# Advice on couplers needed



## PapaPerk (Nov 7, 2009)

Hello,

I'm new to large scale model railroads and have a question. I have 1:20.3 equipment. Some Accucraft... some Bachmann. Of course these two companies use different couplers.

What is a good common, scale coupler to use for all equipment? I like the Accucraft because of it's working breaker chains. Very cool and realistic. The couplers are a bit big though. 

American made couplers would be a plus. The railroading hobby is flooded with Made in China products which is a bit disturbing. I would prefer to keep my money at home.

Thanks for the help guys!


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## Westcott (Feb 17, 2009)

Hi PapaPerk, 

If you mean Bachmann Spectrum, then they and Accucraft are compatible, and with working lift bars. 
Mine certainly couple easily.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

As I recall the Accucraft couplers are to scale. The D&RGW used standard gauge couplers on their narrow gauge rolling stock. The Bachmann couplers 

(spectrum) will mate with the Accucraft, but they are not to scale in all dimensions (they are taller than they should be). No one has said whether they are correct in other dimensions.


Chuck


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck is correct about Accucraft couplers. They are to scale and DRGW used standard gauge couplers on their NG rolling stock. I use Accucraft couplers exclusively on my NG stock.


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## PapaPerk (Nov 7, 2009)

Very intresting! I did not know that D&RGW used standard gauge couplers. Sounds like I should just use Accucraft then! Thank you for the help!


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

The other popular choice is Kadee, which also mate with Bachmann Spectrum and Accucraft. On long trains I have seen Bachmann Spectrum couples just pull apart! Not sure what the root cause was. 

Alan


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Kadee's are a good choice to put on everything, and they are made in the USA.


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## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

I use Accucraft and Kadee. I have used CA glue on some Bachmann 1:20 couplers because they do indeed pull apart for no reason. Come to think of it, the same problem manifestes itself with other Bachmann couplers according to what I have read on various forums.


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## PapaPerk (Nov 7, 2009)

Do Kadee couplers have functioning breaker chains? 

Yeah the Bachmann stuff is weak. They only would have to do a little more and the quality would be great. I don't get it.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Kadee couplers do not have a chain and pin for release. They are excellent couplers, I use them in everything but 1:20.3 rolling stock.


Chuck


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Yup. You have to pick a coupler and convert everything else to it. KayDees are a nice choice. 

Since I have almost all Aristo equipment, and a bag of Aristo couplers Marty sent me when he was converting to KD, I converted the 2 odd pieces to Aristo. For visiting, I keep a KD and a couple Hook & Loop's in my tool box.


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

U can't go wrong with Kadees, not only R they by far-an-away the most popular coupler, they've been 
around far longer than any of the rest of them, 60+ yrs... Thats the important part, who wants get 
40-50 cars into a coupler, and find that Ur coupler mfgr has gone belly-up and U can't get anymore!!!
Couplers R a long term commitment, I switched to Kadee well over 50 yrs ago and have never regretted
it ...
Paul R...


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## Heavy_56 (Dec 27, 2007)

I have been looking at converting to Kadee, is there a good web site to get information on the conversion and what couplers are needed for what equipment? I have looked at several and seams to get fairly confusing very quickly. Or maybe I am easily confused? Probably the latter... Thanks for the help.


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## Ironton (Jan 2, 2008)

Check out Kadee's page itself: 

http://www.kadee.com/index.shtml 

In the top bar is conversions. Have a PDF of which coupler goes with what for large scale (not totally up to date last time I looked). Also a page of tips for some of the conversions. 

Hope this helps.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

For body mount, my big sellers are 830's and 789's.


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## takevin (Apr 25, 2010)

Posted By PapaPerk on 23 Jun 2010 11:16 AM The railroading hobby is flooded with Made in China products which is a bit disturbing. I would prefer to keep my money at home.

Thanks for the help guys!









Why, what is the diff, what isnt made in china nowadays. They make good and bad stuff, just like here or anywhere else.







Besides you already own china train stuff lol.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Do Kadee couplers have functioning breaker chains? 
No--that's the one drawback of Kadees. They do not function prototypically via lift bars. On the other hand, they don't come uncoupled like the ones that do. I just started switching over from Kadees (after 25 years of being more than pleased with them) to Accucraft's 1:32 couplers for my equipment because I want to uncouple them with lift bars (aka cut levers). The Acccucraft couplers are a drop-in replacement for the Kadee #820 couplers I've been using, and work very well except for the fact that my plants have tentacles that reach out and catch the lift bars on rare occasion. It's not enough to make me stop my conversion, but I do have to stay a bit more ahead of the plant trimming. 

(Modeling note: I'm using the 1:32 and Kadee "#1 scale" couplers on my 1:20.3 equipment to model the 3/4-sized couplers used on some--particularly eastern--narrow gauge railroads.) 

On the Kadee front, they just released an updated "G-scale" coupler that looks a lot more prototypic. It's called the "AAR Type 'E' Coupler." It's becoming more and more available as a complete coupler/draft gear set, so check their web site. 

Later, 

K


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## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

Bottom line. Whatever you decide to standardize on, make sure you use a Coupler height gauge and set all to the same height. This will eliminate a host of problems.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Best advise you can get is standardize and stick with it. I do Kadees cause they are the best in my opionion.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Yep pick your coupler and then stay with it. Later RJD


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## PapaPerk (Nov 7, 2009)

Posted By takevin on 29 Jun 2010 01:50 AM 
Posted By PapaPerk on 23 Jun 2010 11:16 AM The railroading hobby is flooded with Made in China products which is a bit disturbing. I would prefer to keep my money at home.

Thanks for the help guys!









Why, what is the diff, what isnt made in china nowadays. They make good and bad stuff, just like here or anywhere else.







Besides you already own china train stuff lol. 

Do I really need to explain this to you? Come on..... Do you have a job in the US?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Maybe not for long! 

I'm thinking the statement was not against China, but FOR the US economy. I'm all for that. 

Regards, Greg


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## PapaPerk (Nov 7, 2009)

Greg. That was my intent. The US economy needs all the jobs it can get. And by buying American made products we are supporting our fellow Americans.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Greg


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