# Aristo, Bachmann, and USA couplers



## NBS2005 (Jan 4, 2008)

How is the compatibility between the above brands knuckle couplers? Right now, I have all Aristo stuff, but am thinking about a Bachmann boxcar to use as a battery car (nice removable top). Do they work OK together? 

Thanks, 

J 

PS After much delay, the layout is running well. I have some more roadbed issues to iron out, but the train will loop around with no trouble. I've got a dash-9, am using trackside TE in a battery car, with a 12v powersonic sealed battery (5 amp hr). 12v runs the train fast enough. I've run it for 4-5 sessions, 15-20 minutes each and haven't noticed the battery going down yet. I'm quite happy with the set up. I'll post some pictures soon.


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## rpc7271 (Jan 2, 2008)

The short answer is NO! If the only non Aristo car you are going to have is the Bachmann i would just pick up a set of Aristo couplers on ebay or somewhere else. Most people standardize on one brand of couplers and convert everything to those be them Aristo, bachmann, USA or Kadees.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I was abl to get aristo and bachman coupler to join, but not entirely reliably. I could not get USA coupler and aristo couplers to play nice together at all. Eventualyl I went to all aristo couplers. They work well and are well priced though huge


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Get an Aristo classic boxcar and your problem will be solved. Their tops comes off easily too and they just got a big shipment in! 










-Brian


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## castlebravo (Jun 9, 2008)

That looks like one nice clean battery car. I am on track power for now but when I do expand that looks like a great way (and simple) to go battery power. How far can you be from the car and still have control?


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## Fred (Jan 2, 2008)

Bachman & Aristo couplers will work but you have to pickup the Bachman car to couple to the Aristo. I changed all mine to Aristo knuckles last year but wised up and converted all to Kadees this year. The Kadees cost less at my hobby shop than the Aristos! One of the big features of largescale railroading is that each mfgr has their own form of coupler.


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By castlebravo on 08/06/2008 4:02 PM
That looks like one nice clean battery car. I am on track power for now but when I do expand that looks like a great way (and simple) to go battery power. How far can you be from the car and still have control?




Yes, it is and now there is a sound card and speaker in the front end. That the RCS Basic-2 with a TX-24 transmitter. I get about 75 feet of range (end to end of my layout). 

-Brian


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

For great airflow/cooling, think about using a stock/cattle car for the electronics.


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## NBS2005 (Jan 4, 2008)

I thought of the stock car idea too. Any of those with removable tops?


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

The only truely "universal" coupler is the LGB style hook and loop, and even those can be troublesome one makers version to the other./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/pinch.gif


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## Great Western (Jan 2, 2008)

I have Aristo-Craft and Bachmann big hauler (1:22.5) rolling stock. I don't mix them and they have their original couplers. 

But I do sometimes use Aristo-Craft Center Cab locos to haul the big hauler stock. To my eyes this does not seem out of place whereas other diesels do. Mating the Aristo to Bachmann couplers is no real issue and providing they are firmly latched together they will not part during train operation.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

As most said pick a coupler and go with just the one. Less headaches. Later RJD


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## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

Maybe a possibility....go to using Kay-Dee couplers. Maybe a little pricy, but well worth it in the long run. 
Possibly replace the couplers on the cars you routinely run, then take the better of the two couplers that you are replacing that match better with the Kay-Dee couplers....mount them on other cars....untill you decide to go fully with the Kay-Dee exclusively. 

Using the Kay-Dee couplers may lessen the missmatching that the other brands of couplers cause. 
Using them truck mounted may lessen the problem....not sure due to my standard....been quite sometime ago. 

831s' are the truck mounted..I still have some of these on my layout, but not many. 

I use 789 body mounted ones. Gives me the most lattitude for the smallest of my curves' of 8'. They are just like the 831s', EXCEPT for the coupler..it is straight. 
You may need to modify the height of these with Evergreen plastic, to properly align, but after you do a couple mods, it makes doing this no problem on ANY car! 

The 830s' do not give as much latitude as the 789s'....BUT most USA cars come ready with a coupler pocket for these to be mounted. If you have very wide sweeping curves these will work for you without any modifications....if not use the 789s'. 

Using Kay-Dees' exclusively is one of my standards' on my layout. 

Heres' the link to Kay-Dee's web site...look for "G" scale couplers and there is a "1" infront of every number so look for the last 3 digits of the coupler # you are looking for...click on the number itself and it will take you to the page of the coupler you are looking for. 

http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/coupler.htm 

My 2 cents....Hope this helps 

Bubba


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

I've been in the hobby for nine years, and couplers have always been my pet peeve. If you've got all aristo couplers, now, don't introduce a new coupler. The frustration will make you take up needlepoint! 

I've got six different kinds of couplers because I bought what looked good and never figured they wouldn't mate. Now I know, and am in the process of putting one Kadee on each car. When that's done, I'll go back and do the other end. What I've got is a whole fleet of transition cars, and so far that's working great. 

Kadees have been my favorite since my n-scale days (can't believe I ever saw them well enough to assemble my own!) They seem to work better and more reliably than any other kind, and I use the 820/920 (Number 1 gauge) style.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

The only truely "universal" coupler is the LGB style hook and loop, and even those can be troublesome one makers version to the other. 




I beg to differ: The twisttie is the only universal G gauge coupler


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## bottino (Feb 7, 2008)

The August 2003 issue of Garden Railways has an excellent article comparing the compatibility of all the major brands of couplers. It will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about coupler compatibility. 
Paul


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