Coupler choices, protocraft, monarch, etc

I recall an extensive review of all the various O Scale couplers, in O Scale Trains Magazine. Maybe within the last year or so?

Mike,

Hello, I'm just curious what your concerns with KDs might be?

Thanks,

Dave

Protocraft is more prototypically accurate  than the KD.

Hot Water posted:

I recall an extensive review of all the various O Scale couplers, in O Scale Trains Magazine. Maybe within the last year or so?

Yes.  Dan Pence provided a comprehensive review that also addressed compatibility between brands/styles for most of the popular and currently available couplers.

If only dummy couplers are needed in some quantity, those tend to be pretty cheap and available at shows/meets and on eBay; probably have a pile of them somewhere in my shop - old Walthers and All-Nation ones. Not sure, but Scale City Designs might even have the dummy Walthers ones available now.

Simon Winter posted:

Protocraft is more prototypically accurate  than the KD.

WOW  just checked them out.  They are pretty nice.

Thanks,

Dave

My current set-up is scale (Protocraft) couplers in areas that will be seen, and Kadees or tin-plate where scale is not important.

There are several scale couplers to select from, but after comparing them I liked the Protocraft for my purposes.

Charlie

Charlie,

I like the Protocraft too. They just updated their coupler to make it much more Prototypical than their previous offering. Wish they'd now make double shelf couplers for tankers from 1978 onwards,plus single safety shelf couplers for non tankers. The F couplers as well as the H tightlock couplers for passenger service should be available in O scale too,but that's another subject.

I run 80s equipment to 2016,with my longest car so far being the Atlas bulkhead flat cars. Will Protocraft couplers negotiate 50" curves ok? I've had a report here months back that using anything less than 60" radius will result on pulling trains off the tracks. What have you found to be true?

Mike,the monarch's are a metal coupler that's nice enough in looks but not in operation. It requires extreme force to get it to couple up with another Monarch as it's knuckles are spring loaded so when the locking pin is released the knuckle will pop open.

Al Hummel

The Monarch head is way over scale sized.  I think the fundamental question comes down to what type (if any) switching you want to do.  If I had a modest sized railroad with everything in easy reach I'd probably go with Protocraft.  BUT - if you have a 4-5 track wide yard and need to reach over rolling stock to uncouple cuts of cars go with one of the Kadee models for maximum hands off reliable operation.   I went the latter route.   

Thanks all. I am a sucker for the appearance of the protocraft; but I really am more interested in seeing trains runs than doing much switching, and no layout at all for the time being. In HO, I use some accumate dummy couplers  (they call them "unit train couplers") for those trains which don't get switched at all; I was hoping Sergent was going to offer some O scale; they have HO and S for the time being. I may rig something up similar to the couplers supplied with some of the older Proto2000 locos. They don't look like they'd be too difficult to solder up.

I did want to hear folks' experience with the monarchs to see if they were worth pursuing; seems like they're not (for my uses).

Good responses above, thanks everyone.

I do have to echo what Ed and Al stated regarding the Protocraft couplers. It’s kind of funny now, but I had dinner with Jim Kehrein (Monarch Owner) during the O Scale meet, super nice guy. I had his unpainted dummy couplers in my hand, and I thought they seemed a little big. I just figured they looked larger due to not being painted.

In any case, the dummy couplers looked fine, but the Protocraft was just a bit closer to what I wanted.

Good luck with your choice Mike.

Charlie

CN6167,

Measure the S Scale couplers.  They may be closer to O Scale than couplers made for O Scale.

Just a thought.

Ed

This is my first experience w protocraft and I'm loving it. A wonderful alternative.

We offer a dummy scale coupler here is a link:

http://www.scalecitydesigns.co...eight-Car_p_255.html

Someone asked above about what radius certain couplers can handle without derailments.    I think the coupler is not the key issue for radius, the draft gear is.    If the coupler will swing far enough, the coupler head will not cause problems.    In extreme cases, the couple can be mounted with a screw through the shank and no draft gear making it sort of a radial coupler like that used on interurbans.    This will handle much sharper radius.

SANTIAGOP23,

What is the sharpest track radius the Protocraft couplers will tolerate? For anyone who's interested,I've seen "preproduction" shots of double as well as single shelf couplers that are a Protocraft coupler design,though not made by Protocraft. Also an H "Tightlock" coupler. Don't know who's behind the project,when they might be available,price,or anything else. If anyone at the Midwest Show gathers anymore info about this project,please drop me a line and thank you.

Al Hummel

I think the original poster had it figured out.

Kadees for operation involving coupling operations.  Dummies for trains that never get uncoupled.  Protocraft for really accurate models.  Protocraft work really good, but they can get costly, and it is difficult to hire folks small enough to operate cut levers.

I personally like the oversize Monarch for appearance, but cannot get them to stay closed.

Scale Craft made a die cast coupler like the Protocraft.  It was quite good.

With care, all these couplers mate.  Run a #38 drill through dummies to improve ease of setting cars together and mating with Kadee.

SANTIAGOP23 posted:

This is my first experience w protocraft and I'm loving it. A wonderful alternative.

Santiago,

They are beautiful, but you are not operating as of yet, no?

What do you judge to be the minimum radius they will work on?

All the Best,

Ron H

Alan Hummel posted:

SANTIAGOP23,

What is the sharpest track radius the Protocraft couplers will tolerate? For anyone who's interested,I've seen "preproduction" shots of double as well as single shelf couplers that are a Protocraft coupler design,though not made by Protocraft. Also an H "Tightlock" coupler. Don't know who's behind the project,when they might be available,price,or anything else. If anyone at the Midwest Show gathers anymore info about this project,please drop me a line and thank you.

 

Al Hummel

Al and Ron, this is a small car which helps. I tested with GGD heavies and atlas CZ's and it does well on 46" radius curves which is very tight for passenger cars.

"Kadees for operation involving coupling operations.  Dummies for trains that never get uncoupled.  Protocraft for really accurate models.  Protocraft work really good, but they can get costly, and it is difficult to hire folks small enough to operate cut levers".

BOB2 nailed it. 

I wanted 16 Ingot cars for my Steel mill so I  built 17 (one spare in case I messed one up didn't happen) ingot cars using old Atlas ore car frames for the base and because they only run short distances in blocks of eight, around the mill I used SHOCK,HORROR, new Atlas couplings off cars that I had replaced with Kadees for the central cars and Kadees at each end if I can save a buck why not, I would not recommend them for anything else. Roo.

Unless one is financially comfortable some element of practicality has to be applied to the hobby. Neville (Roo) is the owner/operator of a well conceived model railroad, and knows the needs of his operating crew and his equipment. Couplers being just one of many components, and his budget says "get smart" and uses Kadee couplers with known reliability for his operating session and Atlas which are essentially dummies to hold grouped rolling stock together.

As often as the subject of couplers comes up, the most reliable and cost effective choice continues to be the long serving Kadee. If one is searching for more prototypical then expect the cost and availability to become a factor. I usually buy my Kadee 805's for about $3.00 a pack. This is but a single expense among many, and unless I was content with endlessly dreaming of what my railroad might be someday verses actually getting it built, I feel the steady pursuit of progress is a more productive approach.

Bob

Bob.

Very true in all aspects I can't add anything to that.

Neville/ Roo.