|
|
 Posted - July 18 2017 : 10:53:52 PM
|
I started as a hard-line Kadee user. Kadees all the way, they're quality, right? Well, I think I'm gonna give up the ghost on this. I'm going to exhaust my little supply of knuckle couplers, and then work on installing those "Magic Mate" or whatever couplers that can attach to both knuckles and X2Fs onto my locomotives. It's a bit liberating, now I don't have to calculate that rather large extra cost into every car I buy, and it means I can get many cars onto the layout much faster. It also alleviates the near constant worry I had about breaking knuckle couplers while on the unfinished layout, whether that be in rough switching, derailments, etc, etc.
sim-al2
Also since they cut track maintaince the trains had huge trouble making over the railroad by the end
純那
yeah
They did a Rock Island volountarily
|
Country:  USA ~
Posts: 283 ~
Member Since: August 22 2016 ~
Last Visit: March 14 2019
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - July 18 2017 : 11:12:32 PM
|
Every style of coupler has its place and they all seem to work. I recently acquired an old passenger set with Mantua loop and hook couplers. Maybe not the best thing for switching operations, but pretty much bullet proof. I also have a set of Kasiner streamliners on the restoration bench which just yesterday had a set of period correct Lindsay knuckle couplers installed.
Out of curiousity, where do you get your magic mates from?
|
Country:  Canada ~
Posts: 3445 ~
Member Since: September 22 2006 ~
Last Visit: March 02 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
 Posted - July 18 2017 : 11:52:17 PM
|
I have de-Kadeed a few cars that had them
But just in case Am keeping a few as transition cars
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 15000 ~
Member Since: February 23 2009 ~
Last Visit: March 01 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - July 19 2017 : 12:27:20 AM
|
quote:Every style of coupler has its place and they all seem to work. I recently acquired an old passenger set with Mantua loop and hook couplers. Maybe not the best thing for switching operations, but pretty much bullet proof. I also have a set of Kasiner streamliners on the restoration bench which just yesterday had a set of period correct Lindsay knuckle couplers installed.
Out of curiousity, where do you get your magic mates from?
Originally posted by DaCheez - July 18 2017 : 11:12:32 PM
|
That's just the sort-of plan, I don't actually know where to get them. (Are they rare now? Hope not)
sim-al2
Also since they cut track maintaince the trains had huge trouble making over the railroad by the end
純那
yeah
They did a Rock Island volountarily
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 283 ~
Member Since: August 22 2016 ~
Last Visit: March 14 2019
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - July 19 2017 : 12:33:13 AM
|
MagicMates were an IHC product but they don't look to be available on their website. They're listed but out of stock. I came across this though...
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php?topic=4821.0
I just tried a proof of concept. It works pretty good considering.
Edited by - DanMacK on July 19 2017 12:47:08 AM
|
|
Country: Canada ~
Posts: 429 ~
Member Since: January 01 2013 ~
Last Visit: April 14 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - July 19 2017 : 10:24:15 AM
|
Very interesting, might have to test this on the layout, see how good they do coupling.
sim-al2
Also since they cut track maintaince the trains had huge trouble making over the railroad by the end
純那
yeah
They did a Rock Island volountarily
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 283 ~
Member Since: August 22 2016 ~
Last Visit: March 14 2019
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - July 19 2017 : 12:05:27 PM
|
I started out as Kadee/knuckle coupler ONLY on everything, now I've relaxed and use horn-hooks too. It seemed silly to switch out couplers on older cars that will always run together, like older Mantua streamliners.
Do what works for you!
http://tycodepot.com/
|
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 09 2017 : 2:49:09 PM
|
I have relatively recently got more involved in HO and have been buying some cars/locos off eBay and there's no way I am going to convert the horn hooks on a 50+ year old Tyco car/loco to Kadees, as much as I love Kadee products.
Doug
Atlas First Generation Motive Power and Treble-O-Lectric. Click on the link:
www.irwinsjournal.com/a1g/a1glocos/
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 23 ~
Member Since: May 17 2017 ~
Last Visit: July 15 2020
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 09 2017 : 8:17:08 PM
|
| Revell made some excellent horn hooks for their HO line. They had a very light but consistent spring so cars coupled at the slightest touch and they stayed coupled. I've yet to find a better horn hook.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 1087 ~
Member Since: July 07 2011 ~
Last Visit: March 02 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
 Posted - August 09 2017 : 10:46:15 PM
|
I am having a hard time understanding why anyone would want to go back to using X2f couplers. They are ugly and they don't work very well, especially for back up movements. Incidentally, converting equipment from X2f couplers to Kadee's happens to be one of my favorite "one evening" projects. Maybe I should write some posts about my Kadee conversion techniques. I have already touched on this subject in my Tyco Plugger Rebuilding Project thread but I could definitely go into the subject with more detail.
http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/topic.asp?whichpage=-1&TOPIC_ID=16767&REPLY_ID=103454
Once you get a hang of the process, rebuilding cars with Kadee couplers is fun.
Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016
Edited by - Srenchin on August 09 2017 10:50:36 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 821 ~
Member Since: December 26 2009 ~
Last Visit: February 26 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 09 2017 : 11:15:37 PM
|
I don't think the OP is saying that the Kadees aren't superior to the X2fs, just that he is tired of devoting time and $$ to doing a conversion on every piece of rolling stock on his roster.
I have a similar outlook on plastic vs. metal wheels. It's generally accepted that metal wheels are superior in many ways, but it's not cost effective on a limited budget to convert every car.
http://tycodepot.com/
|
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 10 2017 : 5:12:04 PM
|
quote:I don't think the OP is saying that the Kadees aren't superior to the X2fs, just that he is tired of devoting time and $$ to doing a conversion on every piece of rolling stock on his roster.
I have a similar outlook on plastic vs. metal wheels. It's generally accepted that metal wheels are superior in many ways, but it's not cost effective on a limited budget to convert every car.
Originally posted by JNXT 7707Â -Â August 09 2017Â :Â 11:15:37 PM
|
this is true but I'm not gonna do that
Even though couplers mounted on the body is more prototypical
just watch out for the plastic wheels that have a chip missing on the flange
Cause when you go around a curve the car will derail lots 
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 15000 ~
Member Since: February 23 2009 ~
Last Visit: March 01 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 11 2017 : 09:10:09 AM
|
** I’m like Da Cheez on this coupler issue. My reasons are not all the same. It would be nice to use just one type coupler, but then cost will overcome this nice idea rather quickly. Also the work involved with replacing couplers is a big factor. I get around this by making transition cars. This is a car with one type coupler on one end, and another type on the other end. I also run sets using their original couplers. Sometimes with a locomotive of the same manufacture head ending, or a transition car allowing use of a favorite or like road named locomotive.
**With my Gilbert cars or any older cars with unique couplers I face my latest coupler problem. Car of the late 1930’s to early 50’s use a large hook that if removed and sharpened would make a good fishing hook. They have talgo type trucks, so the couplers are truck mounted. They are definitely easer to repair then replace. As long as the steel coupler spring hasn’t rusted away they don’t come uncoupled when running, so using these original coupler's will remain on as many cars as possible.
** Well I hope I added a little to this thread.
frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 7538 ~
Member Since: August 07 2008 ~
Last Visit: December 06 2025
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 15 2017 : 12:14:16 AM
|
I gave up with horn hooks, Lima (European) couplers and Hornby (UK) couplers for the sake of being able to run anything at any time. I too attempted the same horn hook conversion (cut the long side so it fits into a Kadee knuckle) but it was a pain when you had two modified horn hooks together as they would not couple automatically since they are off to the side, and they would sometimes uncouple on curves. Kadee couplers never uncouple by themselves unless the track is bumpy or the spring has fallen out, or if someone hasn't aligned them properly (Kadee height gauges exist for a reason).
The best thing to do if you can't afford to convert everything is to have one or two cars as a transition and run everything else behind it. Ideally, the conversion cars (assuming Tyco) would have a body mounted #5 on one end (to couple with modern/converted rolling stock) while keeping the original talgo coupler on the other end to use with other Tyco cars. Alternatively, Athearn horn hooks also fit into Kadee #5 draft gear boxes so even converted cars can be converted back if you have the right couplers.
Note: Avoid coupling long cars or locos (e.g. more than 50') with body-mounted couplers to talgo couplers as it is an accident waiting to happen. Smaller cars like 40' boxcars or cabooses are fine however.
As for breaking a Kadee, that takes either serious strength or a serious accident, most likely the latter. I have broken exactly three of them - one broke when I dropped a loco (I got lucky with that one, I'd rather a broken coupler than a broken shell!), another when a freight car derailed and snagged a switch with the trip pin, and a third on another derailment where a freight car hit a tunnel (ironically, it was actually the car in front of the derailed one which broke the knuckle). The last one derailed because hair had become wrapped around the leading axles and locked up the wheels.
|
Country:  Australia ~
Posts: 91 ~
Member Since: April 29 2016 ~
Last Visit: August 02 2025
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 15 2017 : 12:48:26 PM
|
I ain't saying KD's are a bad product, but I care not to spend my limited free time and energy tinkering
to get them right, which is to say perfect. Even more skilled modelers spend hours trying to get them
to function, and they tend to come apart right smack in the middle of exhibitions. My friend likes to
rib me endlessly about horn hooks, but for they are a good fit. This is a video of his high scale stuff:
https://youtu.be/KXWmNmqAzqU
Edited by - Chops124 on September 15 2017 5:27:27 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 11628 ~
Member Since: December 09 2013 ~
Last Visit: February 26 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 16 2017 : 04:21:03 AM
|
I switched back to X2f couplers years ago with no regrets. The time and expense to convert to Kadees just wasn't worth it to me, although they are a fine product.
As far as Mantua loop couplers go, they were the most reliable automatic couplers ever devised, bar none. If you have ramps for them and don't mind the appearance, they are the very best for switching operations.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 158 ~
Member Since: June 21 2016 ~
Last Visit: January 30 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 17 2017 : 2:28:47 PM
|
More on the subject, here's a vintage Tyco uncoupling ramp. As you can
see, it don't work so hot. Anyways, I use a small flat head screw driver
to seperate cars on ops sessions, and I'm perfectly happy to play brakeman.
https://youtu.be/MYOm-JglIjA
In my new Tycomania Video today, "Where's the Beouf?" I got some
great close in footage of horn hooks clipping up nice as you please.
For the most part, and due to pixel quality, the X24's don't stand
out hardly at all, if at all. I love em, though I sure do wish Mantua
still had those hook and loop couplers out there in abundance.
They work pretty fine on my British OO layout:
https://youtu.be/pZfePF_tClQ
Edited by - Chops124 on September 17 2017 2:31:46 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 11628 ~
Member Since: December 09 2013 ~
Last Visit: February 26 2026
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 17 2017 : 10:45:13 PM
|
I don't really think of the expense, I just save up until I can afford a bulk pack of Kadees before converting anything. I don't bother buying regular #5 packs as they are more expensive per coupler can only convert two cars; probably my only complaint is how the bulk packs never come with draft gear boxes. I suppose it doesn't really matter with modern cars as the coupler boxes are part of the model, but upgrading an older car from truck-mounted horn hooks to body-mounted Kadees always needs a pair of draft gear boxes.
I still keep horn hooks on vintage boxed stuff if they came with them from the factory and are in good condition. For example I have two boxed Life-Like Dubuque reefers and they will never see Kadees. One of them has an early 70s box with the 'Burger King' style logo while the other has the more common blue box. If they are loose cars without a box or damaged (or new old stock e.g. the last of the cheap 'Proto no-thousand' cars under the LL/Walthers brands), all bets are off and they will receive #5s before they even run, even if it's a pain to convert e.g. the Life-Like 2-bay hoppers.
|
|
Country: Australia ~
Posts: 91 ~
Member Since: April 29 2016 ~
Last Visit: August 02 2025
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
Home
Forums
Events Calendar
Forum Admins & Mods
Register
