Paynestown 2 - thoughts on couplings
Since this layout is hoped to work as a branch terminus, some consideration needs to be given to a hands-off coupling system. I used Spratt & Winkles
on the big Paynestown, and while these are available in 2mm, I can't say I remember seeing them in use. More to the point, I find them enough of
a pain to set up in 4mm, so it wasn't a road I necessarily wanted to go down again.
I'd liked the look of DG couplings so while I wasn't sure how I'd get on with them, I thought it was worth the relatively small investment of a couple
of etches and wire from Wizard Models.
This Toad was the first recipient. It took me about three goes and most of an evening to form a working coupling, and then I carried on and made a few more, enabling a short train to be formed. After some tests, I found that I was struggling to get the loops to engage with each other so following what others seem to do, I only fitted a loop at one end of each vehicle. Trains will never be turned around so provided stock is marshalled correctly at the start of operation, it should all work.
There is a clever little delay latch in the DG design which allows stock to be uncoupled and propelled, much as with S&Ws. This is the bit I found I trickiest as the latch has to fall back into position on its own, and I found mine were tending to stick in the vertical. How they work in reality will have to wait until I have some electromagnets in place. A test over Kadee magnets on the American layout seemed encouraging, though.
This Bachmann Farish 64XX has had a hook and loop fixed at the rear, which I think is relatively satisfactory compared to the original Rapido job. At the front, there only needs to be a hook so the effect will be better.
Incidentally I acquired the Bachmann loco because I wasn't at all happy with the running of the Dapol 57XX, and wouldn't have had confidence to proceed if the Dapol one represented a typical benchmark for a tank loco in N. Happily the 64XX is by far the better runner, with smooth starts and an ability to plod around quite nicely at shunting speeds. After lockdown, I'll ask a mate to look at the Dapol one for me as he has a lot more experience of N mechanisms and may be able to diagnose why it's not capable of the same performance. I gather these Dapol models aren't too bad so mine must be a rogue of some kind. It's a pity as the detailing is excellent.
Edited by Barry Ten
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