I generally find the Kadee #5 best for most uses. I started buying the Bortz converted versions back in High School. I welcomed the 802's only for use in passenger cars and some locomotives--the longer the car the more I need them. The jury is still out on the SHS version of the 802. I do appreciate the closer coupling and their eliminating the accordion slack effect, but a little more run time will determine the rest. I had hoped that their coupler (SHS) would have been designed between the two sizes, therefore assuring slightly more 'gathering' ability with the much better size of the #5. Just my opinion. Bob Werre
Lance McCold wrote: >The messages below regarding couplers were posted ted on the S-trains list, >but they are perhaps of more interest to the S-scale list. > >Like Tom, I find the #5 couplers a better choice than #802s. > >I would like to hear some perspectives from this group. > >Thanks, > >Lance McCold >Knoxville, Tennessee > > > >>Message: 5 >> Date: Sun, 26 Dec 2004 10:50:42 -0500 >> From: "Thomas Stoltz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Subject: Couplers >> >> >>Bill Wrote: >> >>Michael Greene and I have been doing some research on installing "scale" >>Kadee-style couplers on some locomotives and rolling stock. It occurred to >>us that a page or pages dedicated to the issues involved and with some >>specifics that we learned on specific installations might be generally >>useful. So we have documented our experience so far on showcaseline.com. >>This is meant to be a work in progress with plenty of room for ideas and >>experiences from other modelers. Check it out and let us know what you think! >> >>http://www.showcaseline.com/indexCouplers.html >> >>Thanks! >>Bill and Michael >> >>Bill, the information looks interesting, however I could not disagree more >>with your statements about the Kadee #5's. I know of more scale people who >>have dropped the 802 for in favor if the #5 than the other way around. This >>seems to be a hot button issue for many people, my opinion is driven by price >>and operation. I am enclosing a copy of a letter I wrote to Rusty >>Wstermeier, of S Gaugian fame, in Feb of 2002. >> >> >>Rusty, >> >>I'm hi-rail, run on AM .148" track and switches, using a variety of equipment >>from ACG AF, AM & SHS. >> >>I am new to the world of Kadee, did a lot of research, read through the >>archives on the S scale mailing list, wrote letters, talked to Kadee >>themselves. >> >>What I got was as varied as the people I asked. But after doing some >>experiments, trail by error this is what I got: >> >>Scale size: the #5 series is a lot closer to scale then the 802's. #5's are >>only off in the vertical direction in S scale, 10" instead of 11". What is >>that? 1/64"!! From two feet away you can't tell the difference. The 802 by >>contrast is not on in any dimension, is really a 3/4 size coupler for 0n3, >>not S. >> >>Operation: I slap #5's right onto SHS & AM freight cars, no shims, no >>alterations-- leave the trip wire alone. The mounting hole on SHS cars is in >>the right place, I just ream it out to take a 2-56 screw which is the center >>hole of the #5 draft gear box. The #321 between the track uncoupling magnet >>must be shimmed up .03" to work. However, I have had no luck with the >>delayed action feature of the #5 with the 321. >>So, I tried a #308 under the track magnet and it works perfectly. 308's are >>3/16" thick which is the same as the cork roadbed I use. >>I have installed #5's or some other member of their family on AM Budd cars, >>85' streamliners, their heavyweights and miscellaneous freight cars, also the >>AM GG1. I think freight cars is all I've tried from SHS. The most fun I've >>had is installing Kadees on an AF K5, front and back. I drilled out a repo >>pilot and used a #49 long shank overset. This engine is really cool. >>I put them to the "pulling test" by putting #5's on one end each of SHS 40' >>stockcars coupling them between an AM K4 and 4 Budd cars ( these things weigh >>over a pound each and have a lot of drag because to their pickup shoes), 5 >>85' streamliners, 4 AM heavyweights, seems like I had something else in there >>but I don't remember now. I ran this consist full speed, flipped the DPDT >>switch (I run DC) to reverse, back and forth many times and could not get the >>#5's to break or uncouple. The #5's & #40's are metal while the #20's & >>#30's are plastic. I have yet to break a #5 no matter how abusive I am to >>them. >> >>Close coupling: I checked in Model Railroader and a #5 put right to the hole >>provided on SHS & AM cars is dead on. #5's are the same spacing as the AM >>dummy coupler on the streamliners and I used a long shank on the Budd cars, >>again, the same as the close coupling they came with. #5's are right for the >>GG1 also. I have seen 802's on the AM streamliners and they coupled so far >>apart it looked worse then a link to knuckle conversion on an AF passenger >>cars. >> >>Cost: Need I say anything? $5.75 a pack for 802's--2 pair. #5's are $1.70 >>for the same thing. The #49's & #46's are $2.25 for 2 pair. This is from >>Trainworld, Jan 15, 2002. >> >>I don't know much about the scale world, I don't know much about Kadees. I >>live out in the woods of Maine, so I don't get to see many people in S, let >>alone people using Kadees. This has been my experience, I only started >>Kadees in Jan. Still, at this point, I cannot figure how the 802 myth got >>started. >>They are even more complex to put together then the #5 ( I did buy a pack >>just to see them, I opened the pack looked at the 802's and closed the pack >>back up, no way ). >> >>Now a question for you: Kadee sent me a length of their trip wire so I could >>try to replace the original with a longer. No problem getting them a part, >>but the knuckle does not want to grip the replacement wire. I can see that >>if I had some funny pliers, I could pinch the split ring of the knuckle. But >>I don't. This was before I discovered the 308 magnet and I was thinking, oh >>boy this is going to be fun. Anyway, it is not a friction fit, any >>suggestions? >> >>I know I'm in the minority with this #5 thing. I was looking for some cheap, >>remote operation with the .148 track, If I was using AF or Gragraves I would >>be using AF uncouplers, but I'm not. >> >>Let me know what you think, >> >>Tom Stoltz, NASG >> >>Since I wrote this letter, SHS has come out with their S scale coupler. I >>have no experience with them nor have I even seen them, so I am making no >>statement on the SHS coupler. >> >>I could be wrong, but I think if you go to the [email protected] list >>you will find #5's to be what most S scalers use. >> >>I am not scale, I am Hi-rail/Flyer. This is only my 2� worth. >>Flamethrowers, please be gentle. >> >>Tom Stoltz >>Maine S Gaugers >>NASG >>________________________________________________________________________ >>________________________________________________________________________ >> >>Message: 4 >> Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 21:05:27 -0500 >> From: Bill Clark <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Subject: Couplers >> >> >>Michael Greene and I have been doing some research on installing "scale" >>Kadee-style couplers on some locomotives and rolling stock. It occurred to >>us that a page or pages dedicated to the issues involved and with some >>specifics that we learned on specific installations might be generally >>useful. So we have documented our experience so far on showcaseline.com. >>This is meant to be a work in progress with plenty of room for ideas and >>experiences from other modelers. Check it out and let us know what you think! >> >>http://www.showcaseline.com/indexCouplers.html >> >>Thanks! >>Bill and Michael >> >> > > > >Change your membership, change your message settings, use our CALENDAR, view >shared files or photos, view the list archives, GO TO >http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Change your membership, change your message settings, use our CALENDAR, view shared files or photos, view the list archives, GO TO http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
