O Gauge Auto Couplings

[alant]

Jeff,

 

Best to use flux specifically made for steel in my experience. To stop the hook digging into yet ballast, it's possible to glue a piece of plasticard under where the weight moves to limit the travel.

 

Alan.

[Donw]

Ok guys,

An update from my point of view.

 

 

 

The biggest problem I've had, is that the lateral 'slop' in your average

'0' gauge wagon (due to the fact that they use parallel bearings not

pin-point) is more than the tolerance in the couplings. I am thinking

about shimming the axles to reduce this.

 

 Jeff

When building wagons I always adjust the solebars/axleguards/bearings so there is minimal sideplay. Doing so reduces the risk of buffer locking on less generous curves. It would also be helpful with the couplings.

Don

[jcm@gwr]

Don,

 

I agree with your approach, but I'm afraid I

didn't want to start again with new wagons!

 

The wagons that I've fitted the couplings to

are a mixture of kitbuilt (only some built by

me), scratchbuilt and R-T-R, so no control

over the standards.

 

Also a right mixture of materials; whitemetal,

brass, wood and plastic. Some I bought at

s/hand stalls, and have needed a bit of TLC.

 

Jeff

[railwayrod]

I too have had a similar problem when fitting Bachmann OO couplings to my stock. The problem can be minimised by fitting Split washers between the axle box and the wheel - a bit fiddly but it can be done. if the gap is too wide I have used a very short piece of plastic tube with a section cut out and sprung these onto the axles again between the axle box and the wheel. The real problem stems from the fact that O gauge wheel standards are still fairly crude compared to the prototype giving rise to excessive side play between the wheel and the rail. This is where people who model to S7 standards have a large advantage as the track/wheel ratio is very accurately scaled from the prototype.

 

Railwayrod 

Edited November 10, 2016 by railwayrod

[jcm@gwr]

I think the main area (for me) is the axle slack,

the wheel/rail slack is okay with respect to the

tolerance of the couplings.

I'm going to experiment with adding spacers or

split washers to reduce the slack to a reasonable

level.

 

Jeff

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Hi Guys,

 

I have found that the wheel sets from Peartree/GJH seem to be machined - for 7mm FS - to nigh on S7 standards (on the two vehicles I have fitted them to thus far) in terms helping with the classic 'O' gauge slop. I hope that may help a little.

 

As an ex-supplier of industrial fasteners I am not familiar with the term 'split washer' (as such), do you guys mean 'spring washer' (locking washer), which doesnt seem appropriate as it is a spring washer with a twist/offset which would cause problems if fitted to a 7mm wheel set and associated axle boxes (or am I over-thinking this as the washers are so small anyway?).

 

Have you guys a ready source for the 'split washers' - the size and dimensions would be helpful too?

 

Sorry to appear to be being so obtuse (LOL!).

 

Kindest,

 

CME

[HSB]

'Split washers' refers to the practice of cutting a slit in the side of a washer so it can be pushed over the end of an axle without removing the wheelset from the wagon or coach. 

[jcm@gwr]

Not just a shameless bump!

 

After having done a couple of shows with my shunting puzzle,

I would like to add some more tips (from experience).

 

Firstly, the solution that has worked for me, re:- the strength of

the steel wire to brass tube joint, was to use the back of a blade

as a scraper to create flats on the steel wire (thrupence bit style!)

This stops the joint trying to rotate and come loose.

 

Secondly, I find that getting chemical blackening to give just the

right amount of 'black' without building up a layer, (which not only

can flake off, can also inhibit the smooth coupling action). So, I

use a permanent black marker, a few passes does the job.

 

Hope this helps, I've just got to sort out the axle slop to give me

100% reliability for my next 2 shows (in April).

 

Cheers, Jeff

[RedgateModels]

Hi Guys,

 

Personally I think if you are talking 7mm you have to go with 3 link couplings because of the size of 7mm all the detail stands out a mile, and there's nothing worse than some alien looking object sticking out the end of a wagon or loco Now I know it's awkward if the eyesight is not that good and my eyesight is getting worse as the years go by, but my main problem is that I have hands like a bunch of bananas , I have always had trouble with fiddly little things hence one of the reasons I went up to 7mm from EM. Now what I have made below is like a glorified shunters pole, it only takes a few minutes to knock up and has always worked fine for me as it's so simplistic .

 

 

I'm convinced

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/236/entry-15848-uncoupling-refined/

[Barnaby]

Nope I'm not convinced I'd rather not have the hand of GOD appear to couple up the 3-links. Anyway the Lincs coupling allows you to keep and use if you want 3-link couplings while being one of the less obtrusive auto-couplings.

[Donw]

Nope I'm not convinced I'd rather not have the hand of GOD appear to couple up the 3-links. Anyway the Lincs coupling allows you to keep and use if you want 3-link couplings while being one of the less obtrusive auto-couplings.

 

Each to their own. But on a shunting plank the use of three links slows the action down a little and gets you up close and personal with the models. I found it quite acceptable at shows even two day ones. Admittedly more awkward under corridor connections.

Don

[81A Oldoak]

Nope I'm not convinced I'd rather not have the hand of GOD appear to couple up the 3-links. Anyway the Lincs coupling allows you to keep and use if you want 3-link couplings while being one of the less obtrusive auto-couplings.

I plan to fit Lincs auto-couplers to some of my stock, mostly that which has to be shunted at the rear of Cwm Bach where access is difficult.  On the rakes of 16T mineral wagons, I will only fit them to the wagons at the outer ends as they will only move in rakes of 5 or 6 wagons.

[Barnaby]

Absolutely Don, but as my eyes don't do it for me anymore I'd probably wreck the models trying to lace up 3-link.  I do find the Lincs coupling works well with my aged eyes letting me lift them out of mid rake without daisy chaining every thing while at the same time having an auto function.

[RedgateModels]

To be honest, I had a go with my new "3 Link Key" last night as I went to bed, in the semi darkness of the workshop I managed to pick up the 3-link every time - and I had had a few sherberts too!

 

The next exhibition will be the acid test though

 

Totally understand those who want automatic coupling though, in fact I bought a starter pack of Dinghams when I started out in O gauge, they are still in the packet ......

[Martin Dalling]

A question for the Lincs coupling experts: Does anyone have any experience of their use with bogie stock as I have concerns about the amount of clearance above the bogie?

[BG John]

This is a subject I'll have to consider soon. It seems that Lincs, Dingham, S&W and Winterley are all pretty good options. Are there any more worth considering, or is that more than enough?

 

Lincs seem the simplest, but don't do delayed uncoupling

The others all do delayed, or anywhere you want, uncoupling

Dingham need electromagnets

S&W work with permanent or electro magnets

Winterley don't need magnets set into the baseboard

 

I'm biased towards S&W as I've used them in the past in 4mm, but I rather like the idea of Dinghams being fitted in the 3-link slot in the buffer beam. I need to think about Winterleys as it's one I haven't come across before.

 

The biggest question seems to be about fitting to bogie stock, as both S&W and Dinghams have comments about how they haven't been tested with them on their web sites. Surely they should have been tested with them, or is that a subtle way to say they don't work and they haven't got a solution?

 

Ideally I'd like to standardise on one type for O, EM, OO and 4mm broad gauge. These will all be small layouts where shunting wagons and running round passenger trains is needed, and the OO is a serious shunting puzzle as well.

[jamie92208]

Having used Dinghams on bogie coaches I would be careful.  They are very fragile and don't take kindly to heavy vehicles unless the D area is reinforced with wire.  I have seen Kadees used very successfully on bogie coaches but haven't tried them myself.

 

Jamie

[BG John]

Having used Dinghams on bogie coaches I would be careful.  They are very fragile and don't take kindly to heavy vehicles unless the D area is reinforced with wire.  I have seen Kadees used very successfully on bogie coaches but haven't tried them myself.

 

Jamie

I need to run mixed trains of one or two coaches and several wagons, so can't mix coupling types, but don't want Kadees on wagons.

[hartleymartin]

I use 3-link couplings, but I make the links from scratching using brass wire, but the last link is from a steel guitar string. The links are deliberately over-scale in length to help get some of the stock around curves, although from recounts of historical use on the Coalfields railways of the Hunter Valley, there was at least 6 inches of slack between the loose-coupled vehicles (made for quite a jolt to the guard when taking off at speed, with the van at the end of 50 coal hoppers 25ft of coupling slack!) So I am for a 3-4mm gap between the buffer faces. I use a rod which I have magnetised to pick up the final link. There is a bit of a trick to it, but it is easier than tweezers or scale shunter's poles!

[Simond]

I have fitted Kadees to the bogies of my rakes of corridor stock. This, coupled with concertina-folded black card within the corridor connectors, gives a very stiff connection between the coaches which means that the whole rake moves together, with little jerking, yet it is still flexible enough to do a Peco crossover.

 

I still have 3-links (screw, actually) on the outsides of the rakes, which is a blessed nuisance when coupling, of course.

 

Best

Simon

[orford]

If anyone is still subscribed to this thread, I recieved an e-mail from Lincs Auto Couplers the other day informing me of a change of address to (I think) the Bournemouth area. Unfortunately, I have managed to lose the e-mail and just wondered if anyone could remind me of the new address?

 

Thanks in hope.

 

- Don

[lofty.ian]

If anyone is still subscribed to this thread, I recieved an e-mail from Lincs Auto Couplers the other day informing me of a change of address to (I think) the Bournemouth area. Unfortunately, I have managed to lose the e-mail and just wondered if anyone could remind me of the new address?

 

Thanks in hope.

 

- Don

The following is copied from Richard's email:

 

Please note that I have moved from Winnersh to Bournemouth. The new address for Lincs AutoCouplers is:

 

43 Highlands Crescent

Kinson

BOURNEMOUTH

Dorset, BH10 5JR

 

My email address is unchanged.

 

Glad to help

Ian

[orford]

Thanks Ian. Much appreciated.

 

You don't by any chance have his email address as well do you? I managed to lose that as well.

 

- Don

Edited November 10, 2016 by orford

[Ruston]

Hi Guys,

 

Personally I think if you are talking 7mm you have to go with 3 link couplings because of the size of 7mm all the detail stands out a mile, and there's nothing worse than some alien looking object sticking out the end of a wagon or loco Now I know it's awkward if the eyesight is not that good and my eyesight is getting worse as the years go by, but my main problem is that I have hands like a bunch of bananas , I have always had trouble with fiddly little things hence one of the reasons I went up to 7mm from EM. Now what I have made below is like a glorified shunters pole, it only takes a few minutes to knock up and has always worked fine for me as it's so simplistic .

 

 

P1060104-1.JPG

 

 

Right as you can see it just looks like a key with the slot in it, this will be a bit awkward to explian so I hope the photos will help. You offer the slot up to the middle link of your coupling and only the middle link and slide the slot into the link. Sod's law at this stage is the fact that I only have a wagon with instanter couplings fitted laying about, but it shows it also works with these's and screwlinks as well.

 

 

P1060107-1.JPG

 

 

 

P1060109-1.JPG

 

 

Then just twist the pole clockwise or anti-clockwise depending which way the wagons facing and you will see the end link will lift up into position to couple up with the next wagon, might sound fiddly but it is a piece of cake.

 

 

P1060111-1.JPG

 

 

This method might not suit everyone, but it doesn't cost anything to make so give it a go.

 

ATB, Martyn.

 

P.S. And before another person asks why I still have not put the ballast down it's because this is my test track, and my main layout is still at the planning stage .

There is an even easier solution, which doesn't need the same level of dexterity to catch hold of the links. I use a tiny torch that has a length of 1mm brass wire fixed to it, and to the other end, a tiny magnet. Pick up the links and slide them over the hook and pull the magnet down and away. Of course you need to use steel links.

 

I made one and have another, which I believe is available from the HMRS.

[lofty.ian]

Thanks Ian. Much appreciated.

 

You don't by any chance have his email address as well do you? I managed to lose that as well.

 

- Don

His email hasn't changed, it is still:

richard_syms@btinternet.com

Ian