The Kadee S scale and On3 are the same coupler, except the On3 trip pin is
slightly longer (can be rebent or trimmed a bit); it wasoriginally developed
for On3 (hence that on the draftgear die) and Kadee realized there was also an
S scale market. SHS couplers(when they are again available from the
manufacturer) are entirely compatible with Kadees and offer a slightly shorter
draftgear forvariations in mounting. Quite a few S scale modelers used and
continue to use standard Kadee HO couplers and their clones; obviouslyone would
use the older, slightly-larger than HO scale ones rather than the more-recent
smaller knuckled ones.
I buy the Radio Shack pin connectors and throw away the plastic head, keeping
only the male and female pins, which I then cut apartas needed for headlight or
motor wiring, etc. Not so elegant as Miniatronics or some of the radio-control
connectors found in hobby shopsbut considerably cheaper. I also usually add
shrink tubing around the respective connectors for insulation.
Jace Kahn
General Manager
Ceres & Canisteo RR Co./Champlain County Traction Co.
>> I need to have a standard coupler.
>
> Kadee
#802 (or the rust-colored equivalent) is the most popular.Since I
cut off the glad hands and uncouple manually, I've also bought the On3
Kadee #803 couplers when I've come across a good deal at train shows.
You're more likely to see them at a discount than the S scale variation.
Other than a slightly different trip pin, they are the same
coupler.
>> Locomotives headlights <snip> solve
the problem of detachment. Ideas?
> The wires can be routed via a
Miniatronics 2-pin connector For something that's not going see a
lot of use, you can make a cheap and basic connector using a piece of
brass wire inserted into a bit of brass tubing. I've done that inside a
number of locomotives.Stan Stokrocki
