Easi-shunt Dapol Easi-shunt magnetic couplings in N

[Karhedron]

The kit is almost finalised and I got the cad/cam last monday for review.

 

However to make the kit better value for money I have asked for the mounting block to have a number of extre features that all modellers should find handy.

Hi Dave,

 

Do you know if the NEM conversion kit will be suitable for non-bogie stock (wagons, milk tankers etc)? The reason I ask is that NGS has recently produced their NEM coupling pockets but apparently these are only suitable for bogie stock because they do not have any means of pivoting built into them. I do not quite understand the technicalities but I thought it worth asking about the forthcoming kit.

[DapolDave]

Hi Matt,

 

Dapols NEM coupling conversion kit is for a pivoting socket.

 

It's worth noting however that ALL NEM coupler pockets, by dint of the standard, have a form of pivot in them, caused by the 2 pivot 'nodes', above and below that are the pivot points for pocket swing.

 

Only some of Dapol's couplers pivot on arms, others that use the pocket to pivot, such as loco's do not and I presume will be like the NGS pockets, and as such will have no problem working the magnetic couplers.

 

Hope this ramble helps

Cheers

Dave

[Les1952]

Hi Matt,

 

Dapols NEM coupling conversion kit is for a pivoting socket.

 

It's worth noting however that ALL NEM coupler pockets, by dint of the standard, have a form of pivot in them, caused by the 2 pivot 'nodes', above and below that are the pivot points for pocket swing.

 

Only some of Dapol's couplers pivot on arms, others that use the pocket to pivot, such as loco's do not and I presume will be like the NGS pockets, and as such will have no problem working the magnetic couplers.

 

Hope this ramble helps

Cheers

Dave

 

I'm confused on this one, at the back of the socket there is a pin that the coupler appears to butt up to with its D-shaped cutout. Looking at a B1 tender there is a slight V in a rigid plastic part which allows the coupler sideways play- my Fleischmann 0-8-0 diesel with the Dapol couplers on it has this part under a plate but the whole pocket swings from side-to-side rather than just the coupler within it..

 

Do you mean the actual pocket is a little V-shaped inside giving sideways play to the coupler, or that the whole pocket swings sideways (like the Fleischmann)?

 

I'm intending to fit these mounts to Dapol 21-ton hoppers, presumably by cutting off the existing coupler pocket back to flat plastic. What comes next? Quite interested to know as I'm trying to design a colliery layout around the system........

 

All the very best

Les

[Revolution Ben]

Hello Matt

 

Certainly all NEM couplers pivot in the vertical plane, as Dave says this is caused by the mounting lugs.

 

But for 4-wheel wagons you will need some lateral movement to stop them derailing on curves. I suspect this is what Dave is referring to!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[Jon Harbour]

G'day Dave,

 

Any news on when the conversion kits might be available? I've started converting my NEM socketed rolling stock, but there's a lot of my stock that has Rapidos fitted! Look forward to learning more about the kit.

[DapolDave]

Hi Jon,

 

The conversion kit is having metal cut as i type this, and we are just about to start cutting metal on the short and long arm magnetic couplers.

 

I think they will be available about late May.

cheers

Dave

[Jon Harbour]

Sweet!

 

Looks like I've got some more ordering to do in May....

[Karhedron]

The conversion kit is having metal cut as i type this, and we are just about to start cutting metal on the short and long arm magnetic couplers.

I had already decided to switch to these as soon as the conversions became available. Looks like I will try some of the short-arm couplers too. I have an end-to-end layout so the tightest radius is 18". Hopefully a pair of shorts should bring the vehicles nice and close without buffers touching.

[roundhouse]

Dave

 

I look forward to these conversion kits as most of my loco fleet are non NEM sockets.

 

Ian

[engage]

Hi,

In drop testing on the A4 and A3 loco's there has been problems with them fitted with these couplers, so we will fit them with rapido's and have a pair of magnetic ones on the packaging.

 

It's annoying I know but to prevent damage a necessity.

 

Interestingly enough the drop test and long distance transport test with 2 diesels fitted with these couplers proved ok, so they will come factory fitted.

 

I'm in the factory next week and I will clarify for you.

Cheers

Dave

 

Hi Dave

We now have a product on the market that most Ngauge modelers have been waiting years for. It is very refreshing to know that a representative from the

manufactures is directly offering much sought after advice. This is I am sure greatly appreciated by all readers of this thread, Very good of you Dave !

I have been experimenting with the couplers and find that they work very well except that after uncoupling they will not continue to push the rolling stock backwards

but simply re-engage, no big deal ! I have not lost any up to the present time but it is a pity about the springs, a few spares in the packet is or would be a very good idea.

 

Cheers John

[PLD]

I have been experimenting with the couplers and find that they work very well except that after uncoupling they will not continue to push the rolling stock backwards

but simply re-engage, no big deal ! I have not lost any up to the present time but it is a pity about the springs, a few spares in the packet is or would be a very good idea.

 

Cheers John

Sounds like the issue already mentioned a couple of times with the couplings not being moved wide enough apart. Some had that caused by using less powerful or smaller magnets than the Dapol branded ones. - Solution stronger/larger magnets. For others the solution was to adjust the angle of the trip pin so that the couplings opened wider...

[Les1952]

Just a little on today's experience fitting couplers today.

 

Tally so far- fitted 26, broken none- push them in using a cocktail stick held vertically in the jaw of the coupler.

 

Failures in use- one particular- the N-gauge Society Gresley BG. This is due to the lack of a floor above the coupler arm (as built by me). I can't remember whether the instructions in the kit say there should be one- if so it is my fault for ignoring it, but you do need a floor to keep the coupler being pulled out of its track. One or two of the longer-arm Brawa wagons have a huge amount of flex in the coupler arm so move vertically too much when over the magnet.

 

Successes in installation- all Dapol locos and stock tried, likewise all Brawa (for Furtwangen Ost), Arnold, Minitrix and Fleischmann. Farish Class 108s and Stanier coaches.

 

Failures in installation- Farish 3MTs -two different locos tried, and mark 1s. In all these cases the NEM socket seems to be not only shallower in the aperture but shorter than everyone else's. A pair of Mark 1s from the first productionj batch were OK, the others not.

 

We'll be using them on the parcels and some passenger trains on Stamford East at Nottingham Show this weekend. We also use Peco drop arms on Rapidos and have had no problems with one system accidentally uncoupling the other on test.

 

All the very best

Les

[Stevelewis]

As A user of Kadee and similar knuckle couplers on H0 , 0n30, & USA N Gauge layouts, I decided that I should give the NEW Dapol knuckles a try!

 

I would add that It would not be my intention to retrofit all rolling stock as we mostly keep trains in fixed rakes, but the convenience of hands off uncoupling of locos from the fixed rakes is obviously a plus.

 

I received a pack of 5 pairs today from Liverpool and have given them a quick test, I found that fitting them to the following items presented no problem ( All Farish items Class 24, Sealion, ex LMS brake van, Mk 1 coach,

 

I used a KATO unitrack uncoupling track in the storage loops in which we use Kato Unitrack ( This is a 62mm track section with uncoupling magnet already factory fitted)

 

Coupling and uncoupling worked very well indeed, no problems were encountered with phantom uncoupling, and propelling uncoupled stock did not result in any unwanted recoupling.

 

The only thing I would point out is that N gauge stock tends to be light and it may be worth considering weighting stock so that the system works as it should.

 

There are recommendations on the NMRA web sites as to suggested weights if anyone is interested ( www.nmra.org)

[roundhouse]

I wasnt planning on converting rakes of wagons to these Dapol couplings. However after a few shows with Banbury running rakes of 20 or more vehicles we have had problems with the rapido couplings coming uncoupled on plain track, especially the newer NEM box fitted types, both Farish and Dapol (the older Farish container wagons have been fine)

 

Putting a bit of pva type glue in the NEM boxes has reduced the amount of uncoupling but it still occurs.

 

The plan now is to convert a rake of container wagons to Dapol knucle couplins to see if thei improves the situation for the next show.

 

Ian

[Stevelewis]

I wasnt planning on converting rakes of wagons to these Dapol couplings. However after a few shows with Banbury running rakes of 20 or more vehicles we have had problems with the rapido couplings coming uncoupled on plain track, especially the newer NEM box fitted types, both Farish and Dapol (the older Farish container wagons have been fine)

 

Putting a bit of pva type glue in the NEM boxes has reduced the amount of uncoupling but it still occurs.

 

The plan now is to convert a rake of container wagons to Dapol knucle couplins to see if thei improves the situation for the next show.

 

Ian

 

I am certain that you will find that knuckle couplings do eliminate phantom uncoupling, we run 30+ car freight trains on a US N layout ( which are knuckle fitted as is the norm for US stock) we have no problems at all, layout includes 1in 25 gradients and around 11" rad curve in 'hidden'section'

 

Its just the cost of converting all the UK rolling stock, at £17 for a pack of 5 pairs it works out at £3.40 a wagon! BUT I am wondering if the Dapol earlier type

of knuckle coupling may be the answer?

[roundhouse]

I use Microtrains on 30 plus car length trains on my USA layout that uses the same fiddle yard and as you say we don't get any breakaways.

Yes the fixed type Dapol knuckle coupling could be a way forward.

 

Ian

[PLD]

I am wondering if the Dapol earlier type of knuckle coupling may be the answer?

Yes the fixed type Dapol knuckle coupling could be a way forward.

We've successfully used the Dapol fixed knuckle couplers on fixed rakes of coaches, including propelling rakes of up to 12 coaches!

 

Also has the added bonus that they give you closer coupling than the standard rapidos.

 

Paul

[roundhouse]

Paul

 

I used the fixed type on a set of WSMR coaches and DVT as they came in the pack.So far they have worked fine and as you say they give closer coupling, so that does seem to be te way to go for fixed rakes.

 

Ian

[SNCF stephen]

Sorry to bump this topic back to the top but I thought it would be best to add my comments in here. I have just purchased a set of 5 pairs of the Easi Shunt couplings. I have found that they do work quite well but there are a few minor niggles that have caused me some concern.

 

1 - The Kato Unitrack magnets do the job very well but I am still finding propelling stock difficult. Even a rake of 8 wagons is causing some difficulty. I am going to add extra weight where I can but this might be difficult.

2 - My Piko BB66000 locomotives have the NEM pockets quite low compared to most stock and this sometimes causes difficulty when the pin drops down and then the locomotive traverses pointwork.

3 - (this might just be me) but the Kato Unitrack magnetic track is having a small affect on the running quality of the locomotive as it rolls over it.

 

Hopefully over time these issues will bed down, but if anyone has any insights into preventing some of these issues I would be most grateful.

 

Thanks

[Les1952]

Sorry to bump this topic back to the top but I thought it would be best to add my comments in here. I have just purchased a set of 5 pairs of the Easi Shunt couplings. I have found that they do work quite well but there are a few minor niggles that have caused me some concern.

 

1 - The Kato Unitrack magnets do the job very well but I am still finding propelling stock difficult. Even a rake of 8 wagons is causing some difficulty. I am going to add extra weight where I can but this might be difficult.

2 - My Piko BB66000 locomotives have the NEM pockets quite low compared to most stock and this sometimes causes difficulty when the pin drops down and then the locomotive traverses pointwork.

3 - (this might just be me) but the Kato Unitrack magnetic track is having a small affect on the running quality of the locomotive as it rolls over it.

 

Hopefully over time these issues will bed down, but if anyone has any insights into preventing some of these issues I would be most grateful.

 

Thanks

 

I came to these after having used Kadee couplers on US- and Uk-outline stock in HO and OO respectively, and Microtrains on US-outline in N. To put some context to your list-

 

1. US-outline stock is weighted. I'm going to use the easi-shunt couplers on part of my new project Hawthorn Dene Colliery, but am not going to fit them to unweighted Farish wagons, just to the heavier Dapol and whitemetal ones.

 

2. The pin can be moved up and down in the coupling- both Kadee and Microtrains have height gauges and expect you to use them to adjust the trip pin height for best effect. Drooping couplers also happen on very long unsupported arms- I still haven't eradicated this one completely on Furtwangen Ost.

 

3- probably isn't just you- if there is ferrous metal in any quantity in the loco chassis the magnets will attract them and slow them down as they pass over. As an aside the biggest Kadee magnets can attract a Bachmann 8-plank wagon from a distance of three feet, which was one factor in my return to N-gauge........ This is due to ferrous axles.

 

All the very best

Les

[DapolDave]

Hi everyone,

 

i will be showing the long and short arm magnetic couplers next week at the NGS AGM along with the NEM coupler conversion kit.

 

cheers

Dave

[roundhouse]

Dave excellent.

 

Wish I could be there. After having derailment problems with rapidos on my layout I replaced a fair number of the NEM pocket ones with the Dapol magnetic coupler and this has now reduced the derailments on the curves, so look forward to the conversion packs for the rat of the Rapidos.

[Karhedron]

Looking forward to seeing the NEM conversion kit. Is it for bogie stock only or can it be fitted to 4-wheeled wagons?

[Jon Harbour]

I would love to know whether they will fit 4 wheel stock as well, although I'm wondering how many I would need for a couple of prototypical length rakes of 16 tonners!

 

Bring it on Dave - can't wait to see more details...

[DapolDave]

Hi guys,

 

Simply put, the conversion kit will allow you ( for example) to remove the Dapol dogfish spring coupling box by simply cutting it off. Filing the area flat and offering up the new NEM coupling housing and gluing in place.

 

There are shims supplied to allow for some height adjustment before gluing to get the optimum height.

 

We suggest 2 part epoxy glue as it will hold firm once set and allow a modicum of adjustment while setting.

 

Now, as we cannot promise that the optimum setting ( for a medium shank magnetic coupler) will be perfect for everyone or that once fitted your stock won't be too light for the system to work ( not forgetting those pesky metal wheels that get attracted by magnets on older stock) you will need to be wary that some trial and error testing might be needed to get the system working well.

 

However it should fit most stock (even if you have to recalibrate it slightly for longer or shorter arm couplers etc) for both freight and coach, as long as you use them body mounted, as we havnt designed these to be bogie mounted at all.

 

Cheers

Dave