[billericaybill]

Has anyone successfully fitted a Kadee coupling on a J 94 at the correct height please ? I have an underset clone up right underneath the casting as high as possible and it is still a tad too low.
thanks , Andrew

 

[Sol]

Andrew, use one of the #20 that is the NEM plugin type , cut the swallow tails off so that it is back in line with buffers, then glue/screw it on . These versions are better than the normal underset types.

 

[billericaybill]

QUOTE (Sol @ 23 Oct 2008, 05:28) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Andrew, use one of the #20 that is the NEM plugin type , cut the swallow tails off so that it is back in line with buffers, then glue/screw it on . These versions are better than the normal underset types.

Thanks Ron, I will give it a try.
regards, Andrew

 

[billericaybill]

Ok fitting the #20 worked a treat though 19 might be also possible as i chopped off a lot of tail.

But this brings out another problem of using KD's on British stock and that is the combination of short 10' wheelbases and side slop of the flanges between the rails allowing the wagons or locos to be well skewed and hence the couplers to get way out of line and not working while shunting. I thought about pushing wheels out wider on the wagons to minimise this but did not know if I would cause running problems on code 75 points. Does anyone have thoughts or experience on this?

Andrew

 

[Kelly88]

QUOTE (billericaybill @ 25 Oct 2008, 15:52) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Ok fitting the #20 worked a treat though 19 might be also possible as i chopped off a lot of tail.

But this brings out another problem of using KD's on British stock and that is the combination of short 10' wheelbases and side slop of the flanges between the rails allowing the wagons or locos to be well skewed and hence the couplers to get way out of line and not working while shunting. I thought about pushing wheels out wider on the wagons to minimise this but did not know if I would cause running problems on code 75 points. Does anyone have thoughts or experience on this?

Andrew

this is one of the problems with most of these types of couplers and well documented
I use micro-trains on my N gauge ( a smaller version of the KD)

its important to ensure that there is a straight section ( or at least a very small curve ) where you place the magnets
it has also been noticed that small 4 wheel type stock benefits from some weight added so as not to push them away instead of connecting
this is all fine if you are at the track planning/laying stage, but could cause problems on a ready built layout, being converted to KD's

once you get these problems sorted though the advantages of hands free shunting is worth the effort

anyway good luck, and happy times ahaed

Mike

 

[34C]

QUOTE (billericaybill @ 25 Oct 2008, 14:52) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>.. But this brings out another problem of using KD's on British stock and that is the combination of short 10' wheelbases and side slop of the flanges between the rails allowing the wagons or locos to be well skewed and hence the couplers to get way out of line and not working while shunting. I thought about pushing wheels out wider on the wagons to minimise this but did not know if I would cause running problems on code 75 points. ..
If the wheelsets run through streamline points reliably, leave well alone. Although there is some (necessary) side to side movement before the flanges hit the rails this is necessary, and the slight coning of the tyre and transition into the flange has a self centering action. The usual culprit in side to side slop (or 'end float'), and vehicles thereby sitting skewed on the track, is slack fit of axles in the axleboxes. Usual causes: axlehole too deep, or W iron not standing vertical. The latter is the most troublesome as it imparts a skewed set to the vehicle. I usually correct these by using a brass pinpoint bearing in the problem axlebox to get the wheelset centred, with just the minimal amount of end float required to enable free running.