Scale Couplers at proper height vs end sill height.

I use the Kadee coupler height gauge for EVERYTHING I up-grade to Kadee couplers! Sometimes if a car requires too much shim thickness to bring the Kadee coupler box DOWN to the gauge height, I then remove material from the car bolster, or maybe the truck bolster, in order to "lower the whole car". Then if a car is STILL too high, I'll take the Hi-Rail trucks off and install MTH 2-Rail scale trucks, which lowers the car dramatically, then install the Kadee couplers to match the Kadee height gauge.

Rick,

You'd run into the same problem (coupler height) because none of the manufacturers have agreed on a "standard" height for anything.

We would need Lionel, MTH, Atlas, WBB, Weaver, 3rd Rail, and whoever else I've left off (and you still have to deal what's already out there) to agree on something like a standard height for the bottom of the floor, or as you noted, the end sill.  In other words, a SINGLE point of reference.

What we have with Kadee couplers IS a single point of reference, 25/32" from the top of the rail to the top of the coupler box.

They would look ridiculous at an extra scale foot or more too high. If you're going to go through the effort to put them on, why not do it right? 

The manufacturers are not actually relevant.  The correct height of the floor, end sill, etc. is something that should be derived from the prototype of the car. 

Instead of shimming couplers downwards, one might seriously consider measuring the actual car height, moving the car as close as feasible to that height, and then putting on couplers using the appropriate gauge.

The correct height of the floor, end sill, etc. is something that should be derived from the prototype of the car.

Martin, that should be a given (as in no-brainer) for the manufacturers.

Good luck with that - it's clear that there are some serious deficiencies in the brains department. Maybe zombies are at work?

Then again, there are "compromises" in play due to flange clearance requirements.

And THERE is the Rub.

Many folks need to run in tight spaces, thus tight curves and big flanges.

Scale is nice if you can manage it but most of us cannot.

It would be nice if they made the cars more to scale and just added a washer on the bolster for those designed to run on tight curves.

Then those of us with wider curves could remove it and be more scale without going to extremes to modify the car down to proper height.