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Kadee couplers


MOH
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Hi,

 

Hope this is in the right area, I have gotten a lot of tedious work done on my 00 layout, ballasting included, during the lock down and now need to get serious and try to get my trains running as smoothly as possible.

 

With that in mind I am considering changing over to Kadee couplers but have no experience at all of their appropriateness, use or cost, also are they okay to use on the ubiquitous late 50's early 60's era, my loco's are all Bachmann, Hornby, and Heljan, while the coaches and wagons are Bachmann and Hornby.

 

What do I need to establish before I go buying heaps of these couplers, are they worth the time, money and trouble to install, will they give me trouble free coupling of rolling stock, how difficult are they to install?

 

Apologies if all this is basic stuff but I am afraid that is the level of my knowledge and skills set on these, all suggestions and help greatly appreciated.

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These questions and more have been discussed multiple times (some might say ad nauseam) on RMWeb.  I would strongly suggest using the forum search, or Google with "rmweb" in the search string, to find the previous threads and have a scan through those.

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They look better than the tension locks. They do not install in the right place -- they are below the buffer beam instead of in the middle.

Installation varies from trivial (NEM mounts) to extremely difficult. One manufacturer puts the NEM mounts at two different wrong heights (as well as the right one).

Yes, do a search for Kadee threads. Also for Kaydee (for some reason).

 

I have Kadees on much of my stock, but not all of it. One of my friends has it on all (and he has more stuff).

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Many thanks, I have checked around and gotten some info but as they say you can never have enough info, the range of Kadee's is large and naively I did at first think a one size fits all would be available, so looks like a fair amount of work involved here.

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There a number of other threads about KDs on 00 stock but here are a few random thoughts I recently wrote down for a friend:

  • I use a combination of NEM (#17-20) in pockets. Face of coupler neeeds to be level with buffer face.
  • But where possible I install boxes for more reliable operation - necessary on a show shunting layout!
  • As most operation on my BR layouts is one-ended I often use a brake van with a boxed KD as the coupler I shunt with rather than a NEM Kadee on a loco. To be fair you can get away with the NEMs  most of the time.
  • Get a KD height gauge - the latest plastic version has two ends  one for the coupler and one for the height of the platform - and is insulated - www.modelrailwaysdirect.co.uk/spares/kadee-kde206-kadee-206-ho-scale-insulated-coupler-height-gauge/
  • Its worth getting a between-track magnet to play with -  Code 100 is same as HO and for C75 I use a C83.
  • Don't try an undertrack magnet unless you are going to make it fold down - too powerful for UK steel axles - US HO stock is mainly non-magnetic
  • Dapol have very floppy NEMs that's their main problem. Bachmann are some times out as well - they use a stepped horn hook on some stock. I've had to replace a few of those.
  • Older stuff with screw on tension hooks will probably need some surgery.
  • Bachmann sometimes have screw-on NEM holders which can be removed and probably replaced if you ever re-cycle the stock for sale etc.
  • I'd also experiment with NEM KDs before you go mad with a knife and file - they sometimes work well.
  • I think the placing and height of magnets is key to the success of NEM KDs. I do get some wins...but my layouts are very tight...
  • Do lots of testing!
  • Some fots:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/103471893@N02/albums/72157715034012277

 

Chris

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Radius of curves dictates what Kadee is necessary in terms of length while how it will be fitted dictates further what version you need. Assuming a large part of your stock has NEM mounts get a pack each of 18, 19 and 20 initially. Fit them so that the back inner edge of the knuckle is in line with, or slightly forward rather than to the rear of, the buffers and test run to check there is no buffer locking. If a pair of vehicles look too far apart try a shorter length on one, test run and so on. What works for one person may not work for another in terms of length and you might have the odd NEM mount that needs the very short 17.

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There are also clones/imitations of Kadee. I have a collection of these, but most are still in their bags. Commonest is a version of the #5 but I don't buy N.A. rolling stock much.

I'm using a Bachmann NEM on some coaches with close coupling mechanisms because the head doesn't swivel and I don't need delayed uncoupling on coaches. I'm having a slight height problem.

NEM couplers mount at the same height as tension locks (top surface). If the TL is screwed on I use an NEM (usually #20) with a hole drilled in it.

 

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Great stuff and thanks to all respondents, I should have stated in my OP that I am using mainly flexi track with set track 2nd and 3rd radius curves, I never realised that couplings had such a wide variation in size and types to be honest, another steep learning curve coming on with this.

 

Just as a curve ball, I have seen on YouTube where a new(?) product called Hunts Couplings are being showcased, anyone had experience of these?

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29 minutes ago, MOH said:

Just as a curve ball, I have seen on YouTube where a new(?) product called Hunts Couplings are being showcased, anyone had experience of these?

 

There is a thread about Hunt Couplings on here 

 

I think the question is whether or not you are looking for an automatic uncoupler (like Kadee) or a fixed coupling (like Hunt).  The Hunt couplings are no use if you want to shunt your stock.  However, if you run fixed rakes, then I understand they are worth looking at.  I've still to try them out.

 

 

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Interesting range of experience and views in that thread thanks, I am still amazed just how crucial good couplings are to smooth operating of model railways, I am unlikely to reach exhibition level but anything that virtually guarantees no uncoupling in operation earns my interest.

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I started in the days when Kadee only had 6 variations and magnets were in the future. You hoped that the floor of the vehicle was close to one of the standards and added washers and shims between the coupler box and the floor. Or else added washers between the truck (bogie) and its mount to raise the floor.

 

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I started swapping a lot of my stock for Kadees as I wanted an easy way to get stock on and off the track rather than messing about with tension locks.

However when Hunt Couplings came about, I instantly put in my order for the fixed rake sets I ran, as well as the Bachmann 170 unit I have.  Cheaper and perhaps slightly more reliable (on my layout) than Kadees, which sometimes ride up and down each other and come apart.

 

I'm not that fussed about what looks authentic at the moment.

 

There is another under-the-radar coupling too:

 

Realistically, I'll probably look at swapping out Kadees for Hunt Couplings (or similar) so all my stock is the same.  There's only the Bachmann S-Stock, 221 Voyager and a Roco OBB 2016 + coaches that are proving difficult to find suitable couplings for.  The default ones are fine but longevity may be an issue.

There's also a few older coaches where the coupling is part of the bogie, which I'm not sure can be easily / nicely converted (although I do have some 3D printed NEM boxes to give them a go).

Edited by Sir TophamHatt
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Thanks everyone, for once in my modelling efforts I may have stumbled across something in advance of my committing time and money on an exercise, definitely interested in the magnetic couplers, the only caveat for me is identifying the correct type/s to buy, as said before I had no idea just how important the coupling systems are.

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