Couplings

That article is a good summary but being American-based does't give the full picture regarding UK stock. I've researched this a bit but have yet to start changing couiplings, the situation as I understand it (and my understanding is not always perfect!) is as follows:

MicroTrains couplers can be fitted to the Farish stock that has the old-style coupling box. There are also Kato and Accumate knuckle couplers that fit in the same boxes, but these do not uncouple automatically so really only suitable for intermediate vehicles in fixed rakes (but they are cheaper and easier to fit). M G Sharp sells Microtrains and Kato but the Accumates are not available in the UK, which is unfortunate as these give closer coupling than the Katos.

However no MicroTrains product is available for the more recent Farish and Dapol releases which have NEM pockets. Dapol do a knuckle coupler but again it does not work automatically - I think it will just about couple to the other versions but the height is a bit different. I understand MicroTrains are considering a NEM version but haven't committed to producing one. Unless this happens there is no single solution for unrestricted coupling of NEM and non-NEM versions.

Tomix does some Scharfenberg couplers with mountings that increase separation on curves, but the mechanism appears too big to fit on UK bogie stock. These don't work automatically either, and judging by the force they need you'd probably have to take both vehicles off the track and pull apart or push together by hand. They also do a knuckle coupler with the same mechanism but I've never tracked down any info on what it will couple to.

Hi Spottydog.

The N Gauge Society Shop sells at least 3 alternatives to the ubiquitous Microtrains (Kadee) couplers and, although I had just about settled on the DG Couplers from Model Signal Engineering, I have been carrying out trial assemblies of them.

I have tried MBMs, MBDs and B&Bs (don't ask me what all the initials stand for. I haven't a clue) The MBM is a simple hook and catch coupler without any autouncoupling facility whereas the other 2 are both variations on the D&G theme. i.e they are all made up from brass frets and require the attachment of some ferrous wire in order to provide the magnetic coupling/uncoupling function. The difference between these and the D&G is that they, theoretically, do not require any soldering. However, without soldering they rely on a mechanical grip between the brass and the fine ferrous wire. Of the 3 I think the B&Bs, which are incidentally ready blackened, come closest in terms of both loooks and functionality. They are all, however, extremely fiddly to put together with a lot of pushing and pulling to get the pre-formed brass loop installed. I can put together a D&G coupler, including the soldered connections, in about 5 minutes but the assembly times for the others I tried varied between 10 minutes and half an hour.

OK so that would probably improve over the learning curve but I would always have a niggling doubt about the reliability of the connection between brass and steel and have therefore decided to carry on using the D&Gs which, with the soldered connection, will give me peace of mind that the bit of steel wire won't come detached at the most inopportune moment.

Thanks for your imput guys

When I started this project last year I really didn't think it would be so complicated! I mean how hard can it be to devise a coupler for "N" gauge that actually works. I find it difficult to believe that if these manufacturers can produce it in "OO" why not in this day and age, and with its growing popularity of "N" why it can't be reproduced only smaller.
It reminds me of the story of the American drill bit manufacturer who produced the Worlds SMALLEST drill bit and presumably just to show off sent it to one of their rivals in Japan. Weeks later they received a parcel back from them and inside was the drill bit they had sent weeks earlier. It wasn't until they looked at it under a microscope that they saw a hole drilled right through the shaft of the drill bit. Touchee!!!
So what I'm saying is surely its possible for these manufacturers to do it if we shout a bit louder. On the other hand I might have to sit down and design one myself.
Spottydog

Hi all,

I'm coming up to the point where I'll have to sort this out for my layout also.
I've just had the new 'Red Death'* by email and there's an interesting item on modifying Rapido couplings with track pins and using a powerful magnet which is raised and lowered when you have your wagon positioned to be uncoupled (there was an article in the September 2008 Railway Modeller covering the installation of a moving magnet system, the author of that had bought in his couplings). It won't, of course, allow you to propel the uncoupled wagon as some of the more specialised alternatives do, but you don't have to buy and then try to assemble and fit those types of replacement couplings, you pays your money...

* 'Red Death' is another benefit of being a member of the N Gauge Society. It's the NGS Modern Area Group Newsletter, as a member of the society you can sign-up online here:
http://www.ngauge-modern.co.uk/page.php?3
(it's FREE then, my favourite price ) and you receive the latest copy to your email address

I hope this may be of some interest to those wrestling with this ever problematic topic.

Regards.

QUOTE (paul stapleton @ 1 Oct 2009, 13:46) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Although with an NEM box both might survive, one for the serious market, the other for the toy market.

As the NEM part of the coupling generally refers to the stock end (how the coupler is attached to the stock) while the MT/KD knuckle coupler is the fitting on the opposite business end (the one that joins up to the coupling on the next bit of stock) there is no reason why a MT/KT coupler cannot be made with a NEM fitting on the other end of the shank (to fit in to the socket/pocket box on stock giving push-in-pull-out changeability with a fully functioning coupler).

That would make it of interest to both the 'toy' and the 'serious modeller' market in Britain where buck-eye knuckle style couplers were not common (and still are often not fitted) on British locos and rolling stock prototypes. Modellers could then simply temporarilly pull the knuckle coupler off the front end of trains (perhaps replacing with a dummy shackle coupler) leaving it looking more realistic.

And as much British N gauge stock is now fitted with NEM socket/pockets, a MT/KD coupler with NEM fitting would provide an easy upgrade path for existing rolling stock in all market sectors.

G.