Not having a big layout, or a layout I have negver experienced coupler
problems. Not even in N gauge (on a layout)
What I would like to know is how many on this list spend the entire day poking
the keyboard, and sleep with it. Are they divorced, widowed, or what. I
find my E mail overrun all day.
I now have a new hobby. "deleting blocks of E mails without reading them"
John Armstrong Back now to my battery powered weed whacker.
----- Original Message -----
From: Ed
To: S-Scale@yahoogro
ups.com
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2012 1:10 PM
Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Kadee reliability
> Congrats on your good luck with Kadee couplers, Ed.
There are a few HO clubs in the area that have similar experiences. This is
not unique to me. They do have to be installed properly and lubricated for
optimum performance. Some minor flash should be removed also.
> (1) they do not always couple on the first try when coupling on curves or
too close to turnouts or changes in radius,
This is true of any auto-centering coupler -- not jut the Kadees. Of course
if you want to manually position the couplers with your fingers to assure
perfect alignment every time, then the problem might go away. With the broad
curves on my layout, coupling on curves is not an issue. Normally I do not
couple or uncouple over turnouts, so that is not an issue either.
>(2) the often-discussed issue with their magnematic operation where they
often fail to DISconnect as they should over magnets.
This has never been a problem for me. Although, to be honest, I use
stronger-than-normal magnets. Simply not a problem. Without proper lubrication
and with a weak magnet, wimpy disconnecting could be an issue. But it can be
solved.
> I have also heard of Kadee couplers in HO and S occasionally and unwantedly
UNcoupling at random over fixed magnets when the trains pass over them
If your locos tend to herky-jerk (aka hiccup) at slow speeds, it is possible
to create slack between couplers and if they happen to be over a magnet then
uncoupling will happen. With good smooth-running locos and clean track, this is
not a problem. Even if it does happen, simply backing up and recoupling is
possible and nothing serious has happened anyway.
> Then there is the obvious problem where they fail to look and operate like
a real 1:1 coupler...
Actually, they operate better than the real 1:1 coupler. No need to manually
inspect/position the couplers before coupling. Automatic centering is a good
feature and it would be most annoying to live without it in the model railroad
realm.
Another way of looking at this is there is nothing any better currently
commercially available. Perhaps Kadees are not quite perfect at all times, but
being darn good with nothing better available makes for a good reason to use
them.
How many of us have OPERATING couplers that are not Kadee?
Cheers...Ed L.
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