Easy DG

[Bryn]

As a poster of very little words, I've decided to compensate with lots of pictures. Today's subject, DG couplings. Following on from my blog post on fitting the couplings to wagons:

 

http://www.rmweb.co....51-fitting-dgs/

 

So lets begin...

 

Here I have chemically blackened the etch using Carrs products, once dry I give then a wipe with an oily rag to seal it in.

 

While still on the etch I like to open out the slot with a flat blade screwdriver, to remove the slight cusp inside. I also drill two holes in the mounting plate, this gives something from the epoxy to grab onto.

 

Folded up, as per instructions.

 

Next remove the latch (tongue) from the etch.

 

I then mount this in a small pin chuck, as shown.

 

Next, thread the coupling over the latch and then spread the two tiny legs out sideways. This is the hardest bit and will come with experience, you want to allow the latch to rock forwards and backwards and not side to side. The instructions provide a better diagram than my attempts of a close up!

 

I then use the shaft of a screw driver to form the final shape of the latch.

 

It is possible to build these couplings with a latch and a loop on both ends, since my layout doesn't have a reversing loop or turn table I have opted to have a loop one end of my stock and a latch the other. Also seen here is the tufnol jig used to form the loops.

 

DG couplings are available from Model Signal Engineering or the 2mm Scale Association shop.

[2mm Andy]

Thanks Bryn - very well timed as I have a lot of these to make. There are some really useful tips in there (especially about opening up the slots and holding the delay latches).

 

Have you come across the idea of making one-piece loops from steel wire? I have a copy of an article in an old N Gauge Society journal which describes this. I've made one or two this way and it seems a lot simpler than folding up the loops and soldering droppers onto them.

 

Andy

[Bryn]

Hey Andy,

 

I have heard about the one piece loop idea before, but have never tried it. I like to use soft iron florist wire (which I'm told has a higher iron content than the stiff stuff provided) and think it will be too soft to make reliable loops. I know people have had great success with the idea and would be interested to hear from anyone with experience.

 

I have got some ideas up my sleeve, watch this space....

[DavidLong]

Bryn,

 

I now make all my loops from a single piece of the steel wire supplied with the couplings. I'm not at home at present but I may try and attempt some pics when I return as, although the process is very simple, it is rather long-winded to describe.

I have used the couplings 'single-ended' for more years than I care to think of. When you have loops on both ends they have a habit of pushing each other up together and failing to couple - very irritating.

 

David

[Bryn]

Thanks David,

 

That would be great if you could, I'd be interested to see them in use.

[2mmMark]

The easiest way to assemble two piece loops is in the flat on something heat resistant. That way it's easy to get a good solder joint between the loop & tail. Hold the assembled loop on the join with some pointed nose pliers, then trim and shape the steel wire tail.

 

I also like to run a fillet of solder into the buffing plate bend for strength.

 

Another vote here for single ended couplers!

 

Mark

[queensquare]

Evening Bryn,

really good thread with some very useful tips. As I use cassettes on Highbury and will also have a reverse loop on Bath I have to put loops both ends. I did try on Highbury with single ended couplings but tied myself in knots with stock facing all ways. It was chaos and only lasted one show!

One advantage with loops on both ends of stock is that I don't have to put any on locos which is much easier and more dicreet. Diesels in particular must be a nightmare to fit full couplings to and still fit at least some of the plumbing. As much of the shunting on Highbury is rakes of empty/loaded coal wagons which only have couplings at the end of the rake the problem of clashing loops does not arise twix rake and loco.

Do you hand couplings on locos and always run them the same way round or do you put loops both ends on locos?

On the whole I find DG's pretty reliable. The biggest problem I have is in humid exhibition halls the delay latch can get sticky and not drop. Damp punters coming into a warm hall is often a sign of trouble.

 

cheers Jerry

 

As an aside John Greenwood (the G of DG) puts loops both ends on stock with none on the loco but he also has a reverse loop on his layout..

[Nigelcliffe]

One advantage with loops on both ends of stock is that I don't have to put any on locos which is much easier and more dicreet.

 

Another advantage of both-ended rolling stock is the complexity of making DCC controlled DG compatible coupler's on locos. The simple rotating bent wire used on my class 04 and class 24 is a doddle to make when compared to the auto-lifting DG loop and "loop flicker-off-thingie" I put on a class 14 fairly recently (for single ended running).

 

- Nigel

[Bryn]

Do you hand couplings on locos and always run them the same way round or do you put loops both ends on locos?

 

Since Colwyn doesn't even have a run around loop, I only have a coupling on one end of the loco (latch, no loop) and fully detailed buffer beams the other. Much to everyone's frustration when using the 24 on their layouts. All stock has to run the same way, but the nice thing is I get to choose a good public viewing side for every piece of stock.

[DavidLong]

My Class 73s and 24s have a loop at one end and a latch at the other. They are attached to the rear of the buffer beam and not on the bogie. This means that they have almost all the pipe work that is present on the real locos. The 24s look rather better as the buffing plate on the 73s means that the couplings have to stick out further than usual to give clearance for the loop and the latch when they lift.

I haven't had any problems with the fixed couplings on the locos as yet but this is maybe due to the fact that none of my wagon stock has a large end swing when traversing curves. However, I have almost finished a Chivers BR Tube wagon (with Higgs underframe) which does have a large overhang between axle centres and the wagon end. I am intending to try making the DG coupling swivel to compensate for the fixed ones on the locos.

 

David

[DavidLong]

 

All stock has to run the same way, but the nice thing is I get to choose a good public viewing side for every piece of stock.

 

Agree with that Bryn. In fact, in the early days of exhibiting 'Ley Hill' the stock was only lettered on one side! My current stock does have both side lettering but I always select which side I would prefer to be facing the front of the layout.

 

David

[nigelb]

hi guys just started building up my DG's

i like the idea of loop at 1 end and latch at the other

By loop do i assume you mean the soft iron loop ?

and latch do you mean the little movable brass thingy ??

Sorry if i appear daft

 

Regards Nigel

[Bryn]

Correct Nigel

[Donw]

Although having loops at one end and latches at the other should give good performance there are difficulties.

What do you do about tender locos- ban turntables?

The use of cassettes or trainturntables enables trains to be turned quickly very useful at exhibitions.

It may make running your stock on others layouts problematic.

 

At least I can ignore the first on an Isle of Wight based layout. The second though means a lot of stock handling in the fiddle yard not ideal to my mind.

Don

[queensquare]

Although having loops at one end and latches at the other should give good performance there are difficulties.

What do you do about tender locos- ban turntables?

The use of cassettes or trainturntables enables trains to be turned quickly very useful at exhibitions.

It may make running your stock on others layouts problematic.

 

At least I can ignore the first on an Isle of Wight based layout. The second though means a lot of stock handling in the fiddle yard not ideal to my mind.

Don

 

I would agree, I use cassettes on Highbury and a train table on the new Tucking Mill (see pictures in the Highbury thread). I tried handed couplings and it lasted one show and resulted in utter chaos with stock quickly facing the wrong way and unable to couple to each other! I compromised by having loops on both ends of wagons but none on locos which has the same effect as being handed when coupling locos to stock but the great advantage that they are much easier to fit to locos and less visualy obtrusive. I do get occasional problems coupling stock to stock as the loops butt up and rise together but not too often.

Jerry

[Pyewipe Jct]

Although having loops at one end and latches at the other should give good performance there are difficulties.

What do you do about tender locos- ban turntables?

The use of cassettes or trainturntables enables trains to be turned quickly very useful at exhibitions.

It may make running your stock on others layouts problematic.

 

Don

 

Hello Don,

 

there's absolutely nothing to stop you putting loops and latches at both ends of a loco (or other stock, for that matter), which would allow you to use turntables, etc., it just introduces a slightly increased risk of the couplers getting a bit 'tangled', in my experience (but not very often, if everything's set up properly).

 

I tend not to turn rakes of stock on my layout, though, just swap the loco (and brake van, if applicable) to the other end(s) as required, so I can avoid the problem of having stock pointing in the wrong direction. If you're turning trains 'en bloc' to keep things moving at an exhibition, then I would have thought that the couplers & their orientation might not matter as they're probably not interacting with other trains or stock, in any case. For the record, I've started using 3-link couplings on some of my (semi) fixed rakes of wagons (with DGs or B&Bs on the outer ends), which means they're almost certainly incompatible with other more saner folk's layouts, but they do look good

 

 

Kevin

[John lewsey]

So do you put loops at both ends or not I only ask as I've just started making some

[Nigelcliffe]

So do you put loops at both ends or not I only ask as I've just started making some

Depends if you turn your stock. If the stock gets rotated, you need loops at both ends. If the stock is always run the same way round, then loops at one end saves time and is less demanding in precision of assembly.  

 

With loops at both ends it is necessary to ensure the furthest end of the loop is parallel to the ground on all stock, otherwise they can lock against each other when attempting to couple up, resulting in failure to couple.

 

- Nigel

[queensquare]

I much prefer loops on both ends. When properly set up I have few problems and it saves all sorts of complications on which way round your stock needs to be. The biggest advantage is that you then don't need to put a loop on either end of locos which makes them particularly unobtrusive.

 

Jerry

I much prefer loops on both ends. When properly set up I have few problems and it saves all sorts of complications on which way round your stock needs to be. The biggest advantage is that you then don't need to put a loop on either end of locos which makes them particularly unobtrusive.

 

Jerry

[John lewsey]

Thanks

[John lewsey]

Thanks chaps both ends it is

[Ian Smith]

I much prefer loops on both ends. When properly set up I have few problems and it saves all sorts of complications on which way round your stock needs to be. The biggest advantage is that you then don't need to put a loop on either end of locos which makes them particularly unobtrusive.

 

Jerry

I much prefer loops on both ends. When properly set up I have few problems and it saves all sorts of complications on which way round your stock needs to be. The biggest advantage is that you then don't need to put a loop on either end of locos which makes them particularly unobtrusive.

 

Jerry

 

Looks like age is catching up with jerry - he's starting to repeat himself ;-)

[DavidLong]

I much prefer loops on both ends. When properly set up I have few problems and it saves all sorts of complications on which way round your stock needs to be. The biggest advantage is that you then don't need to put a loop on either end of locos which makes them particularly unobtrusive.

 

Jerry

I much prefer loops on both ends. When properly set up I have few problems and it saves all sorts of complications on which way round your stock needs to be. The biggest advantage is that you then don't need to put a loop on either end of locos which makes them particularly unobtrusive.

 

Jerry

 

It doesn't matter how many times you say it, Jerry, you still won't convince me

 

David

[colin@gorleston]

Although I don't model in 2mm, I do model n gauge.

Could one of you kind souls please take some photos to show how you attach DG's to locomotives, both diesel and steam.

I have no problems fitting them to my goods wagons although so far I have only done it to inexpensive Peco kits.

 

Regards

Colin

[2ManySpams]

Good practical thread, thanks. Just wondering if anyone has used DG couplings in 7mm? (yes I know it's the 2mm area but modellers work in many scales).