So, I had a bit of a brainwave, a year or so ago I read an article by Jim Smith-Wright and he had used magnets and elastic to create connecting brake pipes. I thought perhaps I could mount something similar in a central position and use it as a coupling; N Scale being smaller, the stress on the coupling being less.
I did a few experiments and I have devised a visually unobtrusive, easy to shunt and cheap method of coupling.
It's fairly simple;
I purchased the magnets from here. I then drilled a 1mm hole centrally in the buffer beam either end. One end I used some superglue and just pushed the magnet strait in the hole.
The other end I glued in a short length (length depends on wheelbase and minimum radius curve the model must negotiate) of elastic; To the end of this I glued another magnet.
Now I have couplings which are much smaller and more covert than Rapidos, couple regardless of height and are cheap to make.
Things to watch: Make sure the polarity of the magnets is correct, or else they will repel each other!
Hope this is of use to someone!
Kindest Regards,
Jack
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