go back to 1:48 on 32mm track? Life would be so much easier… 
Anyway, that said, and since you seem to count rivets (not that there is any thing wrong with that, some of my best friends count rivets) you will want a coupler that is at least close to scale. That will leave you with only two, the Kadee G Scale (there are many variations to fit different applications) and the afore mentioned Accucraft.
I use the Kadee, just because that is how I started, some 10 or so years ago. I use the G Scale coupler even though I run 1:29 because I like the surety of the larger size. I’ve never had the smaller Gauge 1 size (supposed to be for 1:29 and 1:32 scale) fail, but I still like the size of the larger G Scale coupler. Perhaps it is a holdover from my Lionel days, who knows. I’ve never tried the Accucraft coupler.
The choice of draft box is up to you. Kadee doesn’t eve try to look like anything seen on a railroad. Accucraft at least tries. My friend John Bouck says that the Kadee coupler can be used in the Accucraft draft box. I dunno. Make him show you some pictures. Better yet, make him send you a completed car. He has too many, anyhow.
One thing is for sure, forget trying to use the magnets for uncoupling. After a few times out doors with wind blown grit and a rain storm that catches you (we run, rain or shine, and in the snow, even) the magnetic system just doesn’t work. We cut off the hangy down thingy on the Kadee because it looks silly, and we use a screw driver anyway. I’ve even had the hangy down thingy get caught in the ties, causing a disaster. Most folks use a flat blade screwdriver, but I find that a long number 2 Phillips screwdriver works better.
Oh, yeah, welcome to the nut house. You will like it here. Photos, please.
All I can say is welcome as I handlay all my track & switches (code 250 aluminum), run link & pin and rc/battery power.
Welcome aboard George. I’ll stay out of this as you’ll get plenty of good advice from the crew.
Welcome George!
Welcome George,
I model in 1:22.5; the couplers are the Kadee#1 scale size - slightly smaller than the G scale variety. Track is from Llagas Creek Code215 (nickel silver), I handlay the turnouts to get the correct tie pattern for my prototype.
If you’re totally into prototype operation, then I’d stick with the Accucraft 1:20 couplers that are already on half of your rolling stock. That way you can use the working cut levers (also already on your rolling stock) to prototypically “pull the pin.” You can buy just the couplers and draft gear as parts, and screw them onto the Bachmann rolling stock with relative ease (though they’re also compatible with the Bachmann couplers, so you can just keep them as well.)
Failing that, my next choice would be the Kadee G-scale couplers for the 1:20 stuff. Their new “type E” coupler has a much more prototypical appearance than their regular coupler, so I’d go with that. Operationally, they’re the same. The good news is that the draft gear on both the Bachmann and AMS rolling stock–while not the same–are both identical to different styles of Kadee couplers, so you can just buy the coupler itself and use the same draft gear. In fact, Kadee has a coupler that’s a screw-in replacement for just the Bachmann coupler head, so you can even use the stock coupler shank. Note also that the Kadee couplers are compatible with the AMS and Bachmann couplers.*
*when I say “compatible,” I mean they’ll stay coupled once pushed together. There’s no guarantee they’ll latch automatically when just nudged together.
Personally, I use a mix of the Kadee #1 scale and AMS 1:32 couplers on my railroad, because they scale out well for the 3/4-sized couplers used by many eastern narrow gauge railroads including the EBT. Both are equally reliable, and it’s fun to switch out cars by pulling the pin. But since it sounds like you’re doing more Colorado-esque narrow gauge, you’d want the full-sized ones.
For track, I’m using the AMS code 250 brass track and Sunset Valley switches.
Later,
K
Hi George, welcome aboard.
Another Kadee user here, I also like the switching and use the Kadee G scale couplers, which have a larger face for uneven track. I also set everything to the Kadee height gauge for standardization to other people’s equipment.
Welcome, my $0.02
I use Sunset Valley for my track and switches. I use code 250 brass. I like the SV switches better than most because I think they are built real robust. I bought a Switchcrafters switch and my SV switches are just better. But that is my humble opinion. My advice is to figure out how you are going to operate your layout. Is it going to be Radio/Battery, DCC or Track power DC. Then select your rail material based on that, here is a good website to help you make your decision, Greg’s Website .
Also you need to figure out what code of track you want to use. I chose code 250, it is a little oversized for Narrow Guage but you have to think about the environment we work in, namely the outdoors. The larger code gives you a little more forgiveness. Code 215 is more accurate for the scale your working in but, you are going to have to make your track bullet-proof to keep derailments down.
For couplers I’m similar to Kevin. I use mostly accucraft 1:20.3 couplers, but I also use Kadees. I have switched out most of my bachmann couplers because I think they look too boxy. But they are compatable with the Accucraft and Kadee.
Good luck and have fun, afterall it is just a hobby.
For the reasons that Kevin stated, I went with the Accucraft coupler on all my 1:20 rolling stock. I already had several AMS cars, so it was less work/cost not to change them. They played well with my Bachmann 1:20 couplers until I was able to change them out. The couplers I have been using are ones that came from other peoples converted AMS cars. With a little ingenuity and combination of draft gear parts from both Kadee and AMS I was able to adapt them to all of my cars with relative ease. I used the height of factory mounted AMS & Bachman couplers to create my own height gauge.
On my 1:29 & 1:24 stock I run the Aristo/Delton couplers. Most of my early purchases were Aristo/Delton cars, so it was the least costly option. I like the way they look and operate.
Noting against Kadees though - they work very well and Kadee has all the parts needed to retrofit anything.
For track I chose robust reliability over scale fidelity. I run Aristo stainless code 332.
Boy-oh-boy, you gentlemen are just that: great men. thank you for you welcome.
I have been in model railroading for 60years . Iam 64and 1/2 but who’s counting. I have played in HO, and O scale on and off for forty years. Tested the water in G scale about ten years back with Bachmann ET&WNC loco & cars, but being spoiled by HO and O scale whated more scale models in that size.
Backmann Fn3 models did the trick.
I guees I need to buy a Kadee catalog and educate myself with the different products.
Since I purchared a K27, please bring me up to date on it’s pluses and minuses.
Again I thank you for your welcome.
George the Soonut
lcom.
Hey George…Great purchase with the Bachmann K-27. I have one and I love it. Seems the biggest source of complaint for some is the gearing. A forum member/sponsor R and K RR Products makes a nice gearbox for the beasty. Randy has been out to my layout and ran his conversion; to say it makes an amazing engine even more amazing would be an understatement.
My ‘K’ loved pulling long strings on the flat grades of the club layout but does slow some on the one at home (slight elevation change). Randy’s ‘K’ made it a full circle around one loop doing what I swear was 1 scale mph! Super slick.
You can find him here…
http://www.randkrailroadproducts.com/Catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_65
Welcome George.
I use 332 brass track, mostly Aristocraft with some LGB. My switches are 4 Aristo wide radius Stainless and the rest Aristo brass. If I were starting out now I’d use Aluminum.
I have 2 locos converted to battery, but 9 are still track powered so I still have to power the rails. I use Aristos 27mHz. I plan on building a couple of rc/battery cars to convert the rest.
I use Bachmann couplers on most of my rolling stock. I do have 3 Aristocraft Sierra Passenger cars, track cleaning car, and some of their 2 axle frieght cars. These have Aristo couplers. I have had trouble with some of the Bachmann couplers not staying coupled to the Aristos. I would like to convert to Kadees but I cannot afford the cost.
My On30 has almost totally been converted to Kadee #5s.
Roger
Playing with trains in 3 scales in
Caddo Mills, TX
Welcome George - I run on 332 brass for the same reasons as Mark. I use combined track and RC power.
I’m much bigger on operations than fine models, details and rivets. I think of my equipment, structures and layout as playing pieces on a huge gameboard. So now you know.
Quite often I have kids and novice operators running my trains.
I decided on hook and loop couplers because any child can figure out how to operate them. Explaining and demonstrating the different kinds of knuckle couplers over and over again was just taking up too much of my energy, the h & l’s have eliminated all that. I find they work great, but your trackwork does have to be pretty good, anyways, average or better. I go with LGB’s original system of having a hook just on one car end, and only a loop on the other. Nice and simple. So now you know that too.
I have a shoebox overflowing with B’mann and Kadee knuckles that I can convert to at some later date if I ever feel like it.
I have a couple of specialized full trains with link and pin and other couplers, but they’re more like moving scenery than part of regular operations. - passenger, logging, and a mine train. I usually don’t break these up, you see.
I tried Aristo Knuckles because i had bought some Aristo cars, but the couplers tripped over my switches, I’ve never heard anyone else who had this problem… (?) and I had other plans anyway… ;>( A couple of years ago I gave them all away to a guy who uses them exclusively.
Because I have tight curves on my old-timey pike in a small urban backyard, I’ve stuck with truck mounted couplers. My particular set of choices has worked well in my circumstances. So there you go.
Good luck and welcome to large scale!
George A. Balling said:I also have a K with the gear box which is what I was waiting for before I bought a K. My cars all have 820 KD's but the engines have the larger 906's. Since I run at a few different layouts the 906'2 may match up with the Accucraft couplers that some of the guys use and still work with the 820's.
I guees I need to buy a Kadee catalog and educate myself with the different products. Since I purchared a K27, please bring me up to date on it's pluses and minuses. Again I thank you for your welcome. George the Soonut lcom.
I have some AMS 250 brass, and some Switchcrafters 250 Aluminum with the AMS narrow gauge ties. I’m all battery and R/C.