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Kadee Couplers


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Hi,

 

For stock that have NEM pockets you need either Kadee #19, #20 or #21, I use #21's on my layout. Of other stock just use standard Kadee #5's. One thing though make sure you get the Kadee height gauge, as some NEM pockets are not at the relevant level.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

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With such tight curves you will most likely have problems with the standard length shank No5.

 

You should consider using No46 couplers that have a long shank and so allow more sideways movement in the coupler.

 

These are also more suitable for long wheelbase 4 wheel stock and modern stock that has longer buffer shanks.

 

Regards

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Hi,

 

For stock that have NEM pockets you need either Kadee #19, #20 or #21, I use #21's on my layout. Of other stock just use standard Kadee #5's. One thing though make sure you get the Kadee height gauge, as some NEM pockets are not at the relevant level.

 

Hope this helps.

 

The Kadee couplings for NEM pockets are #17, #18, #19 and #20. #21 requires a draft box and not an NEM pocket. I've found that #18, #19 and #20 are best for my layout which has 3' radius curves. Not found a use for #17s yet.

 

Best thing to do would be to buy one packet of each and try out on your stock to see what fits best.

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Thanks, the locos (IE 141s) have NEM pockets and most of the wagons although kit/scratch and conversion will be rebogied/underframed using Bachmann products so shoul all be NEM pocketed as well.

 

I've read about the height guage so this will be a must but need to sort out correct couplers to get round those second radius curves.

 

Are there any retailers UK that sell a big selection?

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I too get most of mine from North Wales Models, via their Ebay shop. Big plus point is that their postage charges are reasonable even if you only want one packet of 4.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks, the locos (IE 141s) have NEM pockets and most of the wagons although kit/scratch and conversion will be rebogied/underframed using Bachmann products so shoul all be NEM pocketed as well.

 

I've read about the height guage so this will be a must but need to sort out correct couplers to get round those second radius curves.

 

Are there any retailers UK that sell a big selection?

 

Hi All,

 

Be careful when using NEM Kadee's with Bachmann chassis, as some have their NEM pockets set for 'cranked' tension-lock couplings. This makes the pockets way too high for Kadee's. My solution when converting Bachmann chassis is to completely forget about using NEM couplings and use good ol' No.5's instead.

 

Steve

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Hi All,

 

Be careful when using NEM Kadee's with Bachmann chassis, as some have their NEM pockets set for 'cranked' tension-lock couplings. This makes the pockets way too high for Kadee's. My solution when converting Bachmann chassis is to completely forget about using NEM couplings and use good ol' No.5's instead.

 

Steve

 

You can easilly make up a cranked Kadee using an NEM Kadee and parts of a NEM tension lock. (Photos details are on the old forum)

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North Wales Models

 

Reasonably priced and quick delivery - just a happy customer etc etc.

Yes, spot on. Had a parcel from them today. Kadee #18s plus some ballast & bits, quite a boxful, arrived in France in just over a week for a measly £4.92 postage. Some other ebay sellers should look closely at their postal charges. Not my first order from them, won't be my last.

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Kadee make a big selection of mounting because the American market has a variety of places to mount. Kadee's website has specs for the mounting height for all their variants. You do not need to settle on just one as they are all compatible. You may have to use different lengths depending on buffers and how far back you have to mount the draft gear.

When I started, Kadee had the 4/5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 (10 is now 5). And they were mechanical, not magnetic.

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  • 2 years later...

Now, it might appear to be a bit of an odd question considering that I have no actual layout as of yet; all at the planning stage, but a recent experience at home has sort of got me thinking.  

 

I recently bought some old OO stock for my 2 1/2 year old son to play with, rather than my expensive stuff.  Well as it turns out, as he has very good fine motor skills, he can shunt and drive his models round a very simple loop I built him with great control and care.

 

He also loves nothing better than to couple up long trains on the floorboard floor and pull them along and here lies the problem, tension hook couplings.  When he wants to separate the trucks and coaches the hooks make life really difficult.

 

I have a lot of stock pilled rolling stock, mixed old, new and kit.  I started life thinking that 3 link couplings would be the way to go for realism reasons, so most of my made kits have them.  A few RTR were converted to 3 link, but now that idea has fallen by the wayside due to new little fingers.

 

Having read a fair bit on Kadee I sort of think that they will be the best for me and my son on the layout I am planning.  So what is the view of other users on this and in particular these points:

 

            Conversion ease - loco, wagon coaches, not looking for a big answer, just is it worth the effort?

            Usability - me and my son

            Robustness – in case of hard shunting and stock being separated by being picked up vertically.

            Cost

            What to do with the 3 link, leave the hook in place?

           

Any help much appreciated.

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Having read a fair bit on Kadee I sort of think that they will be the best for me and my son on the layout I am planning.  So what is the view of other users on this and in particular these points:

 

            Conversion ease - loco, wagon coaches, not looking for a big answer, just is it worth the effort?

            Usability - me and my son

            Robustness – in case of hard shunting and stock being separated by being picked up vertically.

            Cost

            What to do with the 3 link, leave the hook in place?

           

Any help much appreciated.

 

Kadees are the coupler of choice for me but they can be quite difficult to fix in place of original TLCs on anything that does not have NEM pockets or if using the non-NEM type..  Once it is done however, I think they are well worth the effort.  Kadees are metal so quite robust (unlike the Bachmann's EZ Mate version which is plastic) but they do rely on a tiny coil spring that can be dislodged and lost with careless handling (the EZ version is even worse in that respect) and I find them extremely difficult to refit.  The cost can be about £2 per wagon but cheaper in bulk - try P & H Models for keen pricing.  I suspect you would have to remove 3-link if they hang from the bufferbeam as they will foul the Kadee on bogied wagons/coaches.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Harold.

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Having read a fair bit on Kadee I sort of think that they will be the best for me and my son on the layout I am planning.  So what is the view of other users on this and in particular these points ...

I am a 'new user' of Kadees, I have fitted about 30 pairs in the last two months. Here are my thoughts ...

 

            Conversion ease - loco, wagon coaches, not looking for a big answer, just is it worth the effort?

It has got to be worth the effort. I sat behind the fiddle yard of a club layout using tension locks and thought how glad I am I have got rid of these things at home.

            Usability - me and my son

Mine never come detached. There might be unwanted uncoupling if you build abrupt gradients.

            Robustness – in case of hard shunting and stock being separated by being picked up vertically.

If you twist the vehicle slightly as you lift it, it comes away cleanly. Less risk of damage than with the tension locks. The coupler heads have tiny springs and these are a serious challenge to refit if they come out. However I have had only one come out so far.

            Cost

Seem fair value, even if you cut off the trip pins and forego the magnetic features.

            What to do with the 3 link, leave the hook in place?

If the Kadee is in the right place, the hook can stay but you will have to lose the chain.

 

One thought - if you know you will never turn the vehicles round, you could remove the tension lock hook from one end of each vehicle. You could always try this first? Easier uncoupling, but might be frustrating if your son starts to assemble two parts of a train which he then finds won't couple up together. Or, remove the hook from both ends of each loco (I always used to do this), this makes uncoupling the train from the loco easier.

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I am a 'new user' of Kadees, I have fitted about 30 pairs in the last two months. Here are my thoughts ...

 

Conversion ease - loco, wagon coaches, not looking for a big answer, just is it worth the effort?

It has got to be worth the effort. I sat behind the fiddle yard of a club layout using tension locks and thought how glad I am I have got rid of these things at home.

Usability - me and my son

Mine never come detached. There might be unwanted uncoupling if you build abrupt gradients.

Robustness – in case of hard shunting and stock being separated by being picked up vertically.

If you twist the vehicle slightly as you lift it, it comes away cleanly. Less risk of damage than with the tension locks. The coupler heads have tiny springs and these are a serious challenge to refit if they come out. However I have had only one come out so far.

Cost

Seem fair value, even if you cut off the trip pins and forego the magnetic features.

What to do with the 3 link, leave the hook in place?

If the Kadee is in the right place, the hook can stay but you will have to lose the chain.

 

One thought - if you know you will never turn the vehicles round, you could remove the tension lock hook from one end of each vehicle. You could always try this first? Easier uncoupling, but might be frustrating if your son starts to assemble two parts of a train which he then finds won't couple up together. Or, remove the hook from both ends of each loco (I always used to do this), this makes uncoupling the train from the loco easier.

Hi

 

I've been using Kadees for the best part of 20 years and have very little to add - 47137 has picked it up most of the tricks very quickly, it took me at least a year to get where he is now.

 

1. The springs don't ping off too often and Kadee include a couple of spares with each packet of couplers. I have never needed to open the extra packet of springs I bought when I started out.

 

They also make a little tool, # 241 that makes replacing them fairly easy and is safer than using the pointy end of a craft knife. The trick is to pick up the spring close to one end and put the long end on to the knuckle first. Also pick them up from a small container (a plastic milk bottle top is good) so they don't disappear if (when) you drop them.

 

Kadee suggest fixing them in place with a small drop of CA (superglue) but it needs to be a VERY small drop applied with great care to avoid gluing up the pivot.

 

2. Even if you don't do it to every vehicle, having a few 'convertors' with Kadees on one end and tension-locks on the other is a good idea if you want to run on someone else's railway or have visitors who want to run on yours. When not 'on duty' they can just run around together. I have a pair of freight vans for goods trains and a pair of parcels vans for passenger trains; if you want to run coal trains, a pair of 16-tonners would be a good idea, too. It also means you don't have to fit Kadees to everything straight away.

 

Good luck

 

John

Edited by Dunsignalling
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1. The springs don't ping off too often ... The trick is to pick up the spring close to one end and put the long end on to the knuckle first. Also pick them up from a small container (a plastic milk bottle top is good) so they don't disappear if (when) you drop them.

 

Kadee suggest fixing them in place with a small drop of CA (superglue) but it needs to be a VERY small drop applied with great care to avoid gluing up the pivot.

"Putting in Kadee knuckle springs": I took the spring out to modify a coupler and then lost at least six to the carpet putting it back in. In the end I tried this, which worked first time: I fixed the pointed end of a wooden cocktail stick into the side of the spring using superglue. Manipulated both ends of the spring into place. Held the spring in place and teased out the cocktail stick ...

 

- Richard.

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Hi

 

I've been using Kadees for the best part of 20 years and have very little to add - 47137 has picked it up most of the tricks very quickly, it took me at least a year to get where he is now.

 

1. The springs don't ping off too often and Kadee include a couple of spares with each packet of couplers. I have never needed to open the extra packet of springs I bought when I started out.

 

They also make a little tool, # 241 that makes replacing them fairly easy and is safer than using the pointy end of a craft knife. The trick is to pick up the spring close to one end and put the long end on to the knuckle first. Also pick them up from a small container (a plastic milk bottle top is good) so they don't disappear if (when) you drop them.

 

Kadee suggest fixing them in place with a small drop of CA (superglue) but it needs to be a VERY small drop applied with great care to avoid gluing up the pivot.

 

 

The reason the tool works & a craft knife doesn't is because the blade is too narrow. Something a bit thicker would work well too.

 

I would agree 100% that the key is to pick up close to one end & put the long end onto the knuckle first. Anything else will only cause severe frustration.

 

I've never tried the superglue method and I'm not sure that I would.

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Thanks guys for the really helpful answers to my questions.  I am pretty much sold now on the Kadee way forward.  So will now look at getting the appropriate packs of couplings and start the conversion process, I might first get one the of sample pack they do to see what all the different type are.

 

I guess I have one outstanding question on robustness which is still making me a bit hesitant.  How resilient are the couplings to being hit a bit too hard when being coupled, i.e. if ‘little hands’ are at the controls and the shunting move is a bit too fast/hard?

 

Paul

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