----- Original Message -----
From: "ed_loizeaux" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2008 12:21 PM
Subject: {S-Scale List} Re: sergent Couplers
> Each coupler has a set of pros and cons. None are perfect in every
> respect.
Ed, you're absolutely correct... and I emphacised the word None for you.
> Sergeant couplers do look very nice and are the most realistic of any
> available coupler. But they do have some operational limitations
> which might be severe in certain cases. For example, if you plan to
> couple/uncouple at a distance greater than a comfortable arm's
> length, you will soon find that the couplers are not spring loaded to
> center themselves automatically. Thus, when you bump the cars
> together, they will not necessarily couple up like a Kadee does.
> Instead, you must reach out and move the coupler to a near-dead-
> center position manually and then try again. Some say: "That's
> prototypically correct and the way it should be." Others will
> say: "That's a pain in the you-know-where and model railroading is
> supposed to be fun and manual centering is not for me!" If you have
> a siding more than 20" from the edge of the layout, manual centering
> will require a step stool. Plan ahead.....
As I've just proved less than 5 minutes ago (at the time of my writing this),
the S scale Sergent couplers are being revised and upgraded, so this problem
(as Ed sees it) may not continue to be a problem, because it may be that Frank
may be designing a new shank with a centering feature for the HO coupler (which
is also, now being revised)... a feature that I'm sure he will incorporate into
the S scale coupler when it comes.
But even if the revised S coupler does not have a centering feature, I fail to
see how this would be a big deal in the first place since not everyone has
oval-type layouts (built on tabletops) where the middle can't be reached, or
shelf-style layouts that are too deep for them to reach the back of the layout.
Think about it... how many modelers who are going to go so far as to use the
Sergent couplers (for more realism) are going to build unrealistic, oval
layouts?!? I seriously doubt many, if any. So this perceived problem you're
talking about really isn't a realistic problem. If the circumstances you
perceive are there, then yes, there could be a problem. But I doubt those
circumstances are a common thing.
> When it comes to uncoupling, Sergent couplers do NOT use an under-the-
> track magnet. Instead, a wand (shaped like a large pencil) has a
> magnetic tip which is positioned above the couplers and lifts an
> internal steel "ball" upward which then permits uncoupling. The
> downsides of this method are the 20" limitation unless you have
> really long arms or are as tall as Paul Stevens.
Again, don't pass judgement on the future, revises S coupler based on the
drawbacks of the past S couplers, since they may not be the same creature.
There's that all powerful, yet dangerous word ASSUME...
> If your modeling
> goal is ultimate visual realism, you might cringe at the thought of
> Paul Bunyon's hand reaching into your layout scene holding a large
> telephone pole and waving it around over your couplers without
> damaging the caboose end railings and other details. Is that a
> realistic scene?
Nope, but I've never seen a 1:1 scale train get uncoupled without a real man
sticking his hand between the cars to pull the release lever. Yeah buddy...
that's about as real as it gets!
> I guess the message here is to look before you jump. Kadee couplers
> offer a lot to the operationally oriented layout. Sergeants look
> more realistic. Each has their place and you get to choose.
Yep, but don't anyone pass judgement on anything (b ased on the words of
others) without at least trying it out for yourself... unless, of course, we're
talking about playing chicken with a train.
John Degnan
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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