fitting kadees to the 7 plank wagons

[Ighten]

Which Kadee series do you need for these as they dont have the usual NEM pocket but a sort of Y slot pocket the tension coupling pops in and out of..?

[MartinTrucks]

On 02/03/2021 at 08:47, Ighten said:

Which Kadee series do you need for these as they dont have the usual NEM pocket but a sort of Y slot pocket the tension coupling pops in and out of..?

They look like relatively standard NEM pocket couplers to me, so #17, 18 or whatever.

Edited March 3, 2021 by MartinTrucks

[brossard]

That wagon looks quite good to my eye.  I like the sub floor trussing and there's a representation of the coupling spring.

 

The easy way to install Kadees is, as said, the NEM type which have a range from #17 through #20 with #20 being longest.  I always used the #18 for goods wagons (#20 for coaches) but the actual coupling will depend on whether there are really tight curves.  You might want to get hold of packs of different numbers so you can determine which is best.  Note, #17 are really short and I never found much use for them.

 

John

[MartinTrucks]

7 hours ago, brossard said:

That wagon looks quite good to my eye.  I like the sub floor trussing and there's a representation of the coupling spring.

 

The easy way to install Kadees is, as said, the NEM type which have a range from #17 through #20 with #20 being longest.  I always used the #18 for goods wagons (#20 for coaches) but the actual coupling will depend on whether there are really tight curves.  You might want to get hold of packs of different numbers so you can determine which is best.  Note, #17 are really short and I never found much use for them.

 

John

I agree with you regarding #17 Kadees. I have used them on several Bachmann (UK) locos, but #18s seem to be most suitable for wagons.

Looking at the wagon again, I have fitted Bachmann short straight couplings (retaining the Oxford pocket) in place of the original over-long Oxford ones. I did not notice that when I snapped it this morning.

Regards,

Martin

 

[Les1952]

Standard no.17 or 18 Kadees.

 

Just one hint.    Sometimes the tail of the coupler doesn't want to come out of the box.  This means the triangular tab can snap off as the weakest link before the coupler comes out (guess who found that out the hard way....)

 

Solution is to put your fingernail firmly onto the lip of the box to hold it back and pull the coupler out gently using a cocktail stick through the loop.  If the coupler head doesn't want to shift the cocktail stick should now snap before the coupler mount does.

 

Les

[Jeff Smith]

 I guess I have to ask why you are contemplating fitting Kadees?  They are no more prototypical than TL couplers!  And if it because of the use of uncoupling magnets you might find that the steel parts such as axles (maybe wheels) and ballast weights cause erratic running over them and possibly unwanted uncoupling!  The only real advantage is the ability to lift a wagon out of a rake easily!

[Ighten]

First thoughts were auto uncoupling and as you say the ability to lift out easily compared to tension entanglement... I have to say though now as the layouts developing and Im looking more and more at the detail Im starting to be drawn towards some form of magnetic 3 link.. 

 

 That  pic does looks like mine but for some reason thats not what I think of as a NEM pocket - which I always think of as sliding into the pocket horizontally  and then the spring clip at the end holding it in place.. Not just slotting in from above - I must have got confused at some point.

[Butler Henderson]

There are ways around the magnetic attraction issue

- use an electromagnet,  although Kadees own is pretty clunky and Rapido make one "Railcrew" but supply is limited; on back order at Rails

- fit the fixed magnet on a hinge so that drops out of the way with a lifting mechanism arranged (Servo for example)

- fit non magnetic wheelsets; the plastic axled metal wheels that Bachmann use to fit for example.

[Jeff Smith]

In my own case, I had a Bachmann based On30 layout with fixed under track magnets.  Everything was good until I tried running Peco 0-16.5 kits with as-supplied wheels.  These had steel tyres and axles.  After much anguish I swapped the wheelsets to Hornby wagon wheels (non-magnetic) mounted on brass axles with lead ballast.

[Neal Ball]

On 07/03/2021 at 10:17, Ighten said:

First thoughts were auto uncoupling ......

 

........I think of as a NEM pocket - which I always think of as sliding into the pocket horizontally  and then the spring clip at the end holding it in place.. Not just slotting in from above - I must have got confused at some point.

 

Auto uncoupling is a huge advantage of fitting Kadees.

 

I am in the middle of changing over to Kadee at the moment.

 

The NEM pocket as per the Oxford wagon and a couple of Bachmann ones, doesn't hold the replacement coupling at the required height.... they droop!

 

By way of comparison, the Hornby NEM pocket on the Collett carriages, slides into a positive fitting, where the replacement coupling is held more securely.

[Jeff Smith]

3 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

The NEM pocket as per the Oxford wagon and a couple of Bachmann ones, doesn't hold the replacement coupling at the required height.... they droop!

A shim might fix it?

[Neal Ball]

25 minutes ago, Jeff Smith said:

A shim might fix it?

 

Definitely. Or superglue!

[Jeff Smith]

It might be worth pointing out the NEM type couplers operate differently to the regular type.  With NEM only the head pivots whereas the normal type swings from side to side from the pivot in the gear box.  Also the gear box in HO and On30 bogie stock is body mounted not bogie mounted.