04-11-2011, 11:50 PM
I agree, invest in a bulk pack of #5s. You really won't run out of them any time soon. It took me the better part of 4 years to finally use them all. you'd think 20 pairs isn't a whole lot, but when you consider most models these days already have knuckles, it becomes less and less necessary to refit the couplers.
Kadees are metal and fit nicely, so their parts don't usually jam, and they won't bend under pressure.
as noted, the cheaper McHenries are not necessarily worth it. If i had some McHenries with the metal coupler spring, i'd leave it until it breaks, but the plastic leaf spring won't last. Plastic McHenries are in several of my Bachmann and Athearn pieces, and they have a tendency to bend on the shanks, especially under load (my Bachmann E60CP literally cannot pull three coaches, the shank bends before it pulls).
Accurail's accumates are also problematic and don't work well. they tend to get jammed open, on top of not looking good.
I've had it or miss problems with those "swing" coupler mounts on the walthers cars. I have a fleet of maybe 17 working Comet II (Horizon) coaches/cabs and a few Amfleet Is, which have the same arrangement as your METRA/CN&W cars. The plastic panels holding the couplers in tend to sag and loosen over time, and the screws are often overtightened from the factory, stripping out the plastic. This lets the couplers hang to much. The problem was so bad on my NJ transit cars that I replaced all of them with Kadee #118s (which are technically prototypical). Even then, those panels yank off easily when the train jumps the rails.
The only good way i've figured is to remove the old couplers, build up a coupler pad with styrene, and mount the Kadee #5s in their draft boxes. I did this with my SEPTA set, and it works perfectly (though now they are close coupled, in the future i'll extend them out a little).
YES! I saw that airplane when i was 10. it looked small even for me back then, but what an epic airplane. it would leave the SR71 in the dust.
Kadees are metal and fit nicely, so their parts don't usually jam, and they won't bend under pressure.
as noted, the cheaper McHenries are not necessarily worth it. If i had some McHenries with the metal coupler spring, i'd leave it until it breaks, but the plastic leaf spring won't last. Plastic McHenries are in several of my Bachmann and Athearn pieces, and they have a tendency to bend on the shanks, especially under load (my Bachmann E60CP literally cannot pull three coaches, the shank bends before it pulls).
Accurail's accumates are also problematic and don't work well. they tend to get jammed open, on top of not looking good.
Sumpter250 Wrote:Walthers had a coupler "mount" that they used on their auto racks, and extra long flats. I used them on my C&NW METRA cars and they worked quite well.( allows the coupler, and draft gear box, to move side to side, giving better dependability in tight curve situations.
The other problem with the "non-KaDee", knock-offs, is that they are made with an "engineering plastic", which is quite "slippery". with the flexible shanks, they will uncouple under heavy draw bar pull.
It's KaDee's for me.
I've had it or miss problems with those "swing" coupler mounts on the walthers cars. I have a fleet of maybe 17 working Comet II (Horizon) coaches/cabs and a few Amfleet Is, which have the same arrangement as your METRA/CN&W cars. The plastic panels holding the couplers in tend to sag and loosen over time, and the screws are often overtightened from the factory, stripping out the plastic. This lets the couplers hang to much. The problem was so bad on my NJ transit cars that I replaced all of them with Kadee #118s (which are technically prototypical). Even then, those panels yank off easily when the train jumps the rails.
The only good way i've figured is to remove the old couplers, build up a coupler pad with styrene, and mount the Kadee #5s in their draft boxes. I did this with my SEPTA set, and it works perfectly (though now they are close coupled, in the future i'll extend them out a little).
P5se Camelback Wrote: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.
YES! I saw that airplane when i was 10. it looked small even for me back then, but what an epic airplane. it would leave the SR71 in the dust.
Modeling New Jersey Under the Wire 1978-1979.
![[Image: logosmall.png]](http://i543.photobucket.com/albums/gg445/CAB_IV/Model%20Trains%202013/logosmall.png)