Matt, after 1 1/2 hours with one KD 802, I swear, never again. I have and will use henceforward, the ProtoMax. Thanks again for your post relating your experience with them. Wow, am I frustrated!
Sent from my iPhone On Sep 13, 2012, at 8:43 PM, Matt Ward <[email protected]> wrote: > I came across the following web page about two years ago concerning Proto-Max > Couplers > > http://www.pmrr.org/Articles/RollingStock/Articles__S-scale_Couplers_LVL2_Proto_Max_Couplers.htm > > I have been installing these on my cars since then .....there is some play > between couplers ....but the spring mechanism is completely different from > the 802 ....so other then the slack between couplers there is no slack action > from the spring. Twenty pairs retail at $24.95 a pack ...most of the time I > can average $20 at shows ...that comes out to be only $1.00 a car. The only > hidden cost I have found is I end up buying Kadee screws (item #402) for > mounting this comes out to 41cents more per car ...so total cost is about > $1.50 a car. > The only drawback is that the mounting holes are slightly to narrow for the > standard S Helper per-drilled mounting holes ...but I bore out the holes on > the draft box slightly with a file, and they fit fine. > If anyone is coming to the NOSS yearly scale meet here in Medina Ohio > September 29th ...I have volunteered to do a short clinic on my mounting > technique. > So far with a little over a year of running these I have had no problems > ...although my time running trains in the last year has been limited. I have > been using these in combination with my cars that already have 802's & S > Helper couplers. At one point I had several cars with Proto Max couplers > mixed in on a 90 car S helper Reefer train on the CVSGA Scale layout while it > was set up at the NMRA Division 4 train show in Berea Ohio..again I > experienced no problems. > > Matt Ward > North Canton Ohio > > > > > "Too often we honor swagger and bluster and the wielders of force; too often > we excuse those who are willing to build their own lives on the shattered > dreams of others."- Robert F. Kennedy APRIL 05, 1968 >
