Adoyle

Hello I am new to this blog but wanted to share some thoughts about these couplers (and a few other things too). I live in Brazil and have mainly modelled brazilian prototype in N gauge for the last 20 years or so. This I do using US and japanese rolling stock ( all repainted and custom decaled) on Atlas code 55 track ( which beyond being cheaper, imho looks more realistic than Peco 55). Having converted over 900 coaches and wagons to Microtrains couplers, I have a pretty good understand of the conversion process, although it is a time consuming chore However, I am now building a pretty large new layout ( 12 x 2 meters) on which I have decided to run both my Brazilian stock and Uk prototype during different operating sessions ( certain parts of the layout wil be interchangable like the buildings, towns and level crossings) The brazilian stock runs absolutely perfectly on the atlas track and the MT couplers are flawless ( I typically run 60 wagon ore trains with 3 locos upfront, 2 in the middle and sometimes a helper or two on the other end, to get over the 2.5% gradients ) As I am converting my Uk stock to Dapol couplers I obviously make comparisons to the aforementioned stock and wanted to share a few thoughts. Granted, the US market is vastly larger than the UK but I am very happy that the Uk industry is finally catching up with our cousins over the pond. The rapido couplers fail systematically in both US and Uk stock and need to be phased out. I think atlas and other manufacturers in the US have adopted MT on all their stock nowadays and I hope the UK goes that route soon. And Rapidos look horrible! I am suprised atbthe amount of amazing modelling I see on youtube that is spoilt with the grossely un prototypical rapidos But visually, the MT couplers look so much better than the Dapol ones ( basiically because they are smaller). Also while not an issue for me! They are not compatable even when the hight is adjusted so it is either on or the other. As some of my Dapol locos like the class 52s came with the easy shunts and most of my UK stock has NEM sockets, I decided to go with them on the Uk stock. Which brings me to the price- I have the disadvantage of having to pay 60% import tax on cost of goods and shipping, but still I think the price bit steep. Ultimately I am happy that the easy shunt exist and are very, very easy to swap with the rapidos when the NEMs are present ( After doing all those MT conversions, I am enjoying the light work of the UK stock) Talking of which, the UK stock does not run well over the atlas turnouts ( points). As the UK wheel gauge is slightly smaller, I have had to mill out about 0.3 mm of the guide rails oposite the frog on every turnout on the layout ( about 60 once finished). On other blogs, I have read modellers just adjusting the gauge of the wheels on the axles but I just ruined a couple of locos that way. Finally, living in Brazil, where model railways are not popular, espcially in N gauge, discovering this blog is a god send. Thanks for all the great tips from all of you!