Couplers
I have acquired a group of cars with various types of couplers. What I want to do is, of course, go to one type, Kadee's, Which is the better, #5's or #58's? And why? Which is the more popular? An inquiring mind want's to know and so do I.I just know this is going to make some opinions known, strongly. Thanks.
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#5
Dear Bing,
Unless you have a particular perchant for scale size couplers,
(which tends to be an experienced-modeller thing,
and my gut says if that were the case, we likely would not be having this conversation :-) ),
I would reccomend reaching for the tried-and-true #5s.
Available, compatible, reliable, and a slight edge on price. 'nuf said ;-)
Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr
I'd go with
the "scale" size whisker couplers. Easier to install and look better. since it's work to change them all might as well go with the later product. Try MB Klein website for a good price..DaveB
Read my blog
...
If your goal is appearance, use 58s.
If your goal is reliable operation, use 5s.
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Benny's Index or Somewhere Chasing Rabbits
As long as It's a Kadee #something!
In all fairness, as long as you use a Genuine Kadee coupler, you won't be disappointed! Personally I make a #5 fit almost anything! Very reliable. #58s will be just as good but you will have to pay much more attention to installation height. Use the Kadee height gauge and make sure they are spot on.
Nelson Beaudry
Kennebec, Penobscot and Northern RR Co.
The eternal couplers topic
Speaking of couplers..Here' my dilema : For the passenger cars #5 works just fine and the cars are "close coupling" however, for more reliable operation the "long shank" couplers are better since I have one tigh[er] curve. So for reliable ops = long shank, for looks regular #5. I installed one long shank on one end of the car and a regular on the other. It's ok, but it looks better with 2 #5...
looks?
Purely for looks I think sergeant couplers looks great. However I have zero experience with them...
I use the #158's...
I use the #158's but they are a little picky about coupler height. Also have to make sure the coupler is free in the draft gear box. The "whisker" centering is not as strong as the old style separate spring.
Here's a link to a post from my Texas South East blog about my experiences with various couplers...
http://tsgrr.blogspot.com/search/label/couplers
Regards,
Len
My vote is for Sergent
The fleet was Kadee semi-scale, but with the arrival of a bunch of ore cars, about 1/3 of the fleet is now Sergent. They look great, but they do operate differently than what you might be used to with Kadee.
Having said that, I would defer to the Professor's comments for the reasons he stated.
- Milt
The Duluth MISSABE and Iron Range Railway in the 50's - 1:87
Another vote for #158
I also use the #158s and have had no problems with them at all. I prefer the "whisker" centering mechanism as it is attached to the coupler and eliminates the separate metal centering device. It also reduces the occurrence of having to modify the coupler box to accommodate said centering device. For tank cars I use the #119.
If it's Kadee, it's reliable. Full Stop!
"If your goal is appearance, use 58s.
If your goal is reliable operation, use 5s."
- - -
Sorry but I feel this is a bit of an unfair knock on Kadee's excellent products. Just because they've introduced an entire new line of scale HO couplers, that does not mean they are any less reliable that their original over-sized ones. To paraphrase Nelsonb111563 above, so long as you are using a genuine Kadee #something coupler, you will not be disappointed.
Our club has a long history now with mixing newer models equipped with Kadee's scale-head #58 (couplers with traditional centering-springs) or #158 (self-contained whisker couplers); with older equipment using traditional "old reliable" #5 couplers. Despite our 30-40 car trains traversing demanding grades up multiple helicies, we've found the newer scale couplers are no less reliable than the #5's. As mentioned above by others, one just needs to pay better attention to getting the coupler heights right.
I personally use the #158 'whisker' couplers in situations where the model's coupler box features tighter vertical clearances. An example would be some older MDC/Roundhouse cars who's coupler pockets used to 'squish' the #5's centering-springs, making the #5 coupler swing nonexistent and thus unreliable ...using a #158 solves that problem. Likewise I find a lot of the new True Line Trains (Canadian model manufacturer) cars such as their 10'0" boxcar line, overhead ice-hatch reefers, and slab-side covered hoppers; all have tight clearances which make using a #5 or #58 a difficult process with getting them to center freely. Again the easiest solution is to use a #158 on these cars.
You don't want to use a #158 in situations where the coupler pocket has more 'slop' to it's vertical clearance, for example when using a traditional Kadee #5 coupler box. In these cases the #158 coupler height can travel up or down quite a bit, potentially causing a break-apart. Using a #58 with the traditional shank width, along with that brass centering-spring will give you a more reliable couple height in these situations.
It really boils down to appearance, price, and application. If appearances are important and you want to use scale coupler heads; then you will pay a bit extra for it, and you will need to pay more attention to maintaining coupler height standards. If appearances are not critical, then the older Kadee's are fine. However, if properly installed, in no case are the scale couplers any less reliable than a #5.
In short... if it says Kadee on the package, it is reliable. Full stop.