Dear Capt,

Admitedly I use "shelf type" couplers on tank cars, subway cars, and others where it's appropriate for _looks_ rather than function. Couple 2x shelf-couplers together and using things like kebab skewers can get a bit tricky, but it's never been a problem for regular or one-time/guest operators...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

The purpose of shelf couplers is to prevent derailed cars  from coming uncoupled by not letting the couplers bypass vertically.

If the couplers on your cars are bypassing vertically, you have other problems besides couplers, track quality, equipment standards, vertical curvature, etc..

I don't use shelf couplers, I am converting everything to KD#58's.  I model 1900-1905, what's a shelf coupler?  8-)

I only have shelf couplers on equipment that would actually have them like tank cars.  They don't seem to pose a problem with manual uncoupling, or at least I've never heard an operator say anything. 

As was already noted, shelf couplers aren't an answer to runaways on grades.  If you have sufficient vertical misalignment to cause uncoupling, it may also be enough to cause derailments from vertical pressure on the shelf portion of the couplers.

Most of the manufacturers of r-t-r rolling stock put various brands of couplers on their models from the factory.  Intermountain is the only one that I know of that advertises using Kadee exclusively on their models.  I have found that if I put one of those cars on a train with as few as 10 cars, if the car without Kadee couplers is near the front of the train on straight and level track, the weight of the train will uncouple the non Kadee couplers.

The Jan ExactRail ad in MRH also lists Kadee couplers as the current standard for their HO rolling stock.

I've bought a few exact rail cars and really like them.  I did not intend to slight them in any way.  I just noticed that on my Athearn 50 foot ice bunker reefer that I had to put it just in front of the caboose on a recent module operation in order to keep the train coupled reliably.  My conclusion is that the Kadee couplers are engineered much better and built of much better materials than any of the Kadee knock-offs made by other manufacturers.

Yes - Kadee clones are bad news for random uncoupling, and yet another thing to consider.  The plastic shank varieties can deform under tension from a heavy train and twist apart.  This problem is more severe on cars where a longer portion of the shank protrudes from the draft gear box.  For example, I noticed my Athearn Genesis F-89F flatcar was exhibiting marked deformation of the coupler shanks, which only exacerbated the issue of its coupler height being at the high end of the tolerance range.  It was coming uncoupled in some test runs, so genuine Kadees were retrofitted, stopping the problem.  I noticed the same thing with some Red Caboose 57' reefers factory equipped with plastic couplers.  If the OP has some problem cars with plastic couplers, eliminating them might solve the uncoupling he describes.

Thanks everyone!  I'd like to know if there are major difficulties using the skewer method to uncouple shelf coupled cars in a yard. A few of my tracks are a "tich" closer than the standard 2" separation.  I've been told that a more horizontal approach, pushing on the "air hoses", etc. is required. I was also informed that in a Model Railroader article in the past showed a wire uncoupling device that was made to take the place of the skewer.  So... that's the kind of "anecdotes" I'm looking for. 

Thanks again,

Jim

I fit Kadees to all my stock most have 58's. My tank cars have shelf couplers, I find the scale shelf couplers are easier to uncouple than the larger ones.

I run 70' cars on 4% grades, with no problems. I make sure all couplings are the correct height, have not too much vertical play and that the gradient changes are smooth and over about a cars length.

Mike Ruby

Dear Jim,

Short answer, no problems here uncoupling using the skewer "insert from the top between the knuckles and twist" method.

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

PS I second the comments RE mixing Kadee and "other" knuckle couplers. If at all possible, for reliable train-handling and couple/uncouple behaviour, don't...