metmangraham Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 In my long-running saga of developing a decent tube layout I am now at the stage of wanting to couple/uncouple an EFE 3-car set to a 4-car set to make a full 7-car 1938 set. I know that I could modify the end of a DM to fit a long EFE coupling rod, or some equivalent, home-made, but this would pose big problems when I come to couple and uncouple. I have searched for specific advice on whether Kadees could be used (even without the automatic coupler magnets and removing the down bar on the couplings), but nothing seems to have come up on RMWEB, at least recently. They seem an ideal solution if they can be fitted. I have been perusing the Kadee coupling dimensions, as well as the Micro-Trains N scale equivalents, where the shanks will be far too short anyway I suspect, but my only conclusion so far is to buy a sampler set (such as at http://www.kato-unitrack.co.uk/kadee-no-13-sampler-pack-3070-0.html), which may still leave me without a solution, as the tube cars sit much lower on the track than full-size rolling stock. Has anyone already been down this route? Even better, did you succeed?! If so, which couplings did you use, please? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 I gave up with Kadees looking at ways of doing this and used Metromodels bogies and coupling bars within the sets which work well. I did consider the idea of N gauge couplings on the front ends however they are not easy to fit either! Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Suggest you use a kadee height gauge to work out what kadee you need, it may be an underset version with the shaft lower than normal, a bodge using a plastic shanked kadee drilled, cut and screwed as appropriate or might invokve some body mods. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Cobalt Magnets might be an idea http://www.supermagnetman.net/index.php?cPath=50 These are very powerful so uncoupling could be an issue might be worth look at though? Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord of Narnia Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 I was thinking of using some sort of electromagnet perhaps which holds the unit together and can be reactivated to uncouple. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidcrabb Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 I converted all of my EFE stock using Kadee no.5's. Fixed to the body with some slight subframe alteration to ensure a good fix. Looks far more realistic and easy to use. Best modification I have ever done. Care is needed so take your time and think through task and you won't regret the conversion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
metmangraham Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 Thank you all. I'm always nervous about messing around with otherwise good models as I tend to be a bit heavy handed and generally opt for the easiest solution - least friction. I take the point made by D_stock_Dan that there may be cornering issues once the couplings are attached to the car bodies rather than bogies. However, I'll obtain some sample Kadee no. 5s and see what happens, probably retaining the original connecting rod couplings within the 4- and 3-car sets and only using the Kadees between the DM of the 4-car unit and the NDM of the 3-car unit. There are still sufficient and reasonably cheap supplies of 1938 stock cars in case I go really wrong! Magnets seem tempting and I might also play around with some without permanently fitting them just to see how they work out. Exciting times! Thanks again. Graham Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasatcopthorne Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 I used the Kadee 'N' gauge version. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Having done the magnetic coupling conversions (small rare earth magnets in brass tube) on the Dapol MRA wagons it may just work on the tube stock too. I have been looking for a way to make reliable but not so fiddly connections on my EFE stock for a while. Kadees work fine on the surface stock but the clearances under the tube stock are more worrying! Magnetic uncoupling is not really required in my case but if you are running trains that need to be split then retaining that facility between units may be desirable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 I have no experienc eof them, but might the Halling magnetic Scharfenburg couplings be of use? http://www.halling.at/en/Accessories/Couplings They are Scharfenburgs rather than the prototypical Wedgelocks, but far closer in appearance than buckeyes (Kadees) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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