What Kadees should I use

[bigdiesel]

Hi,

Just building a new depot layout, will only have a small amount of wagons entering the yard, fuel tanks and the odd engineers wagon. I wondered which kadee couplings would be best to use, I am working in 00 gauge with Hornby, Bachmann and Heljan Locos, my stock is all Bachmann and Hornby. Also how do you fit the magnets for uncoupling?

Any advice would be much appreciated

[cages_cage]

Finding the NEM Kadee with the best fit will vary greatly depending on each piece of stock and how tight the layout's curves are. #19 Long Kadees are a fairly safe option on locos and wagons; it is also a safe bet to use #18 Mediums Kadees on typical 4-wheel wagons. #20 Extra-Long Kadees are only a good choice on stock where the NEM pocket is far back.

 

Of important note: quite a few Heljan and Bachmann items do not have the NEM pocket at the correct height: a method to get the Kadee at the correct height must be used (e.g. moving the NEM pocket down, gluing the NEM Kadee to the underside of the pocket). I do not know which Heljan are affected by this design issue. Bachmann's older wagons had the pocket at the wrong height, and some locos (Standard 4MT Tank, GWR Small Prairie) and coaches (most MK1s and MK2s) still are being produced with NEM pockets at the incorrect height. Thus, the Kadee height gauge is an important item to buy!

 

Kadee markets an on-the-rails magnetic uncoupler, though other, smaller magnets can be used for uncoupling wagons.

 

What stock do you have? That would help with suggesting which coupler to use for each piece of stock.

Edited October 21, 2020 by cages_cage

[BR60103]

Kadee make so many couplers because there are so many different places to mount them. (The glories of Free Enterprise)

 

If you have an NEM pocket and the tension lock coupling has a straight shank, one of the 17-20 series should fit. Start with one where the back of the knuckle comes a bit beyond the buffers.  Try 2 vehicles through your extreme trackwork (sharpest curve, S curve, crossover). If the buffers jam together, use the next longest and try again. 

If the tension lock is screwed to the underside of the wagon, you should be able to drill a hole in the NEM shank (triangular depression) and screw it on. Similar for old rivetted, but a bit more work.

Bogies with couplings moulded on require surgery. Kadee has a chart showing how high above the rails you need a flat space. I used a Dremel tool with a routing bit to carve an opening.

If you have one with the cranked TL, ingenuity is called for. One of our club has made a new box using 3D printing.

 

The stupidest problem I have is Duke of Gloucester. The longest NEM (20) sits behind the buffer beam.

 

[kevinlms]

A key point to using Kadee's is the uncoupler magnets (if you intend using the automatic feature to uncouple and push into location), is that the magnets MUST be located on straight track AND for sufficient distance either side. If the wagons are slightly off centre, which happens on curves, they simply will not work.

[JZ]

Did this video a few years back. 3, 3mm cube magnet replace each of three sleepers. The tufts show where they are placed.

 

I got my magnets for here, mainly because I happened driving past on that day.

https://www.guysmagnets.com/

[Jeff Smith]

6 hours ago, kevinlms said:

A key point to using Kadee's is the uncoupler magnets (if you intend using the automatic feature to uncouple and push into location), is that the magnets MUST be located on straight track AND for sufficient distance either side. If the wagons are slightly off centre, which happens on curves, they simply will not work.

Correct, attempting to uncouple on a curve often results in both trip pins going the same way rather than one each way to uncouple properly.

 

For effective uncoupling the magnets need to be quite powerful.  However these then can attract steel wheels, axles or ballast weights in wagons.  This can give jerky motion across the magnet and may self-uncouple.  Modern US HO and On30 rolling stock has non-magnetic wheels and axles for just this reason.   Hornby wagon wheels (sold as spares) are non-magnetic, but the axles are.  I have replaced these with brass pin-point axles for my On30 and O-16.5 stock.

 

Some people forego magnetic uncoupling and remove the trip pins.  Auto-coupling is still the same but uncoupling needs a small screwdriver or similar.  An advantage over TL couplers is that a wagon can just be lifted out of a rake just like the original PECO/HD couplers.

[BR60103]

I forgot to mention:

Most of the Kadees (HO series) have a standard size head. They will all work together. The difference is all in the mounting.

There are a few with different (smaller) sizes. These will be labelled things like "scale" or "old-timey".  Scale sometimes work with normal. I have one old-timey that is a bit touchy.

There are also "shelf" couplers. These have a bit above or below that sticks out. This keeps the knuckle from rising up in an accident -- to keep it from going through the end of a tank car. They will definitely need a magnet to uncouple; no pointed sticks.

 

I usually put the magnets in with spikes at the ends. They are then movable to a more useful location.  Try not to put them an integer number of wagon lengths from the buffer stops. (This has become more difficult with the proliferation of wagon lengths.)

(I installed my first Kadees about 1960. The magnetic ones came out a year or two later.)

 

[john new]

23 hours ago, kevinlms said:

A key point to using Kadee's is the uncoupler magnets (if you intend using the automatic feature to uncouple and push into location), is that the magnets MUST be located on straight track AND for sufficient distance either side. If the wagons are slightly off centre, which happens on curves, they simply will not work.

Something I didn’t learn about until after laying the track on my shunting plank so Kadees may not be an option after all.

[Geep7]

As already mentioned, for reliable Kadee coupling operation, you will need a Kadee height gauge and a pair of trip pin pliers.

 

For fitting Kadee's, if the item already has NEM pockets, it should just simply be the case of choosing the correct NEM Kadee. However, some  NEM pockets can be set at the wrong height. In this case, and with those items without NEM pockets, it's a case of creating a flat area for a coupling box to be fitted (usually a couple of pieces of 20 or 40 thou plasticard) and inserting Kadee coupling. A No.5 and is corresponding coupling box is the norm, although I tend to use #158 whisker couplers as these come with self-contained wire springs attached to the coupler, and in my experience at least seem to work better than the no.5's.

[Matt]

Would agree with above re height gauge etc.  What i have found is that in many cases (particularly wagons) messing around with the NEM pockets isn't worth the hassle - i've generally found that removing this and going with a body mount Kadee from the 141/6/9 series are by far the best for modern short/med wheelbase wagons - they are less obtrusive and more reliable than #19s in an NEM, and normally sit with pocket flush with buffer beam whilst buffers almost touch but still traverse 3rd curves.  I've largely given up with using NEM pockets particularly on anything with an articulated wheelset with NEM attached (e.g. Bach OCA, OBA, VDA, VGA etc).  I still use #19s normally for locos and coaches - well #20s seem common but am also using more and more Hornby/Roco bar type couplers for fixed rakes as are much better for propelling and indeed smooth running generally.

 

M

[bigdiesel]

Thanks everyone for all the advice, once ive taken it all in I'll come to a decision!

Thank you