Large Scale Central

"New" Loop & Hook, Care and Preservation Society

General Discussion
#81

Wendell Hanks said:

Dear BSNF Management,

On behalf of a model railroad interest group LSC, I, among others, including a retired padre, encourage your railroad to implement what we in the model railroad hobby have used for years: Hook 'n Loop couplers. They would benefit your 1:1 scale operations. Imagine no more need for 4-mile radius curves, and no more problems ramming cars into those closed nasty rusted knuckle couplers.

Please respond on our Large Scale Central website.

Hook-n-Loops Forever, International
Wendell Hanks, PR

:slight_smile: :slight_smile:

Did you get a reply?

#82

I get all sorts of mail on this subject, off list. Some people say they support this “Preservation idea”, but refuse to post to the forums…they just lurk…It is surprising how many like the idea, and claim to support it.

Thanks for asking, Hans.

#83

The festive season is soon upon us, maybe I should donate them to charity: someone could find a good use for them, maybe securing sprigs of holly on a Christmas Pudding or to hang decorations from the ceiling.

#84

Failure.
Two hooks and one spring.
Nice

#85

…Thank you, who-ever sent them…no return address, or name…postmarked some place in Spain…

Just received 27 pairs of Loop/Hook couplers, and 15 pairs of Hook/Loop couplers. Each type was bagged separately, and labeled …

There was also two little snowman figures and a card stating …“Merry Christmas” in four languages…

to add filler to the package; there were two pairs of women’s panties…one in green, the other in red. All I need is to find a good woman to give them to, and wish her a Merry Christmas…

#86

Womens panties?? Fred? That reminds me of my favorite Christmas joke…

3 guys die on Christmas eve and they all stand before the pearly gates. St Peter says "being Christmas eve each of you will need to show me some Christmas spirit if you want ot get into Heaven.
The first guy fumbles in his pockets, pulls out keys and shakes them, “these are jingle bells” and St Peter lets him in. The second guy checks his pockets pulls out a lighter fliks it and says it’s a Christmas candle. In he goes. The third guy doesn’t know what to do since he doesn’t have keys or a lighter, he fumbles in his pockets, pulls out a pair of panties and says “These are Carols”

#87

Well, this has little to do with H+L/L+H couplers however, I noticed in a recent copy of Trains Magazine (December 2013, page 63) a question about the amount of slack in a 100 car train.

The reply, by a CSX engineer, was interesting. Few of us haul 100 car trains but it was mentioned that a coal or grain hopper consist would most likely only move 50 feet before the last car moved whereas a 100 car autorack train would move 300 - 400 feet before the last car moved.

I guess there is slack in the H+L/L+H type couplers ans also the three link UK types.

I guess, like most others, my knuckle couplers allow little, if any, slack the caboose or last car moving simultaneously with the locomotive.

There were other details but I did not wish to detail the whole reply.

#88

HJ-
Thanks for responding to the humor.
No takers from the industry – premise is there are employees who do read this site and could get “hooked.”

Dear BSNF Management,

On behalf of a model railroad interest group LSC, I, among others, including a retired padre, encourage your railroad to implement what we in the model railroad hobby have used for years: Hook 'n Loop couplers…

#89

As to hook ‘n loops, my conversion to Kadees didn’t work because of the two non-8’ diameter curves. Yes, the cars were summarily pulled off the track one-by-one on the 6’ diameter curves. Unfortunately, the space allocated did not permit modification at those two locations. the hook -n loops are very forgiving
Wendell

#90

Todd Haskins said:

Womens panties?? Fred? That reminds me of my favorite Christmas joke…

3 guys die on Christmas eve and they all stand before the pearly gates. St Peter says "being Christmas eve each of you will need to show me some Christmas spirit if you want ot get into Heaven.
The first guy fumbles in his pockets, pulls out keys and shakes them, “these are jingle bells” and St Peter lets him in. The second guy checks his pockets pulls out a lighter fliks it and says it’s a Christmas candle. In he goes. The third guy doesn’t know what to do since he doesn’t have keys or a lighter, he fumbles in his pockets, pulls out a pair of panties and says “These are Carols”

Thanks Todd, ya got me LOL! Carol, by the way, lives two doors up from me, and she’s kinda’ cute, too. She got the name Carol because her birthday is Christmas Day, same reason my fabulous Irish wife is called Noelle, her birthday being Christmas as well. And I know two other women with the same birthday, BION. Ding a Ling and happy New Year!

#91

John…would Noel like the red and green panties…I could wrap them and send them to her…!!

Along with a few Hook & Loops…!!!

#92

Flash…TrainWorld is advertising Aristo Loop & Hooks for $4.99 a pair…egads, they may replace gold as a great investment yet…!!

#93

Who in America would want European coupler systems? They are antiquated and time consuming! They look bad also.

Ron

#94

Ahhh…I see the “Bashing” has even spread to this sacred sanctuary …just today a non- favorite poster on another forum/thread, even suggested that our favorite coupler is not an option…in more words or less…Just for that he should be banished…flogged…rendered impotent (He/she/it, seems to already be impotent, spending more time here, than in bed !!) or just put out to a muddy life in a pig pen…please, not mine…

Stand up you faithful fellows, lads and lasses…for our favorite couplers…

Loop & Hooks/Hook & Loops…FOREVER…

Fr.Fred

#95

And no…that is not aimed, at you, Ron…I’m sure you will join this sacred society, now that you know of it …feel welcome, please…

You don’t have to use them…but you should appreciate their history, and contribution to our great hobby.

Fr.Fred

#96

Hmm, I must have entered the hobby too late to appreciate the contribution.

Also I came from Lionel (knuckle) to HO (Kadee knuckle) to N (Kadee knuckle), so when I saw my first LGB with hook and loops (and huge price tag) I was worried that Fred Flintstone was in charge of G, but my old buddy Kadee was already there with knuckles, and USAT and Aristo were shipping with Knuckles.

But sometimes big and ugly works good… like in WWF wrestling!

I do read this with a chuckle though.

Greg

#97

Ron Hill said:

Who in America would want European coupler systems? They are antiquated and time consuming! They look bad also.

Ron

Ron,

Back in the mid 70s I was introduced to Kadee couplers. As some would put it, I was working 24/7 to get all my Euro stuff, with those crummy Märklin type couplers, changed to Kadee.

I just kept going from there; HO, HOm, N and IIm. Why bother with so-so when you can get excellent, eh?

@ Greg,

Is WWF a new track cleaner?

#98

Ron Hill said:

Who in America would want European coupler systems? They are antiquated and time consuming! They look bad also.

Ron

Presumably some of the guys who run European model trains on their railroad.

I use knuckle couplers but that is because my stock is American.

Fr. Fred: I was worried when I saw this thread: I thought it was AGM time again.

#99

Fred

Do not know if you know about the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in the museum there is a education center. In the education center there are 4 or 5 different LGB switching scenes, all cars have hook and loops. My grandson loved it gave him a Popsicle stick and away he went,he liked it better than his own trains that have KD’s.

Richard

#100

Well it is basically ones preference. Personally I prefer knuckle couplers as I run Proto type American equipment. Looks kind of dumb to use the H&L on this equipment. I think the H&L belongs on the European type equipment. Later RJD