Trevor, I agree with everything you've said. I use HO Sergents for Sn2 and I'll use them when they're available RTR in standard gauge. In the mean time, I use Prot Max couplers because they uncouple flawlessly with a KD coupler pic and they're larger than #5s. Ed Kozlowsky Sanford, Maine sscale.org
>________________________________ > From: tpm1ca <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Sent: Wednesday, October 3, 2012 11:51 AM >Subject: {S-Scale List} How about Manually Operated Couplers? > > > > > > > >--- In mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com, ken garber <garber.ken@...> wrote: >> >> For general switching, yes it would be expensive, but if you pull your >> train into the yard and need to cut off the power and send to the house, it >> would be adequatel. (Or even two locos that need to be split.) >> >> Ken > >Ken and others: > >Perhaps I'm a luddite, but I don't even like using the trip pins on the Kadee >couplers. I cut them off. > >I do this partially for appearance sake, partially so I don't have to worry >about pins interfering with brake hoses or snagging on grade crossings and >switch frogs, and partially because - having done this for years now - I >automatically design layouts with good reach-in access everywhere that I need >to couple/uncouple cars. > >This is a good idea - if you can comfortably work the couplers manually, you >can also reach the track to clean rails, conduct minor repairs, and all the >other stuff that needs to be done to keep a layout running flawlessly (or as >close to flawlessly as possible). > >Since the last time I mentioned "Flawless Operation" on this list it started >an extensive discussion on what that means and whether it's even achievable, >I'll go for broke and also mention that when (if?) Frank Sergent does his S >scale couplers in Ready-to-Use die cast - as he has with his HO couplers - >I'll be upgrading my entire fleet as fast as I can place an order. My layout >is already designed with Sergents in mind - and the ability to operate the >couplers with a magnetic wand instead of physically forcing open the Kadees >with a skewer has a lot of appeal. I used the HO die cast Sergent couplers on >my previous layout (an O scale Maine two-footer) so I'm comfortable using >them. In fact, I prefer them over the Kadees. > >As for DCC-controlled couplers, include me out. For starters, pulling the pin >on the couplers is the brakeman's job - not the engineer's. Since I prefer to >run my layout with a two-person crew on each train, having the engineer open >the knuckles using his throttle would be unrealistic. > >Cheers! > >- Trevor (ducking) in Toronto > >--- > >Trevor Marshall > >Port Rowan in 1:64 >I model a steam-era Canadian National branch line terminal in S scale, and >blog about it here: >http://themodelrailwayshow.com/cn1950s > >The Model Railway Show >Listen in as two S scalers (and recovering radio newscasters) host a podcast >about the hobby: >http://www.themodelrailwayshow.com/ > > > > >
