I own a set of the Golden Gate Depot John Wilkes four-car heavyweight coaches. This past weekend while running the cars, I found that the cars would repeatedly uncouple on our club layout. I have noticed that there seems to be significant play in the knuckle even when it is closed position. Has anyone else had issues with the Golden Gate Depot heavyweights not staying coupled? Is it possible to replace them with either Lionel or MTH knuckle couplers?
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I own a set of the Golden Gate Depot John Wilkes four-car heavyweight coaches. This past weekend while running the cars, I found that the cars would repeatedly uncouple on our club layout. I have noticed that there seems to be significant play in the knuckle even when it is closed position. Has anyone else had issues with the Golden Gate Depot heavyweights not staying coupled? Is it possible to replace them with either Lionel or MTH knuckle couplers?
I upgraded all my heavyweight GGD passenger cars to Kadee couplers, and have never had any problems. On the other hand, my entire SP Daylight passenger set of GGD cars still have their original couplers, and I have not had any troubles with them either.
The logical next question would be, how smooth is the track at your club?
Has anyone else had issues with the Golden Gate Depot heavyweights not staying coupled?
Yes. I had 6 of them coupled up. Had one instance of uncoupling. Fortunately, no collision. I have some Kadees enroute and hope to replace the stock knuckles.
The logical next question would be, how smooth is the track at your club?
Yes, there are some dips and bumps in the track that may be causing the cars to uncouple.
Is it possible to replace the Golden Gate depot couplers with MTH couplers?
Wrap them with rubber bands. SOP with GGD couplers.
Gilly
Could someone post a picture or two of how and where to install rubber bands on GGD passenger cars?
Thanks,
Bob
Are the couplers actually opening, or is one climbing on top of the other and uncoupling with the coupler still closed?
Rubber bands work, but they dry out and come off. I use strips of black duct tape, (duck tape brand), which holds well, cant be seen, and could be removed if needed, but has not come off the way rubber bands have. Place the tape, rubber band, twist tie, whatever your choice around coupler arm behind the thumbtack. This keeps the release bar from drooping and releasing the coupler. I run long passenger trains and if there is a weak coupler it will show up. It beyond me why high end passenger cars are using MPC era coupler design when there are much better designs in use. Lionel and GGD regress in this area.
Yep, I had the same problem with their SP&S heavyweights. Used black twist ties to solve the problem.
The couplers are opening, not climbing up. It is always the lead car or second car in a consist of six 21" cars.
Thanks for the 'how to' using tape, elastic or twisty ties. I had heard of using a drop of epoxy but that sounded too permanent.
Bob
I recently had a coupler problem with 21" East Burlington Pullman passenger car; it separated while running in the middle of 6-car consist. Found that the coupler pin had come loose or broken and though I found the separated knuckle along the side of the track, never did find the pin.
Anyone know where I could pick up one or two coupler pins. I was going to check with GGD at York, but a foot injury did not allow me to attend the April meet.
That is a common problem with those couplers from GGD on many of their passenger cars. A little CA glue solves that issue in about 5 seconds, it's a one and done resolution. Who switches their passenger cars anyway.
Laidoffsick posted:Who switches their passenger cars anyway.
Depends on what you want to do. I plan to pick up/drop off the diner for replenishment, interchange sleepers, RPO/mail cars, or whatever car I feel like to make running trains more fun. Most of my passenger cars are GGD so I am concerned about this and am looking at kadees.
Might have something to do with them be being Lehigh Valley!!!!!!!!
This is what I don’t understand with the Ogauge market. Why don’t the manufacturers, or as some say importers, put in the product literature a statement that the product contained, may or may not work out of the box. This is ridiculous, but I, like others will continue to buy defective product.
I have found nothing but frustration from GGD couplers. They don't like to couple to other brands or even each other. All of mine will be getting Kadees soon.
romiller49 posted:but I, like others will continue to buy defective product.
and THAT is why it continues to get worse, not better!