04-11-2011, 06:44 PM
Sarge ...
In the beginning there were dummy couplers. And God saw that while they were prototypical looking, but were dumb, and didn't operate.
Then some "brilliant" hobbiest came up with the X2F (all new, cool stuff back then started with an "X," like the Bell/North American X-15 experimental aircraft) and the X2F operated (sort of) but they were very large and very Ugly.
Then two brothers in Oregon (Initials "K" and "D") developed a coupler that although a little larger than the prototype in scale, they did in fact operate ... and quite nicely! They patented their coupler.
When the patent ran out, others copied the basic idea of the Kadee, and although they others looked similar, they did not operate as reliably as the originals (as is so often the case.)
Yes, the Kadees are a bit more expensive than the many imitations ... but as with most other things, you get what you pay for.
Most of the couplers that have been causing problems uncoupling at inopportune times during operation sessions at my model railroad club are of the imitation variety. Most of them are being changed out for Kadees!
Do yourself and your wallet a favor! Buy Kadees in the very beginning and save the money you will most likely waste on buying other varieties first and then buying Kadees! I don't think you will be sorry. I have been putting Kadees on my rolling stock since the seventies and have never had a problem!
However you choose to go, may you have the best of luck!
In the beginning there were dummy couplers. And God saw that while they were prototypical looking, but were dumb, and didn't operate.
Then some "brilliant" hobbiest came up with the X2F (all new, cool stuff back then started with an "X," like the Bell/North American X-15 experimental aircraft) and the X2F operated (sort of) but they were very large and very Ugly.
Then two brothers in Oregon (Initials "K" and "D") developed a coupler that although a little larger than the prototype in scale, they did in fact operate ... and quite nicely! They patented their coupler.
When the patent ran out, others copied the basic idea of the Kadee, and although they others looked similar, they did not operate as reliably as the originals (as is so often the case.)
Yes, the Kadees are a bit more expensive than the many imitations ... but as with most other things, you get what you pay for.
Most of the couplers that have been causing problems uncoupling at inopportune times during operation sessions at my model railroad club are of the imitation variety. Most of them are being changed out for Kadees!
Do yourself and your wallet a favor! Buy Kadees in the very beginning and save the money you will most likely waste on buying other varieties first and then buying Kadees! I don't think you will be sorry. I have been putting Kadees on my rolling stock since the seventies and have never had a problem!
However you choose to go, may you have the best of luck!
biL
Lehigh Susquehanna & WesternÂ
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~~Abraham Lincoln
Lehigh Susquehanna & WesternÂ
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~~Abraham Lincoln