Bruce, I was checking out your website… I like the coupler lift bar on caboose #501. Did you fab that up?
Geoff,
That’s a Hartford D&RGW Caboose Cut Lever Set, HP-99.
Bruce, Thanks.
Not quite close enough to EBT style. I bit the bullet and ordered in some 1/8" brass strip in several thicknesses… guess I’ll be fabricating cut lavers for the boxes and the hoppers will need them as well.
Not close and a bit pricey at $9 per car. I’m going to end up fabricating something myself, just not sure what I have in the parts bin right now.
Bruce Chandler said:Times (what is it ?) 8 box cars.... for you that would add up.
Not close and a bit pricey at $9 per car. I'm going to end up fabricating something myself, just not sure what I have in the parts bin right now.
Geoff Ringle said:I have one section, about a 1/4 circle, that uses 5' diameter curves. Most everything else is 6.5' diameter, plus a few larger radius curves here and there.
Ray, Just how sharp are your curves?
Ray, you would need truck mounted couplers, but there is a huge variety of them available, as well as specific conversion kits for locomotives.
You should visit the site.
Also, apparently very few people know about the delayed uncoupling, even though I mentioned it. You can have one uncoupler, but you can uncouple and push a car and drop it off any distance.
I have a batch of the 831’s since I started truck mounted. If you have just a 1 foot straight section, you can couple and uncouple with truck mounts.
Regards, Greg
Ray,
Man. if it was me I would buy a pair of body mounted couplers and a pair of truck mounted couplers and do so real world testing. Put one of each on two different cars and you’ll be able to determine what works for your layout.
The limiting factors with small diameter curves are dependent on exactly what type of rolling stock is being used. For instance, the new F scale Bachmann rolling stock is limited by the flange size on the wheel sets. On my layout, the flanges of the hoppers cars rubbed the center frame… changing to fine scale wheel sets solved that.
The “more prototypical†closer coupling of body mounts can also present problems. With long cars or where the truck pivot is further away from the end sill, the “jack knifing” effect is increased and the inside corners of mating cars can bind.
With a little testing, I think you’ll find out what works for you. You might decide that body mounts are too much work or you might decide that the one short section of 5’D. track needs to be reworked; then you’ll be able to run a greater variety of rolling stock.
I have 1:29 40 foot cars. With body mounts and on 10’ diameter curves, the coupling just works, and uncoupling on these curves will not work.
Therefore, I believe on your curves, unless you will uncouple on straight track that has a straight section over the length of TWO cars (required to get time in line) there is no way body mounts are going to be operationally satisfactory.
On the other hand, truck mounts will normally couple on curves just fine, and uncouple on gentle curves, and you only need a straight sections such that the 2 trucks (that are coupled) are both on straight track, about 12" would do it.
Based on all the curves on your layout, I made the assumption there are not many straights that really will work for body mounts.
Also, my recommendation on truck mounts is also based on the fact that most cars will come stock with truck mounts.
Buy some 831’s and try them out. The delayed uncoupling is great. I think using manual uncoupling would require a trained mountain goat to get to some of the trains!
Regards, Greg
Greg Elmassian said:
..........................................Buy some 831’s and try them out. The delayed uncoupling is great. I think using manual uncoupling would require a trained mountain goat to get to some of the trains!
Regards, Greg
Or a carefully designed layout that leaves the operational aspects close to the operator. In the smaller scales they call it “walk along”.
I guess that would apply to LS as well.
Hans, you need to take a look at Ray’s layoutl. Carefully designed, yes. Accessable at all places for operation, not really (not a negative Ray, I think you have done a superb job). It’s on a steep slope in his back yard.
Regards, Greg
Greg Elmassian said:
Hans, you need to take a look at Ray's layoutl. Carefully designed, yes. Accessable at all places for operation, not really (not a negative Ray, I think you have done a superb job). It's on a steep slope in his back yard.Regards, Greg
Greg,
I have seen quite a few pictures of Ray’s layout, very nicely done! But there are always tradeoffs when layout planning i.e. access for operation against room available for certain features. Choices to be made. 
HJ, my comment was only to state that the layout is there, and what access is there, is.
So I based my recommendations on what can be done now, since it is Ray that asked the question for his layout, not a general question. Sure, having free and unrestricted access to all areas where you would couple and uncouple would be great. Also, if it was elevated to waist level, and on and on.
Anyway, Ray, I would give the Kadees a try. If they float your boat, I think you can have operations and a reasonable looking coupler.
Regards, Greg
Greg Elmassian said:Yes ,Yes and Yes , I am so glad I did all the work to achive this on my layout !
Sure, having free and unrestricted access to all areas where you would couple and uncouple would be great. Also, if it was elevated to waist level, and on and on Regards, Greg
Thanks guys for all the replies and comments! This has been a very helpful and informative thread.
All of my 200 plus, pieces of rolling stock are body mounted Kadee “#1” scale couplers…my minimum radius is now 5 foot. I used to have a minimum of 4 foot radius and they worked fine on it.
B’mann and LGB passenger cars need the corner 1/8th inch cut from the draft gear box on the 820’s, in order to handle 4 foot “S” curves.
The Aristo heavyweights work well with body mounted 820’s, using the Kadee “Flex brackets”
On most of my stuff I use link and pins, so all I need is something reach in and lift the rope or chain out of the coupler, I use a large tweezer for that. For me coupling is tougher as I need to use the large tweeser to reach in thier to drop the pin.
However with Bachmann couplers all you need to do is pop the coupler pin from the underside, it doesnt take much pressure to do that. I like Jons 90degree screwdriver idea, I might try that for the few cars and engines on my roster that will keep the B’mann knuckles.
So Victor …
Can you tell a veteran model railroad brakeman by looking to see if he’s missing at least one tweezer on his hand ???
JR
Bruce Chandler said:I found this statement while looking for info about couplers. I guess that attack of sanity was just a passing thing. :D
I've thought about adding magnetic air hoses to add to the atmosphere, but sanity struck.
Ray Dunakin said:
Bruce Chandler said:
I’ve thought about adding magnetic air hoses to add to the atmosphere, but sanity struck.I found this statement while looking for info about couplers. I guess that attack of sanity was just a passing thing.
Too funny! 
Good thing I’m not a politician - I’ve got lots of words that come back to haunt me. OK, so I flip-flopped on that position. The good news is that these things work VERY well.
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