A little disapointed with the Article
I found myself a little disappointed with the article, no doubt in a large part because I am converting to Sergents, and have had some experience with them. My disappointment wasn't what was in the article, but what wasn't.
I was hoping that there would be some information in it that would be new (to me), a revelation that I may had overlooked. While it's probably a good thing there wasn't, I do think that there are a couple of big considerations that may have been worth including.
1. Layout design. You do need arm reach access to work with the Sergents, both for coupling and uncoupling. If you have an area on your layout that is set up for remote coupling and uncoupling, such as in a building, or across even a 4x8 foot table, you may find yourself frustrated. As demonstrated you can delay uncouple while within reach, but aligning the couplers for a reconnect is not a guaranteed thing, and that can be exasperated if it happens in an area where you don't have good arm reach. (in contrast, even with the magnets in place on my test layout, the Kadees didn't uncouple every time either). Depending on your layout, or upcoming layout design this may or may not be a problem, but I feel it's worth noting.
2. Slack. As they are often chosen for their prototypical appearance, proto folks may be disappointed that there is zero slack, even less than in the Kadees. However, you don't get the back and forth car "bounce" that Kadees can produce on the far end of a train, so the trade off has it's benefits.
Other observations that I've had, and posted here and elsewhere. I'll repeat it here only to have the information in one place for folks that may be interested down the road.
When the uncoupling works, it works very well. I find that I am fighting less with the the uncoupling process than I was before. Simply reach in, hold the wand on top of the coupler, and reverse the loco, and viola. And right where I want the car. Smooth uncoupling seems directly related to the assembly process, so a little extra care can really pay off down the road. I now rub the inside of the ball socket with a #2 pencil for lubrication, and lightly file the inside part of the knuckle for smoother operation.
I love how they don't uncouple. Once they are mated, they stay hooked, no accidental disconnects over delayed magnets, etc
I love the way they look. Not only do they look better, but they make trains look better, as the video shows due to a smaller coupler gap, and this is not a problem even over short turnouts and the one piece of 18" radius sectional track on my test layout, on locos like the RS11s and 50" cars.
I like how they install, other than fighting with the spring (but you get better with experience), installation on almost anything is easier than with Kadees, as the height is not as vital.
Working them in is also necessary for good operation, besides the suggested method in the instructions, I connect and disconnect each car time and time again on a straight piece of track until the action works smoothly.The more you use them, they better they connect and disconnect, which reinforces the manufacture's instructions on breaking them in. There can be problems with couplers that are too tight in the coupler box pulling cars off of the track. This may be negated by better track work and properly weighted cars, but be sure that the coupler moves freely within the box.
So thank you for the article, with my few noted slight disappointments in mind, I greatly appreciate the time and effort that went into it. Like Josh, I'm happy that I have made the switch, and I'd encourage other open minded individuals to take a look at them. Please don't be swayed by a few off the cuff opinion and not fact based comments, just be aware that like any system there are trade offs.
I don't think, however, that they'll be the standard in the hobby down the road. Much as a majority of DC users haven't switched over to DCC, I don't think the majority will take this step either, and that's OK by me, as the hobby is big enough for everyone.