Stringfingerling Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 I hope this is the right venue to be asking this: What are your preferred auto couplers for 7mm, O gauge? I am building my first 7mm layout and I need to plan now for some electro magnets for auto couplers to be built into the wiring scheme. On my previous layout (EM gauge) I used DG couplings which were pretty reliable, not 100%, but acceptable. I am wary of using Alex Jacksons because they are reputed to need very careful adjustment, and are rather fragile. Reading back through my old copies of MRJ, I notice that, in the edition featuring Hursley, Martyn Welch judges the Jackson couplers as less than completely reliable because of the sideways slop inherent in O gauge standards. Your opinions would be most welcome. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 All my stock is fitted with Dingham couplings. Provided these are set up carefully they are reliable. They are not perfect (I don't think any auto-couplers are) but they certainly work well enough for me. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Siddall Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 Some of us were having a bit of a chat about this earlier in the year... maybe some of what was included in that thread might assist ? I'm awaiting the reintroduction of the 'Lincs' – although they can also be DIY'd. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted December 23, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 23, 2012 A lot of people prefer to use the three links and screw couplings because the couplings are so visible in 0. Dinghams work well but are handed which can cause problems if you turn your stock ( e.g reversing casettes or a traintable) but no delayed action Spratt and Winkle work well but are somewhat obtrusive I think. Alex Jacksons work quite well care needed but can retain the three links. Martin Brent and Gorden Gavett both used them on exhibtion layouts. If you are a guild member Bob Alderman did a piece on couplings should be available in the Gazette Archive Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stringfingerling Posted December 23, 2012 Author Share Posted December 23, 2012 Thanks for that everyone. I was getting excited reading about the Dinghams, but the handedness may be a problem as I have built a train turntable, meaning that locos will run round and couple to stock facing alternating directions on alternating trips. Additionally, wagons left from previous trips would be facing the wrong way. I'll have to sit and puzzle over the logic of my train movements, shunting etc, before I conclude anything. I did dabble with Spratt and Winkles a long time ago, in OO gauge. The worst aspect was having wire stuck across buffers, which, to me, looks horrible. Three links are out for me, partly because I don't like the Big Hand from the Sky and partly because of having quite wide boards. Merry Christmas Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 Thanks for that everyone. I was getting excited reading about the Dinghams, but the handedness may be a problem as I have built a train turntable, meaning that locos will run round and couple to stock facing alternating directions on alternating trips. Additionally, wagons left from previous trips would be facing the wrong way. I'll have to sit and puzzle over the logic of my train movements, shunting etc, before I conclude anything. I did dabble with Spratt and Winkles a long time ago, in OO gauge. The worst aspect was having wire stuck across buffers, which, to me, looks horrible. Three links are out for me, partly because I don't like the Big Hand from the Sky and partly because of having quite wide boards. Merry Christmas Rob As a long time user of Dinghams I can advise you that they would not be good to use with a train turntable. I have a couple of tender engines which I do turn, these have the loop style couplings on their tenders. They will couple to either a hook or loop end, although two loops together are a bit of a compromise. Two hook style Dinghams together would not be much good! Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 Thanks for that everyone. I did dabble with Spratt and Winkles a long time ago, in OO gauge. The worst aspect was having wire stuck across buffers, which, to me, looks horrible. Merry Christmas Rob Hi Rob, You don't need to have the bar across the buffers anymore. If you use the S&W mounting plates then you use a brass loop instead, this is far less obtrusive, IMHO. (once you blacken them of course!) Also, the latest design has the ability to shunt once youv'e uncoupled without re-coupling (until you want to) Good luck, Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stringfingerling Posted December 24, 2012 Author Share Posted December 24, 2012 Thanks for that Jeff - I'll look into them again. Incidentally, have you, or anyone else, particular recommendations for sources of electro magnets for auto couplers? Cheers Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combe Martin Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 Ive been experimenting with the Electra coupling in 00 gauge, which I think was originally developed for 2mm finescale. It allows delayed action too ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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