Atlas O couplers vs Kadees

1) Do NOT, repeat,,,,DO NOT, use any of those Atlas O "Adjust-A-Couplers"!!!!They will ALL eventually break.

 

2) The Atlas O couplers will couple with the Kadee couplers, but tha Atlas O "Adjust-A-Coupler will eventually break! That is the main reason that Atlas took them off the market.

 

3) Please do NOT try to "glue coupler assemblies" to the bottoms of your freight cars! Since you never know where in the train that car will be, if it is toward the front of the train, the heavy pull of the trailing cars may simply pull the whole assembly right off the car.

Thanks Hot Water.  Those adjust a couplers will go right into the trash! 

You can't go wrong with the Kadee 700 series. I love them. There is no shortcut in coupling your cars. Get a height gauge if you don't have one already, then drill and screw in those #2s. Like Hot Water said, glue is iffy at best. Plus if you have to change or fix the coupler you then have a problem.

So, what Kadee 700's do I put on my new B&O Columbian coaches? This will be my first Kadee installation. 

 

Bill

Best guess would be to go to the Kadee website and select the "long shank" in the 700 series. I have not yet purchased any of the longer shank couplers, otherwise I'd give you the number. I'll probably purchase some this weekend at the March Meet.

Yep, he's got it right.  tried it and they all failed.

Thanks Hot, I'll check the website and at the meet this weekend.

 

Bill

I have not heard a good explanation of why Atlas doesn't just use Kadees.  Any "economies" from designing, manufacturing, and selling their own non-standard coupler (doesn't fit in a standard box among other things) become reverse "economies" (higher cost) when customers end up having to modify equipment to take Kadees.  The last comparison test I read in MR, Kadees still had the best performance.  Kadees are the original realistic magnetic knuckle couplers with delayed uncoupling, they are made here in the US, and they are still the best.  With such a product available, why re-invent the wheel?

Maybe the "not invented here" syndrome?

Trainchief, sorry I missed your post. I think the new GGD sleepers are the same setup as my 48 century cars- at least from the photos I've seen. If so, the long shank 700s will leave too much space between cars.Look for the post(s) on modifying the GGD Kadee brackets ( you need to get some). Then if you are running 072, you can do the mod and run the middle length (reg Kadee size) couplers and have the perfect clearance. It's a bit of work, but it's worth it.

The new Kadee 746 is the long shank coupler. I got some and they are nice. The 745 is the regular length coupler that features the metal coupler, plastic housing. They are awesome in all regards. Use a #2 self tapping screw and they install so fast.