There is an interesting discussion going on in the N-scale magazine re body-mounted couplers, the gist of it being that they are more alistic in appearance an operation and that the manufacturers should be truer to protoype. However, I have not seen similar arguments made in the mixed gauge publications.
Is this merely an N-scale issue of some sort, or is it wider spread?
In the larger scales, truck mounted couplers allow rolling stock to handle tight curves better than body mount. So, in larger scales you ( almost ) always see them only on toy train set cars, or on very long cars ( keeps the couplers "centered" between the rails better ).
Truck mounted couplers also have a tendency to cause derailments when "pushing", as in backing through a curve or turnout.
In these moves the forces are on the the trucks, and limit their ability to adjust to the changes of direction, which can cause deraiments.
Even on the long cars, like my METRA passenger cars, I prefer body mount couplers. The Walthers "coupler swing adapters", like those used on their autoracks, help address the coupler centering problem, while being body mounted.
Larger scales have been "body mounts" for a long time, while N and Z scale haven't been here quite as long.
" Is this merely an N-scale issue of some sort, or is it wider spread? " it's not as prevalent in the larger scales, so, not quite so much an issue, but it is there. Lionel O scale, to the best of my knowledge, still uses truck mounted couplers.
Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, modifying all of my rolling stock is something that is not currently on my "to do" list.
Sumpter250 Wrote:Is there such a thing as , "yellow journalism termites" ???
Yes there is! I've actually seen some of them running for their hiding places when I turn on the basement lights. But the one's I've seen are little red thingy's with 12 legs. Every one of my "to do" lists has vanished; no matter how well I try to keep them in a safe place!
Quote: Unfortunately, modifying all of my rolling stock is something that is not currently on my "to do" list.
Actually the best way to do it is a few cars at a time,this is a good solution if your cars all have knuckle couplers to begin with.If not you can do a couple conversion cars so that you can still run your trains.I am in the process of converting all 400 of my N scale cars to body mounts.My Z scale cars are also getting body mounts starting with the scratchbuilt ones and then doing the MTL and Uncle Will's (Bowser built) and the AZL cars.The Z's won't take long though as I only have about 25 cars. :mrgreen:
Oh, and one advantage to bodymount couplers ,you can back the cars around the layout without constantly rerailing cars.
The worst couplers for being truck-mounted are the NMRA/X2f type (or horn-hook) because of the sideways springing which causes the trucks to skew.
I prefer body-mounting, but a lot of my (British) coaches have structural bits of the trucks where the coupler boxes would have to go. Because the plastic is flexible, taking off the bit across the end allows the sideframes to spread.
If you are in the process of converting cars from talgo to body mounts, you should have at least a couple of conversion or adapter cars with body mounts on one end and talgos on the other end until the fleet switch over is complete. The problem with trying to run body mounts with talgos is that talgo trucks keep the couplers centered through any radius curve, while a body mounted coupler will always swing to the outside of any curve, the amount of swing determined by the cars overhang and the tightness of the curve radius. The exception to this need for an adapter car is those cars equipped with devices like the Walthers coupler swing adapters. I think Rivarossi also did something similar on there 85 foot passenger cars as well.
Catt Wrote:Quote: Unfortunately, modifying all of my rolling stock is something that is not currently on my "to do" list.
Actually the best way to do it is a few cars at a time,this is a good solution if your cars all have knuckle couplers to begin with.If not you can do a couple conversion cars so that you can still run your trains.I am in the process of converting all 400 of my N scale cars to body mounts.My Z scale cars are also getting body mounts starting with the scratchbuilt ones and then doing the MTL and Uncle Will's (Bowser built) and the AZL cars.The Z's won't take long though as I only have about 25 cars. :mrgreen:
Oh, and one advantage to bodymount couplers ,you can back the cars around the layout without constantly rerailing cars.
I don't want to ruin some of my collectible cars.
Sumpter250 Wrote:Even on the long cars, like my METRA passenger cars, I prefer body mount couplers. The Walthers "coupler swing adapters", like those used on their autoracks, help address the coupler centering problem, while being body mounted.
Much of my Push-pull fleet also have this same sort of arrangement. Its pretty good, but I've found it problematic. The "retaining plate" over the swing adapters does not always hold tight. Frequently, couplers droop, and can even be yanked out. Whats more, the threads that hold the retaining plate in are easily stripped after just one or two times opening it (such as to replace the stock X2F couplers on many older Walthers passenger cars).
On my SEPTA push-pull set, I went out of my way and installed kadee coupler pockets on pads. Though they no longer swing, this does not appear to be a problem. the couplers do not droop, or get pulled out. They also operate in push mode slightly more reliably. The only issue is that (atleast on the Horizon/Comet II cars), the coupler pockets have to be installed slightly back. If you use a regular #5, this results in a close coupled car. The cars will still handle tight turns, but the bodies will bump, preventing their use on anything beneath a 24" curve (not that you'd want to, but stock Comets /Horizon fleets can do it).
