11-20-2010, 04:39 PM
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...
-Dave