Alex Jackson Couplings

[Brinkly]

Hi chaps,

 

I've seen Alex Jackson couplings working very well on EM and P4 layouts, but was wondering how successful it would be in finescale 00. The reason for this is I've decided to bring my old model of Bodmin Road which I started back in 2003, from the cellar in my parents' house (because their house is needing a huge amount of structural work), back home; whilst at the same time continue to build the P4 layout and start a joint project with a fellow P4er based on Boscarne Junction! Worse than Captain K really!

 

I have already got a large amount of stock running with Smiths couplings but wondered if AJs would work for hands free operation!?

 

Many thanks in advance, regards,

 

Nick

[James]

Nick, I think they'd work in 00-SF but not sure about regular finescale 00. I remember Gordon Gravett reporting problems with 0-16.5 using normal 00 standards because of excessive side play. He narrowed the gauge alightly (much like 00-SF I suppose) to make them reliable.

 

If you're not committed to any couplings I'd suggest look at the three mil' version of the Spratt & Winkle coupling. I put a bit on my blog some time ago - I won't bore everyone by repeating it here. Previously we have used the larger 4 mil ones (think these too will be changed for the finer version though) with no problems and they're very relaible in operation too.

 

Hope that helps

[Adam]

Nick, I think they'd work in 00-SF but not sure about regular finescale 00. I remember Gordon Gravett reporting problems with 0-16.5 using normal 00 standards because of excessive side play. He narrowed the gauge alightly (much like 00-SF I suppose) to make them reliable.

 

If you're not committed to any couplings I'd suggest look at the three mil' version of the Spratt & Winkle coupling. I put a bit on my blog some time ago - I won't bore everyone by repeating it here. Previously we have used the larger 4 mil ones (think these too will be changed for the finer version though) with no problems and they're very relaible in operation too.

 

Hope that helps

 

Though not speaking from direct experience, use of Jacksons with a club O finescale layout (YMRG's Gasworks) suggests that James is likely correct. Though they work fairly well they have to be kept properly aligned and adjusted which with the amount of slop inherent in the standard is fairly critical. The most significant issue though is the use of uncouplers: it is essential that there are sufficient and that they are in the right place for the operations intended. Nothing annoys me more at exhibitions than the 'auto-coupler shuffle'. The cause is usually the positioning of the magnets and the controllability of locos...

 

Adam

[Brinkly]

Thanks chaps,

 

I've used SMP and C+L items left over from my grandfathers very old layout that was rebuilt on several occations. I might have a try with a lenght of SMP on a curve and see what happens. I will post back with the results.

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

[James]

The most significant issue though is the use of uncouplers: it is essential that there are sufficient and that they are in the right place for the operations intended. Nothing annoys me more at exhibitions than the 'auto-coupler shuffle'. The cause is usually the positioning of the magnets and the controllability of locos...

 

I think you need to think ahead as to where magnets need to be really. Operating a layout before ballasting and scenic work would be a good way to see I think. I'd also use electromagnets with S&W's too now. It means that you could push a wagon to a spot, uncouple then recouple with no problems as you can turn the uncoupler off! Permanent wagons mean you must move the wagon in order to recouple. That's where things like AJs, DGs and B&B couplings really come into their own I think.

[craigwelsh]

You'll have to set very wide B2B's to take out enough slop for them to work in 00. I'm going to have issues with my colliery in P4 due to radii never mind excess slop.

 

As for the shuffle, in my case its normally due to firing the magnets at the wrong times

[Brinkly]

You'll have to set very wide B2B's to take out enough slop for them to work in 00. I'm going to have issues with my colliery in P4 due to radii never mind excess slop.

 

As for the shuffle, in my case its normally due to firing the magnets at the wrong times

 

Might have to consider other options as James suggested. Shame really as I do like AJs. Horrabridge and Staverton will both use them mind.

[drawbar]

I had some success with AJ couplings on a previous layout based on standard 00 gauge Peco Code 100 flexible with home made large radius pointwork. I have to say in all honesty that unscheduled uncoupling did occur sometimes but I conveniently put this down to variations in my coupling manufacturing and installation tecqnique. I was running a medley of rolling stock of all makes..... course scale, fine scale, and stuff inbetween. I experimented with the coupling by slightly increasing the dimensions of the hook but then decided that it was not justified. My summary of my own experience with this coupling is that it is unbelievably cheap to produce..... a length of the specified guitar string ( I think it was .010) was under a pound which made 8 to 10 couplings. The actual fitting of them is a bit of a different story in that each item of rolling stock has be individually tailored to take the coupling tails. Very very time consuming. In actual operation, the realism of close coupled stock and the sheer delight of observing genuine buffer to buffer reversing was something I really appreciated. With regard to magnetic uncoupling this worked successfully but is very much improved with switchable electro magnets.

 

Drawbar

[Ian J.]

Just out of interest, how much 'weight' can an AJ coupling cope with? i.e., would it be able to cope with a twelve car express train, or a one hundred wagon coal train?

[Miss Prism]

Just out of interest, how much 'weight' can an AJ coupling cope with? i.e., would it be able to cope with a twelve car express train, or a one hundred wagon coal train?

The coupling itself has no problem with that kind of longitudinal force. Depending on how and where the coupling is anchored, any angular displacement of the shank axis to the main axis of a short-wheelbase vehicle can produce a twisting couple on such a vehicle. This will be at a maximum at the head of a train of course. In extreme cases (I'm talking 200 wagons on 3'6" radius), this can be a problem unless the shank is constrained better to the vehicle's longitudinal axis.

[Guest stuartp]

If you have a rummage around on the old forum LisaP4 developed a cheap and cheerful AJ called the 'P4me'. It's basically the bent wire without the fancy sticky-up bit at the top. I test-fitted a couple of wagons and found them quite successful on 00, although I'll probably go with 3mm S&Ws for robustness and ease off fitting. (I can run up a batch of S&W mounting plates in the time it takes to think about how to fit the P4me to one wagon.) I even managed to get the P4me to work on Salmons and 2nd radius curves, albeit at the expense of longer hooks and some hideous gaps on straight track.

[flubrush]

If you're not committed to any couplings I'd suggest look at the three mil' version of the Spratt & Winkle coupling. I put a bit on my blog some time ago - I won't bore everyone by repeating it here. Previously we have used the larger 4 mil ones (think these too will be changed for the finer version though) with no problems and they're very relaible in operation too.

 

I've used home made versions of the S&W coupling in S scale, using brass wire to make the hooks and the wire loops. If you blacken the wire they become almost invisible. The dropper on the hook is a three link coupling with an iron link on the lower end. I only fitted one loop and one hook at the opposite end on each item, so the rolling stock could only be used one way round, which didn't turn out to be too much of a problem if your layout didn't have any reversing loops.

 

The S&W works reliably down to quite tight radii and is quite forgiving to lateral sideplay - you can tweek the projecting length of the hook and the width of the loop to cope with problem areas on your layout. I used electro-magnets for uncoupling and got pretty well 100% reliability in operation.

 

Jim.

[drawbar]

I was interested in your comments, Flubrush, about making your own S and W couplings and fitting droppers and hooks at either end of stock....a query though, how does a magnetic uncoupler actually uncouple this particular fitting?

 

Looks a very reliable and realistic coupling..... buffer to buffer reversing too?

 

Drawbar

[James]

I've used home made versions of the S&W coupling in S scale, using brass wire to make the hooks and the wire loops. If you blacken the wire they become almost invisible. The dropper on the hook is a three link coupling with an iron link on the lower end. I only fitted one loop and one hook at the opposite end on each item, so the rolling stock could only be used one way round, which didn't turn out to be too much of a problem if your layout didn't have any reversing loops.

 

I would never use three-link style droppers - to me the look of adjacent vehicles moving together with both couplings hanging down looks decidedly odd. We use small staples as they're consistent in length and very discreet.

 

And yes, once balckened the couplings are very hard to see in reality!

[flubrush]

I was interested in your comments, Flubrush, about making your own S and W couplings and fitting droppers and hooks at either end of stock....a query though, how does a magnetic uncoupler actually uncouple this particular fitting?

 

You have a ferrous dropper attached to the wire either, in my case, using a three link coupling with an iron link at the bottom, or using ferrous wire - like from a paper clip - soldered to the brass hook wire and pointing down towards the rail. I have known other people put a loop of wire loosely round the hook wire and also round the wagon axle which works well and stays in place because of the axle. The brass hook wires are normally anchored like the AJ ones - either at the opposite end of the wagon, or in the centre of the wagon if you use a pivot and counterweight. I used the pivot and counterweight (the idea nicked from a Scale4 product many years ago ) and that worked very well. The counterweights were fisherman's lead weights crimped onto the wire.

 

The hooks are operated by a magnet between the rails which acts on whatever dropper system you use and which pulls the hooks downwards. If you use permanent magnets, then you have to make sure that your hooks are shaped to avoid uncoupling under tension. If you use electro-magnets, then the hook shape is not so critical, but the tail needs to be angled at about 45 degrees to let it ride under the bar easily when coupling. It is easy to fit a delayed uncoupling projection above the hook by soldering a short piece of wire to the brass hook wire and extending it forward and above the hook so that it prevents the hook re-coupling when the stock is being pushed. Unfortunately, you have to do the uncoupling shuffle with the system for delayed uncoupling, unlike the AJ.

 

Jim.

[Tony W]

Nick

 

You asked the question a couple of days ago about the use of Alex Jackson couplings with Finescale OO and since then you've been given some very sound advice. Since you're building to P4 as well why not give it a try on the OO stock as well? Making up a few basic AJ Couplings is hardly going to break the bank so if it doesn't work with your OO track standards you haven't really lost anything!

 

I notice a few people have said that they've managed to get other types of coupling to work on sharp radius curves. Full sized stock is never coupled or uncoupled on curves so why do we need to on our layouts?Just a thought!

 

Tony

[Brinkly]

Thanks Tony,

 

I will do that, very sound advice.

 

Regards,

 

Nick