Kirby couplings vs Kadee couplings

[ejstubbs]

9 hours ago, johnb said:

If I recall correctly the yellow pointy thing does not do the knuckle springs.

 

According to Kadee themselves, it does:

 

https://www.kadee.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=331

 

Quote

 

"Dual Tool" Manual uncoupling tool & built in Spring Pic

 

There are many modelers that wish to manual uncouple with a small tool and Kadee®offers the #241 "Dual Tool" manual uncoupler and spring pick combination. For manual uncoupling the #118 & #119 shelf coupler the #241 has a "pointed" end to fit around the top shelf. The other "blade" end of the #241 is for standard couplers, also, the blade end has nubs so it can double as a spring pick for inserting small coil springs. To manual uncouple the #118 & #119 coupler with the pointed end of the #241 "Dual Tool", first push the cars together where the coupler knuckles compress against each other, insert the pointed end against the "outside" of the hooked tip of the knuckle as illustrated (the knuckle is the moving part of the coupler head). As the point slips into the coupler it will push the knuckle past the hook of the opposing knuckle. To assist the uncoupling you can push the knuckle tip outward with the point, when the knuckle tips are past each other you can now separate the uncoupled cars. 

 

 

IIRC the instructions that come with the couplers include a description of how to fit a new knuckle spring using the spring pick.

 

Note that you have to use the tool the right way round depending on which couplers you are trying to uncouple.  Could it be that some of the difficulties that folks are reporting in using the tool are due to not knowing this?  (FWIW I've never tried using mine for uncoupling, though I think I do recall once using it, successfully, to re-installing a knuckle spring.)

[9C85]

I read this topic last night just before I had a running session on my (work in progress) layout.  It's a shelf layout, set in the BR Blue era and depicts a carriage/parcels sidings. I have two kadee magnets at each end of the hidden headshunt to the 3 tracks storage yard, and a delayed action magnet at the entrance to the 'on scene' reception/sorting sidings  (6 roads in total). I  don't have much stock at the moment but I plan to have fixed rakes of passenger coaches  ( Bachmann pipe connection for internal couplings and kadees on the ends) and parcels/newspaper vans fitted with kadees for marshalling. I had about an hour of faultless operation last night, even managing to turn a train off-scene without manual intervention. The delayed action works well on the fixed rakes and BG vans with NEM Pockets, but I have butchered a couple of old Lima/Hornby CCTs and a GUV and fitted either Kadee gearboxes or Hornby NEM pockets to these, and they work OK on the instant magnets but not well on the delayed action one. I suspect that is more down to my poor installation with size 11 fingers. I am going to stick to newer NEM fitted stock from now on. More expensive but less frustrating. Good luck with the layout and enjoy it.

[Il Grifone]

The instructions do indeed include how to fit the spring, though it is pretty obvious. I have always been wary about the advice to use glue to hold the end of the spring (the risk is using too much!), but tried a tiny spot of polystyrene cement on the last one I did. It seemed to help, but I am still dubious.

 

Properly installed they do work well - they wouldn't be the American standard if they didn't. The only thing I've noted is that sometimes there's too much vertical play in the draft box which allows the knuckle to droop. A shim cures this of course.

 

For British use they sit too low - they are intended for H0 scale and the American coupling height (nominally 33½") is lower than ours in any case.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janney_coupler

Edited March 10, 2020 by Il Grifone

[Tony Davis]

I spent some of this afternoon assembling a pair of Dingham couplings, I took more care this time, and I have also acquired a pair of flat face pliers which are a great help.

 

I dug out one of the wagon that I had fitted with Dingham couplings the first time I tried, and placed the two wagons on the layout along with two wagons fitted with Kadee's. I must admit that I find the Dingham's far less obtrusive (I hadn't blackened them though, as I don't have any of the liquid yet) than the Kadee's, so I think I will persist with the Dingham couplings from now on.

 

I need to buy some epoxy resin though, as gluing the couplings in with superglue doesn't seem secure enough to me. I also found that I needed to remove the manufacturers provided weights from under the wagon bodies as the couplings won't fit with them in place..

[55020]

So you want to uncouple Kadees remotely?  Not sure about the electromagnetic uncouplers?

 

I bought some of these, but haven't fitted them yet.  They do seem to get some good reviews over the pond, where they are obviously used a lot.

https://railsofsheffield.com/products/33922/rapido-trains-inc-320001-ho-scale-railcrew-on-off-remote-uncoupler

 

 

Steve

 

[Tony Davis]

2 hours ago, 55020 said:

So you want to uncouple Kadees remotely?  Not sure about the electromagnetic uncouplers?

 

I bought some of these, but haven't fitted them yet.  They do seem to get some good reviews over the pond, where they are obviously used a lot.

https://railsofsheffield.com/products/33922/rapido-trains-inc-320001-ho-scale-railcrew-on-off-remote-uncoupler

 

 

Steve

 

Thanks for the info, Steve. I have already bought electromagnets, they got put in the drawer along with the coupling fret when I had difficulties assembling the couplers. I have now successfully assembled some couplings and, buoyed by that success, I will return to the electromagnets.

 

I would be interested to see how you get on when you get around to installing the ones you bought.

[Butler Henderson]

On ‎10‎/‎03‎/‎2020 at 18:09, Tony Davis said:

I dug out one of the wagon that I had fitted with Dingham couplings the first time I tried, and placed the two wagons on the layout along with two wagons fitted with Kadee's. I must admit that I find the Dingham's far less obtrusive (I hadn't blackened them though, as I don't have any of the liquid yet) than the Kadee's, so I think I will persist with the Dingham couplings from now on.

The Kadees would be less intrusive if you had used long shank versions and sited the draft box behind the bigger beam

[Tony Davis]

3 minutes ago, Butler Henderson said:

The Kadees would be less intrusive if you had used long shank versions and sited the draft box behind the bigger beam

Yes, I read - after I had installed the couplers in the photographs - about the option you mentioned! 

[boxbrownie]

I decided (most likely) to standardise on Kadees for my new layout and stock, it’ll be all NEM socketed I would imagine so I ordered two packs of 18, 19 & 20 type, I tested the 18 on a couple of Dapol trucks today and they were bonk on the correct height and obviously a doddle to fit, now as to the uncoupling arrangement, I ordered a pack of neodymium bar magnets for a trial and fitted under the Trix-C track I am using work very well, BUT I found just running over them they uncoupled the trucks, so I decided to add some drag by putting a bit of soft foam between the one axle and the chassis to give enough drag to stop them uncoupling which worked, and still free enough to run without too much effort, I mention this as I don’t particularly want to do this with every piece of rolling stock and was wondering what other people do to avoid this issue?