Questions, Answers & Tips - 3
trouble on several layouts,” said Norm. “ . . . I can tell you this
– the Midsouth Model RR Club in Baton Rouge tried to switch
over, and they found that the scale couplers gave problems even
when mating with each other, and even worse when mating to
#5s. Ultimately, they pulled all the scale couplers and went back
to #5s.”
One issue is the reduced height of the scale coupler versus
the old standard #5, and changes in track gradient [3a-3b]. “I
had a rather abrupt angle ‘going up’ when I had some differ-
ent sizes, and things drifted apart,” said Steve in Iowa City. “A
slow speed-up in that area revealed the smaller head lost grip,
literally coming up and off the other. It was a Kadee PS-1 box-
car with scale, smaller-head couplers and a larger Kadee #5 (I
think). A slight adjustment to my riser under that area of track
fixed it, but beware. I needed a more graceful and gradual tran-
sition from one grade to another, and it actually looks and runs
all cars better, so it was a hidden blessing.”
WSOR Engineer Mike set up a Kadee coupler-height gauge
with a #58 and makes sure the mounted scale coupler lines
up exactly with the gauge. “The smaller head leaves no room
for error,” Mike explained. “On the equipment I primarily use
on my table at home with 18” radius turns, I generally stick
with a #5 on everything. The greater gathering range helps out
on the tight turns. The table is flat, so no issues with vertical
separations.”
Santa Fe Willie reports no problem once cars are coupled
together, and no problems uncoupling using either a skewer
or a Rix magnetic uncoupler. But he does experience problems
coupling up, even on straight level track. “I have to occasionally
use the skewer to open the jaws of the scale coupler, or make
two or three attempts,” Willie reports.
3a-3b. From above,
note the narrower
face and smaller
knuckle opening of
the #158 coupler
compared to a #5.
Centering is much
more critical with
close-to-scale size
couplers. From the
side, see the differ-
ence in knuckle height of the two styles. Bumps in track
can make couplers separate unless both are installed at
the exact correct vertical height. Note the offset in the cen-
tered horizontal mold line in the two couplers.
3a
3b
Russ Bellinis’s
experience is “the
track work has
to be perfect to
use them. If you
have any dips and
bumps in your
track work, you
will experience
nuisance uncou-
pling. The track
work and coupler
heights must be
good with #148s
(#5-size with an
integral spring),
MRH-May 2014
