# Accucraft Couplers & Scale



## wilbeck (Dec 10, 2008)

I was just wondering how true-to-scale are Accucraft couplers in 1:20.3 D&RGW narrow gauge. Some fellow at the National Narrow Gauge Convention was blasting them out of the water on that issue. Thanks for any information.

Wilson


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Do the manufacturers of any scale/gauge make functional, true to scale knuckle couplers? 

-Brian


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## zubi (May 14, 2009)

Fairly accurate to the best of my knowledge, Zubi


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## parkdesigner (Jan 5, 2008)

Well then, the fellow at the NNGC was an idiot. 

The Accucraft couplers are well known to be very accurate. They are considered by every 1:20.3 DRGW modeler I know to be THE choice for couplers when building models (other issues like operational preferences notwithstanding... i.e. Kadees). 

I know lots of people groan at the Bachmann 1:20.3 couplers, not that they don't work - they do - but that they are rather "chunky" and only "sorta" like the couplers on the Rio Grande. When the Bachmann Tank Cars came out - people RAVED over them... and the only thing I heard, over and over, was "I just gotta replace the couplers with ones from AMS..." Go figure why Bmann didn't take the time (still!) to redo those couplers to be more accurate.


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## StanleyAmes (Jan 3, 2008)

It all depends on the railroad and timeframe you model. The reason was that prototype couplers changed over the years and both the size and shape changed several times.

A good explanation of couplers can be found at

http://home.comcast.net/~brmetcalf/rr/couplerp.htm

The figures are not shown but can be found at

http://home.comcast.net/~brmetcalf/rr/Coupler4.jpghttp://home.comcast.net/~brmetcalf/rr/Coupler3.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~brmetcalf/rr/Coupler4.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~brmetcalf/rr/Coupler5.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~brmetcalf/rr/Coupler6.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~brmetcalf/rr/Coupler7.jpg

If you desire a correct coupler size you need to measure the prototype coupler of your era you are modeling and then convert the size to the scale you are modeling in.

Myself I model in 1:20.3 outdoors and found that the best operational couplers were Kadee 830 couplers because of the slack operation and greater side to side play. I have not tried their new ones but understand that they look a lot better then the older ones. 

Stan Ames


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

It's also important to realize that Accucraft couplers are accurate 1:20.3 representations of the couplers _used by the D&RGW_ - actually much larger than what most (all?) other narrow gauge railroads used. If memory serves, the D&RGW used standard gauge couplers on narrow gauge rolling stock. Someone please correct me if my memory is faulty.


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## parkdesigner (Jan 5, 2008)

Dwight - in what, I'm sure, alcoholics would call a moment of _clarity_, you're correct...














the D&RGW did use full size couplers unlike most NG roads... 

Nice to see your memory hasn't totally gone!!


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## Dougald (Jan 2, 2008)

The Newfoundland RR also used standard gauge couplers on it ng rolling stock at least in the later years of that road's existence. The D&RGW was nor unique among North American ng roads in this regard.

Regards ... Doug


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## GeorgeMMR (Jan 19, 2008)

Hello all, 
Okay, final word on the accuracy of AMS couplers. They are true to size for a typical D&RGW narrow gauge coupler as measured and photographed quite some years ago, in the Chama, NM yard, on a caboose as I recall. I know this to be a fact, because I did the measuring and took the photos which were sent on to the late Charlie Cheng of Accucraft. It was by Charlie's request that I drop by the Chama yard and secure this info, for he wanted accurate couplers for the first plastic car we were going to release, the D&RGW high-side gon. As I understand the D&RGW couplers are quite large for a typical ng car, the SP narrow gauge used a much smaller coupler, for instance. The AMS couplers are therefore correct for the D&RGW, but as is pointed out in this topic, be sure to research the car that you are modeling to be accurate. 
By all means, have fun! George


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## wilbeck (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello All, 

Thanks for the information. I am modeling the D&RGW in fn3 and had understood that the Accucraft couplers were right to scale for that. I held my tongue at the NNGC while this seller at his booth went off because I was not quite sure. I feel sooo good now ;-). 

Regards, 

Wilson


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

D&RGW, C&S, RGS, Uintah, ET&WNC, and I believe the White Pass are among the narrow gauge lines that used/use full-size couplers. I believe the Oahu Railway used them, too, as well as West Side Lumber. (Essentially, most of the really popular narrow gauge railroads.) Others used what's called a 3/4-size coupler, which--as the name implies is about 3/4 the size of a full-sized coupler. They were very common especially on eastern narrow gauge railroads such as the EBT, OR&W, Waynesburg& Washington, etc. 

Accucraft's 1:32 coupler is virtually spot on for a 3/4-size coupler in 1:20.3. 

Later, 

K


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

I wonder which coupler Accucraft will use with their EBT hoppers and #12...


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## zubi (May 14, 2009)

Accucraft couplers, of course! Are the 1:32 and 1:20.3 interchangeable? Best, Zubi


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Richard, the hopper has the 1:20 coupler on it. Gotta be compatbile with the rest of their stuff, even if not 100% prototypic--of course, it will be on the versions of the hopper lettered for the D&SNG, C&TS, and White Pass, since the EBT hoppers got new couplers when moved to be used on those railroads. 

Zubi, they are not interchangeable. The 1:32 couplers match the Kadee #1 scale couplers, and use the same #820 box. The 1:20 couplers are the same size as the Kadee's G-scale couplers, and use the Kadee #835 box. 

Later, 

K


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Richard 

Rich Yoder supplies Kadee 820 #1 couplers on his EBT Mikes and hoppers. They are close to proper size for 3/4 sized MCB couplers used by EBT. The new Accucraft 1:32 operating couplers may look better, but I don't know how well they will work under the load of 12-20 brass hoppers. The coupler shank of the Accucraft 1:32 couplers matches the Kadee 820 so they are interchangable. 

Regards


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## zubi (May 14, 2009)

Jim, 1:20.3 couplers are available in both plastic and brass, the same may apply to 1:32 couplers. Best, Zubi


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

The 1:32 couplers are available only as plastic so far as I can tell. I've been using them all summer, and have been pleased. While I'm not pulling 20 car trains with them, they've survived my workshop torture testing. (i.e., I tried pulling them apart on two of my hopper cars, and they wouldn't budge.) I've not had any uncoupling issues with them on my 5 and 6 car trains. 

Besides, even the prototype couplers came apart from time to time. I was on a train Saturday at the Colorado RR Museum where the couplers separated. No indication as to what caused them to--they just came apart. 








The coupler between the water car behind the tender and the idler flat in front of OB (the pile driver in the middle) just came apart on the down grade. 

As an aside, I looked at the couplers on the equipment while at the museum. 2-8-0 #346's coupler is a dead ringer for the Accucraft 1:20 coupler. The couplers on some of the other equipment came from different manufacturers, and had slightly different shapes to the body itself. Some were smoother than others. 

RGS caboose to #346 









water car (former locomotive tender) to idler flat 









#346 tender to water car 









Later, 

K


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