> Paul B. wrote: > > > I second Schuyler's statement about KD's being the best > > couplers on the market; I don't use any others. They all > > couple, but only KD's will UNcouple reliably. Trust me on > > this. The scale-size are also the best-looking on the market. > > Well, you obviously haven't seen a Sergent coupler then! That's another > alternative... if you're REALLY picky about prototypical couplers. They > look EXACTLY like the prototype, and work like them, too, complete with > a pin to engage the coupler. They're VERY manual, and very proprietary > (they won't work with Kadees or Kadee-clones). But there's a growing > number of modelers who really want a prototype coupler. > > - Paul A couple of comments here (no pun intended). The Sergents are truly great looking couplers and since they became available pre-assembled (the first ones I got were kits!) and blackened now, I think they have become fairly viable. The downside (IMHO) is that you're precluding "playing well with others," because generally you can't take you cars or locomotives to somebody else's layout to share. And they can't bring their stuff to your layout either. Model Railroading is fun*, right? That takes some of the fun out of it. However, the weak point is modeling the coupler pocket, which is, on standard HO models, overly wide. If you put a Sergent into a standard pocket, what, exactly, have you accomplished? If I am building a model that is more than assembling a straight kit, I now substitute a Kadee 78, which is a scale head on a different shank, which is in a scale-width pocket. They are only available assembled. They have a slightly reduced swing, so they won't couple on 18-20" radius curves, but I don't worry too terribly much about that. But the end really does look a lot better when you really compare to the prototype. I may have a car here that is done that way, and if I do I'll post a photo. Truth to tell, I find Proto87 a very seductive idea, and if I were a less social modeler, I'd be VERY tempted to go for that. There are downsides, the track has to be very high quality (that's a problem?), the radii have to be larger (48" more-or-less minimum - a problem for many), and if you really want to operate, truly equalized suspensions for your cars and locomotives are a very good idea. And if I were doing that, well, Sergents would rule. One last: I know of a stillborn coupler (which might someday see the light of public day) that looks as realistic as a Sergent, had an internal (patented) knuckle spring, and was to be available in both standard Kadee 5 style design and in a 78-style box. It would be magnetic and would mate with Kadees. It was a great disappointment to me when it faltered in coming to market. I know the manufacturer and had committed to change every single coupler I one to these new versions as soon as available. I still hold out hope, and if I ever hit the lottery, you can expect it to come out. SGL *Sometimes when things are not going as well as I'd like, this must be amended to "Model railroading is FUN, dammit!" E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.1.441) Database version: 6.12290 http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List http://EL-List.railfan.net/ To Unsubscribe: http://Lists.Railfan.net/erielackunsub.html ------------------------------
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