Okay guys who use the #5's and similar. Several years ago I attended
our regional NMRA/Lone Star convention. One of the clinics was about
couplers. The gentlemen described how he assembled his #5 boxes and
then one of the audience mentioned that he was not following the Kadee
instructions. He was putting the spring under the coupler, while the
instruction sheets say to put it above the coupler. In other
words--from bottom up--main section of box, then the coupler, then the
spring and finally the lid. The presenter was doing it the opposite
way, which is also the way I have been assembling them.
What are you folks doing?
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
On 12/21/11 1:25 AM, Ed wrote:
>
> > I haven't seen anyone yet mention one thing that could be
> detrimental to using the smaller sized HO Kadee's
> > Bud Rindfleisch
>
> Bud....
>
> One downside to the KD#5 is that the mounting holes on recent brass
> some resin models are intended for the KD#802. There is an easy fix --
> just use the center hole and only one ear hole. Or, for the
> fastidious, carve away some plastic on the draft gear box and then
> everything fits well.
>
> Another downside is that the new plastic ACE adaptors from Iron
> Rail(?) are designed for the KD#802. Thus, I assume they will not fit
> the smaller KD#5 (assumption).
>
> Another downside to the KD#5 is that the usual between-rails HO magnet
> is not strong enough to work properly with the too-high glad hand of
> the unmodified KD#5. Thus, it is necessary to either use the much
> stronger under-the-ties magnets or else bend the glad hand down closer
> to the rail head. Not hard to do, but takes some time.
>
> > or Walther's clones,
>
> While a larger head than the KD#5 is good, the main downside to the
> Walther's coupler is somewhat greater slack action between the
> knuckles when coupled as compared to the KD#5. Not springy like the
> KD#802, but just a bit of a loose fit. The KD#5 is a tighter fit.
>
> It should be noted that Walters also makes a reverse trip pin coupler
> where the glad hand bends back beneath the draft gear box. This is
> nice for cars that couple directly to diesels with pilots. The reverse
> trip pin works well with the usual magnets.
>
> > the fact that the head size being smaller overall would require very
> good trackwork and no sudden grade changes or the possibility exists
> for "high and low" uncoupling.
>
> Normal careful trackwork works just fine. No sudden grade changes are
> a good idea no matter what kind of coupler is used. Steamer pilots and
> diesel pilots can touch the track on abrupt vertical changes.
>
> A bigger problem on the so-called Mighty NYC is that the springs on
> brass passenger cars weaken with age and the coupler height drops down
> a bit. Mysterious accidental uncoupling was quite common until I
> figured out what was going on.
>
> > The NASG standards adopted were to address that
>
> The revised standards did reduce the side slop between flanges and
> rails. But the excessive side slop between axles and sideframes was
> not affected by the new standards.
>
> > then the 802's came along.
>
> KD#802's are admittedly more forgiving of bad trackwork. But good
> trackwork is not that hard to achieve.
>
> Just some thoughts -- worth what you paid for them.
>
> Cheers....Ed L.
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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