[owen69]

i need some help on bachman couplings as fitted to american stock,i have some of these but no boxes for them,bachman cant help they say these are moulded on during production only,i was hoping some one might be able to advise me as to wether another box might do? the couplings are simmilar to k-dee but the part that fits the box is just a straight shaft ending in a ring with acentring spring.

 

[Sol]

Owen 69, as the Bachmann magnetic knuckle couplings are a clone of Kadee, then you can use either Kadee box #232 or #242. For bachmann, I would prefer #242, they click together real neat & are easy to fit.

 

[Makemineadouble]

Kadee is superior in quality to Mac Henry and the Bachmann EZ-Mate. They don't cost a lot and readily available why comprise.

 

[Sol]

MMAD, I agree about Kadee's but if one gets Bachmann type for next to nothing, then they are OK. The Mk2 versions with coil springs instead of the whisker are very good, they are reported to be better than Kadee as the spring stays put.
Here in Aust, two pair of Kadee can cost over $5 whereas 2 pair of Bachmann Ezy-mate are under $4. Of course if a coupling box has to be purchased for the Bachmann to fit onto UK stock, then one may as well go straight for Kadee.

 

[ebaykal]

These kadee couplers, are they compatible with the european NEM sockets. In other words, does Kadee make a coupler like the FLM,Roco...stick couplers so that you can easily stick it into the nem sockets.

Baykal

 

[Sol]

Baykal, only Kadee #17-20 are suitable for plug into NEM but beware, the NEM pockets have different heights especially on Bachmann UK models so in some cases, the knuckles will not line up. Normally using Kadee couplers, it is best to use their height gauge #205 to maintain a standard. Most Bachmann locos accept the coupler OK at a height.

There are many websites with fitting Kadees onto UK models.
http://www.bottleville.co.uk/Model%20Railways/kadee.htm
http://uk.geocities.com/shipleymodelrail/kadee.html

are just a couple

 

[ebaykal]

Thanks Ron for the info.

Am seriously thinking to convert some of my rolling stock.I'll keep the FLM profi couplers on my passenger coaches since they are unsurpassed in close coupling.

This is what I found no:17

cheers

Baykal

 

[owen69]

thanks ron, great help ihave 50 mk2 cost less than a fiver so buying a few boxes wont break the bank,ill leave that to (gordo)? thanks again.

 

[dwb]

>Am seriously thinking to convert some of my rolling stock
Baykal, I recommend you try and get a sampler pack of the NEM couplers first, or buy just one pack of each to find out which one suit your stock and layout best. The #17 are insanely short in my experience.

David

 

[ebaykal]

Thanks David,

I ordered 3 packs, the long,medium and short (17-19)
It will be a trial and error, see which one does the job.

Baykal

 

[Ozzie21]

Baykal, have a look on my blog http://www.modelrailforum.com/forums/blog/ozzie21/index.php? under couplers. I have some pictures of Hornby's Greseley coaches converted over to Kadee NEM couplers.

Ozzie21

QUOTE (ebaykal @ 23 May 2007, 16:33) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thanks David,

I ordered 3 packs, the long,medium and short (17-19)
It will be a trial and error, see which one does the job.

Baykal

 

[ebaykal]

Hi Ozzie,

Checked yr blog, between you and me, loved yr steam locos

One question abt the Kadees, how do you uncouple them? Is it easy manually?
I've seen on their website certain types of uncouplers that you put either under or above the rails.Are they necessary?

Cheers
Baykal

 

[Colombo]

Baykal,

If your supplier is willing to exchange the Kadee no.17s that you have ordered for no.20s, perhaps you should ask him to now, because I don't think you will ever need any quite so short. On the other hand the no.20s will be necessary on your Bachman Mk1s and very useful on other stock to avoid buffer locking. Let me explain. If you imagine the Kadee coupling as a cup on its side, then the bottom of the cup needs to be on the same horizontal line as the face of the buffers. American stock does not have buffers so Kadee do not tell you this.

Most people fit them on the ends of rakes of coaches or wagons, and on locos, because we want the automatic uncoupling using the flat magnet, type no.321, that can be fitted between the rails for delayed action uncoupling. How this works is explained on Kadees web site at:

http://www.kadee.com/animation/c1.htm

I also have one of their electro magnetic underbaseboard uncouplers on my main line platform so that I can change locos without moving the train.

There is also a large flat magnet type that fits under the sleepers out of sight, but I don't recomend this one as the magnet is too powerful and it "grabs" the steel axles of wagons as they are pushed or pulled over it. This would be no problem with plastic axles, but who uses those these days?

Kadees can be tricky, bit well worth the trouble for hands free operation. They are vastly superior to the ordinary British Tension Lock device that was introduced over 50 years ago.

Colombo

 

[ebaykal]

Colombo,

Thanks for all the information, it was very helpful.

Unfortunately can't cancel, too late but nevermind it will be a trial and error test.

Cheers
Baykal

 

[dwb]

QUOTE because I don't think you will ever need any quite so short. On the other hand the no.20s will be necessary on your Bachman Mk1s and very useful on other stock to avoid buffer locking. Let me explain. If you imagine the Kadee coupling as a cup on its side, then the bottom of the cup needs to be on the same horizontal line as the face of the buffers. American stock does not have buffers so Kadee do not tell you this.
I wondered how anyone could make use of anything shorter than a no. 18 on UK/European stock. Now I know; thanks Colombo

David