Body-mounted couplers?

[Green_Elite_Cab]

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).