MB Klein has the bulk pack of #58's for $23.99, and the bulk pack of #150, the whisker version, for $33.89. The only palce I shop for these sort of things. Walthers thinks $38 is a SALE price? LOL.
--Randy
There are 2 other viable options for more-to-scale couplers than the standard Kadee - the Kadee #711 "Old Time" and the Sergent.
The Sergent is a pretty exact scale model of a Type E coupler, but the Sergents are a slightly different animal operationally.
To me, the Kadee #711 looks closest to the MCB couplers used at the turn of the century, so they are my preference and eventual standard. I think it's because although the Kadee #58 series trimmed the vertical size of the knuckle, Kadee really didn't change the other dimensions. The #711 (and HOn3 version #714) are smaller in every dimension. And they don't have the external knuckle spring, using a scissors assembly like the Micro Trains N scale couplers.
The MT N couplers in turn are closer to scale for those narrow gauge prototypes that used 3/4 size MCB couplers, so I am experimenting with them for the HOn3 line.
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
I plan to try out the Sergents on my home layout. Like Andrew and Sumpter, I belong to a modular club and there is just no way to eliminate problems with the connections between modules. We spend hours measuring and setting module heights and still end up with dips and bumps at the module joints. It is hard enough to get things lined up so that #5's don't cause uncoupling.
For HO, I use mostly #5s and the cheapie B-man plastic knuckles. I do have some of the others as well as #714s and N-scale couplers on my HOn3 stuff. (My dad's On3 stuff has #5s...mine has a mix of other On3 types...all of which can couple with the #5s except the Link & Pins)
If a car is parked on the far side of the parking lot and a front row spot opens up, some people will move their car to get the prime spot. The problem with this rational is that you have to walk just as far to move your car, and then you add on two additional trips to and from this new parking spot. There must be additional benefit to justify this cost. My cars which have worked fine for 10+ years with plastic knuckle couplers will continue to do so until problems arise.
I have experienced a few broken plastic couplers, but I don't really see the point in switching them out prior to having issues. Swapping them out requires both time and money which are better spent either addressing existing problems or furthering other areas on the layout. The exception is with my top of the line motive power and rolling stock...all of which received #58s as soon as that coupler came out or once the locomotives/cars made it into my possession. If I'm buying couplers, I'll purchase Kadee #58s unless there is a really good price on an alternative. Similarly, I only replace plastic wheels on cars that I frequently run or if there are problems with the plastic wheels. In On3, I'll purchase plastic wheels if they are substantially cheaper than metal wheels.
Michael
I'm using 100% Sergent Engineering couplers.
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nkp_174 Wrote:If a car is parked on the far side of the parking lot and a front row spot opens up, some people will move their car to get the prime spot. The problem with this rational is that you have to walk just as far to move your car, and then you add on two additional trips to and from this new parking spot. There must be additional benefit to justify this cost. My cars which have worked fine for 10+ years with plastic knuckle couplers will continue to do so until problems arise. Michael
You make a good point here. I hadn't previously thought of it before, but I may decide to not replace the plastic couplers. I plan on running trains of 15 cars at the most. This doesn't really present a problem as far as breaking couplers is concerned. The plastic couplers also have those plastic whiskers on the knuckle as opposed to a metal coil spring, those whiskers sometimes lose their springiness and that may be the only problem I may encounter occasionally.
My coal hoppers, though, WILL need Kadees installed. I plan on using "live" loads, and even a 15 car train is going to need a couple of diesels to get up a grade. The last thing I need is 15 loads of loose coal traveling at runaway speed down into the Spring Hill subway...
I bought a Bachmann 2-8-0 at a model train show a few years ago. It came with the Bachmann plastic couplers. I didn't have a set of #5 Kadees with me so I used the locomotive as is out of the box at the train show. In less than an hour, the plastic couplers were failing on trains with less than 10 cars. This was on a modular layout on a level floor, so there were no grades to deal with. Last week I was at the Orange Empire Railway Museum with the modular club. We were running our trains for the museum's Day Out With Thomas fund raiser. I took one of the recent Athearn 50' Santa Fe ice reefers. It has the MacHenry's or what ever couplers Athearn is using now. I was pulling a 24 car train with my IHC 2-10-2. I originally had the Athearn reefer near the front of the train, but the couplers would not stay coupled due to the weight of the train behind. I ended up having to put the reefer in front of the caboose to keep it coupled. No plastic couplers for me!
Amen, Russ!
There are some situations when you just can't beat the originals. My guess is that Kadee's choice to make their couplers from metal from the very beginning of production was not some whimsical, serendipitous design decision.
I'll stick with the originals ... I have way too many pieces of rolling stock that are Kadee-equipped to change at this point!
In 2006 i changed over from German to US prototype. In European modelrailroding there is a really mixed, horrible tasting salad of incompatible couplers. Nearly every manufacturer has his own design. The only common thing is the "Normschacht", a device comparable to an utilized coupler box.
For my US modelrailroading i decided to take the best avialable type of coupler from the beginning on.
This was the Kadee #58 and her derivates, as the #78 and the whisker types.
Very closely in size to the prototype and as i heard in US mrr circles, reliable and durable operating.
So every piece of rolling stock was equipped with a Kadee scale coupler.
Plastic wheels on cars were also replaced by metal ones.
For this, no problems, i have fun with model railroading.
Greetings Lutz
Nearly forgot, here's an article that was posted in MR several years ago, comparing the various knuckle couplers on the market at the time. I hope this is useful.
Have fun,
Koos