The magnetic couplings are actually from West Hill Wagon works, not Keen Systems - good thing they don’t sponsor me! Link below: www.westhillwagonworks.co.uk/ If you fancy supporting the channel, I’ve finally set up a Patreon. I’ll post extra bits and bobs on there. www.patreon.com/Mouldyraspberry Finally, I’ve got Ollie from Wardle Road visiting on Sunday, so expect to see some London Underground stock in the Yorkshire Dales very soon!
You need cranked couplings for some bachmann wagons and mk1s. Hunts do variants specifically for MK1s. Bachmann make DMU couplings which can be straight or cranked as well. Have a little google. Your mk1s that are different heights require cranked couplings to compensate for the height difference.
That was very interesting Lewis ,close coupled rakes of coaches really makes a layout more realistic instead of huge gaps between stock .This has given me food for thought on my own stock .Thank you ,look forward to more .
Hi Lews thanks for that I'm in the process of getting hunt couplings my self i have some 40 odd old mainline wagons but really do look good and a hole lot cheaper than the ones you buy today .I have converted all of them to Nem pockets and in the process of getting pivoting hunt couplings, cant wait. great video again Lewis thank you.
Those magnet couplers are very cool!! I also like your diaphragms on these coaches, they do a great job of closing the gap and hiding the magnet couplers!! I have got some phase 2 Amtrak coaches I plan to run on my Conrail layout here in Indiana and those couplers might be the ticket, thanks for posting the link Mouldy!!!
Same problems in N Gauge. I went for DG couplngs which are I believe also available in 00. They are fiddely to assemble but excellent to use. I converted several hundred pieces of my stock. I am doing an even bigger job which is converting plastic wheels to metal and half way through, the supply of metal wheels at good prices has disappeared. Cheers, Bob
Hi Lewis. Nice job, the diaphragms always make the passenger stock look complete! Also with Kadees, don't forget that you can have long, medium and short shank lengths. But, also 3 different head heights, underset, normal and overset. With NEM pockets you should be able to offset the manufacturers lack of standardisation with the different head heights!
@@MouldyRaspberry Lewis, I have used a semi permanent coupling between, say, between coaches untril I could afford to fit Kadees fully. I know of quite a few folk who have done the same. I have also used commercial diaphragms and made my own. The latter were very fiddly to make but looked the goods when fitted.
Very interesting Lewis. Here in North America we tend to use a single system and adjust the height to the standard using a coupler height gauge. It is worthwhile having one of those. I have wagons and locos that have different couplers each end just to make them fit to the gauge. As for which coupler to use , it all comes down to making the knuckles meet. I keep a variety of couplers in stock, long shank, short and medium shank, underset , centre set and overset shank along with some of the older ones i.e. No. 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, etc. I even use some 17,18 and 19's when they are the best fit. All the best, David.
@@MouldyRaspberry Hi Lewis. You should get the plastic gauge to avoid a short circuit if you place it on the layout. I use a dedicated separate track to set up my couplers as my gauge is a metal one.
I had the same problem with the height issue and NEM versus non NEM ones. I came around it by designing my own nem pocket holder for the Bachmann nem coupler pockets with possibility of adding shims to adjust height and test each coupler height with the kadee gauge. Now I have no problem at all, even with the coach rakes. For undivisible rakes, I replaced the nem kadee with hunt magnetic couplers. Works very well and are quite reliable as well as not overly expensive like the kadee (fortunately I stocked loadsof couples early on so now I have enough for all my stock). To uncouple kadee, there are articles in Model Railroader and other magazines on how to make a handheld manual uncoupling tool from a bamboo skewer and a small pen torch... have a standard one without lamp that has worked for years with my US and continental HO trains, but I hope to make a new one soon with a pen torch. I'll try to find the article for you if interested.
Hi Lewis and a very interesting video. I totally agree with you regarding Bachmann couplers and the wrong height setting. I think their view is "We supply tension lock couplers which for the most don't comply with NMRA height settings . They supply under slung tension locks on the Mk1 to get round that. I find most other manufacturers do comply. Like you I tend to get round that by using Hunt Couplers. they have quite a range now but can be a little tight fitting sometimes probably being 3D printed but they are good.
I've been printing couplings similar to the ones you use on your coaches but with 2 smaller magnets side by side so they can connect either way round. Sadly I bought quite a few magnets that were too big or not strong enough before I found suitable ones. The best part of printing them yourself is being able to adjust length and height as needed. The difference in positioning of NEM sockets really is inexcusable. The whole idea was to create a standard! Nice video as always mate.
Nice video, Lweis and a bit of change. A great analysis of the issues and how to work around them. I have never understood why the OO market continues to use those most unrealistic and garish couplings, leading to many different formats to go more realistic. You definitely showed some options and clever tricks. I am less realism of look but try to get the distances tighter, but as I do German/Austrian trains, we have the various relex coupling systems, except for my speed trains (ICEs and Railjets) which have the pin couplings.
Interesting video, Lewis. Kadee type couplers are now more or less the HO scale standard over here in the US, especially since the original patents timed out. For the most part we leave the lower bits on them as they resemble the air brake hoses between cars here (even though they obviously aren't connected). Like many others, I don't use magnetic uncoupling but rather use a small screwdriver or short bamboo skewer from above. The bamboo skewer works quite well and I use a twist-on electrical mains wire connector as a handle on the blunt end. Cheers from Wisconsin!
Thanks Andrew. I like using a tool as well. You’re right about them looking like the air/vacuum hoses. The only reason I cut them off was that they kept catching on things!
Hi Lewis, thanks for sharing your solutions on couplings. Differences in height is even problematic with stock from the same manufacturer so one always need to be inventive. I mainly use Kadee's to but also some Hornby = equal Roco short couplers for coaches. But these magnets seem interesting to for the ease of uncoupling. Have a good time together with Ollie running trains. Cheers, Filip
Those bellows are a must!! Trying to manufacture something like that for N scale which I model. As always, another great video!! Tanks for sharing a lot of techs today. Cheers from 🇪🇸
magnetic couplings are the way of the future, i've started converting my own stock with non-polarized ones, some of them have old hornby screw-type fittings too.
Thanks for showing us how you couple, Lewis. American prototype models couplers do not always line up very well, either. Kadee does make gauges wnere one can check coupler height, track clearances, etc. for the popular American scales. Coupler height incompatability is less a problem now than a few decades ago as manufacturers have started to be more careful to stay true to prototype with their models! Steve K.
You've done a good job on the close coupling front. Wouldn't have guessed that the MKI rakes were Bachmann/Hornby railroad. One thing that puts me off close coupling (other than the large gaps between stock doesn't really bother me) is the amount of stock/locos I'd have to buy couplings for would just cost too much at this point and with older Lima/Hornby/Mainline stock I wouldn't want to ruin them experimenting with the placement of them. Cheers
Hello Lewis. Just watched your layout build from start to finish👍 I noticed you used hairspray as layering glue for static grass and matting. How permanent have you found this please? Your info about coupling has really helped me. I have rolling stock from 60s to today’s offerings and coupling has been a big issue. I felt magnets would be the answer but until today did not know that were available. Thank you. I am running on steel track which may be an issue but I will get some to try. Regards Roy
Thanks Roy. The hairspray holds up okay I reckon, I’ve had the main layout years and never had any problems. I guess you could always re-spray it if you needed to. Glad you found the coupling video useful!
Interesting technical session.I had used the Kadees but I had stopped doing this due to the price, and the need to have magnetic decoupling devices. Now, for my OO and HO rolling stock, I use Roco universals : cheap, reliable, and compatible with every mechanical decoupling device, from the top end electric remote decouplers to the DIY strip of plastic jammed between two sleepers. By the way, they are sold in packs with a manual decoupling paddle. Also they give a better coupling distance between two vehicles, and you enven have height ajustable models for Bachmann's bad surprises with NEM pockets. Only drawaback : horrible look...
Thanks Olivier. Yep very expensive. I forgot to mention that in the video actually, for a while I used the Hornby version of the Roco couplings. They were actually pretty good. But I had the same issue with the NEM socket heights - I didn’t realise you could get height adjusted ones though!
Hi Mouldy. Youve seemed to have some fuss with couplers. You probably know that Kadee also issues couplers with above centre and below centre also each with their different lengths this brings me to the question: is it safe to say you dont rely on automatic uncoupling where the rolling stock is just out of reach of arms?
Yes that’s right, I just uncouple everything my hand. I’ve never been bothered about automated points and coupling, I’d rather just spend time in the scenery 🤣
Nice video Lewis. I am, slowly but surely, converting all my rolling stock to Hunt couplings. I have such a variety of couplings, buying mainly second hand, that they don't fit together well anyway. I don't think I've found one yet with an NEM pocket they're that old! I was about to bite the bullet and go the Kadee route (not cheap) when Hunt couplings came on the market. Cheers
@@MouldyRaspberry Tbh I had no idea how the different Kadee numbers worked, or how I was going to fit them, so Hunt couplers came along at just the right time. I also bought some 3D printed NEM sockets but you still have to adjust the height, reach, etc so I just glue them like you do now. Cheers
Great informative video - saved for future reference 👍 Where you have the height difference could you potentially put a slightly smaller set of wheels on the higher wagon? Would make the buffers line up better too.
I always found the worst coupling height, were on Heljan wagons, I had a 4 pack of not sure weaver they were either Dogfish or Catfish wagons from Heljan, but the coupling height was different from each other! Also have had several problems with build quantity with their locos as well!! for the prices we are paying its disappointing.
Hi Lewis, very interesting that, I remember many years back converting all my stock to 3 link or scale screw link couplings, it took ages, but they were quite cheap and looked lovely.............over the years everything got replaced so I'm now back with good old tension locks. I do have K-dee couplings on my American stock, well they are standard there, they work well but I keep loosing the little tiny springs on the head..............You mentioned a tool to uncouple your K-dee's, I use a wooden kebab skewer, which I got the idea from watching a US modeller on here, that's what they use. Cheap too. What were the paper corridor connectors, as those you had look like some of the better ones I've seen made up? Oh sorry rambling again, great video, stay safe and thanks until next week, all the best Dave.
Thanks Dave. I like the look of the screw links as well. Did you find them a bit annoying to couple and uncouple or not have any issues? I’ve lost a few springs too! They usually come with a few spares in the pack now. I’ve just looked for them on eBay but can’t actually find them now, if I can I’ll send you a link to the coach gangways though.
@@MouldyRaspberry Hi Lewis, yeah the 3 links were a bit fiddly, I remember back then it must be nearly 30 years ago now. I drilled a small hole were the hook would be on the wagon, then filed the back of the new hook finer, then heated it up and basically pushed it through the hole in the wagon, melting it's way through. I didn't bother with the springs and stuff, they still worked fine. I even fitted screw links to the coaches, they were OK, looked nice, put pushing the train tended to uncouple them. Also they didn't like corners so much as the headstock doesn't follow the bogie as it goes round. Still live and learn I guess. Eventually I moved to my own house and sold alot off as Lima modern image was the latest most up to date product around, so I went down that road for a few years. Couldn't face doing all those couplings again. I must admit the sounds of shunting wagons with 3 link couplings was very realistic!
They should of made a standard for coupler heights so all stock was the same Bachmann wagons of the same type even vary from older releases to newer ones so I cannot even run a train of tankers using all the ones I have. I began to use the what Bachman call DMU couplers which are the Roco D type after seeing those in use on European models and found the work well and not affected so much by height variations. The K dee are good but cost too much to convert everything to them, with the Roco ones you can couple a tension lock hook onto a D so I did not need to convert everything at once. I am no trying the hunt ones and am liking those. I got a couple of packs of the elite ones so vehicles do not need to be a certain way round to couple
There is a standard, with NEM and NMRA but unfortunately not all manufacturers respect it. Now with 3D printing though it's easy to make coupler pocket holders to adapt on the wagons (like the peco or Wills kits amont others) and adjustments the height with shims using the Kadee gauge to set the correct height.
@@ericsainte290 3D printing is certainly a good thing for those who have the knowhow and access to one. There are files on line for many things now and I have thought about getting one.
@@MouldyRaspberry the Roco ain't the best here on the continent. The Fleishmann are way better. Close by principle to the Kadee but work with traditional uncoupling systems (lifting plank) yet offer the shunting mode like the kadee. The down side is they are even more costly although less sensitive to bumps in the track level.
Excellent. Weird to see the hand of God. And above all no sound on Neville Grove 😉 How about some black foam to close the small gap you still have in certain cases on the corridor ends? Just an idea from à forced armchair modeller (for the moment, just waiting for the day 😉)
Another superb video which is very interesting, although I always look forward to Thursdays when a new one comes out. I have often wondered about the close coupling between coaches and how these could be improved by the manufacturers and, I think, I may have come up with the answer. I was intrigued by your magnetic couplings, A and B between coaches, trucks etc. Would it be possible to add a magnetic strip to the insides of the paper couplings, A one side and B the other so that they stick together like the underside magnetic couplings do? Surely that would make the seal so much better such that no light would appear at all between the coaches? What do you think, Lewis, possible, or not? Regards, Eric
Thanks Eric - that’s actually a damn good idea! I guess the only issue would be the paper ripping if a heavy rake of coaches are joined, but you could just easily make the gangways out of something a bit stronger. I might give that a go!
Very interesting video, I have thought about going down the Kaydee route but the cost for my collection would be astronomical nowadays. I so hate the tension lock it should have been discontinued a long time ago, it just droops on a lot of modern models so they never couple properly and they come in different sizes with different length hooks causing derailments. Need to find a good reliable alternative that doesn’t cost an arm and leg.
Thanks Rob. Yep the Kadees are crazy expensive. I got a bulk pack second hand on eBay I think, but brand new they’re nearly £8 for four in my local shop. That’s nuts!
trouble with couplings is people still want coaches to go round curves you would find on a childs model-railway , very unrealistic , especially with couplings the scale- size of a double bed !! just saying . Your model railway is exquisite and proves the old adage "less is more ."😍😍
@@MouldyRaspberry don't believe in unrealistic curves -reminds me of Triang Trains when I was a kid and those big couplings that look like 15 foot between each waggon just look silly!
Nice, but magnetic couplings can cause damage. Remember that some magnets are so strong, it takes a lot of strength to prise them apart. And then something gets broken, hopefully not beyond economical repair. Kadee couplings aren't right for coupling up British engines and rolling stock, as damage can be caused because they are heavy. To keep the coupling gentle, NEM couplings are much better. They are lighter and coupling up is more realistic with them. So remove all Kadee and magnetic couplings, and put the NEM couplings back where they belong. Trust me, NEM couplings are much better than magnets and Kadee couplings in the long run.🙃😉🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🚂
I always did more damage using the NEM tension locks, I’d pick a wagon up and it would hook on something, drag the whole rake off the track and cause mayhem!
The magnetic couplings are actually from West Hill Wagon works, not Keen Systems - good thing they don’t sponsor me! Link below:
www.westhillwagonworks.co.uk/
If you fancy supporting the channel, I’ve finally set up a Patreon. I’ll post extra bits and bobs on there.
www.patreon.com/Mouldyraspberry
Finally, I’ve got Ollie from Wardle Road visiting on Sunday, so expect to see some London Underground stock in the Yorkshire Dales very soon!
I was about to ask if you'd tried Hunt couplings, not having heard of Keen Systems, but you've answered that yourself!
You need cranked couplings for some bachmann wagons and mk1s. Hunts do variants specifically for MK1s. Bachmann make DMU couplings which can be straight or cranked as well. Have a little google. Your mk1s that are different heights require cranked couplings to compensate for the height difference.
The whole layout is superb as is the running and weathering not to mention the scenery and the track work.
Thanks Paul 👍🏻
awesome thank you for taking the time to film and post
Glad you liked it!
Hi Lewis, thanks for posting a very interesting and informative video. Cheers Greg
Thanks Greg, glad you liked it 👍🏻
Lewis, your attention to minute detail is phenomenal. Truly a MASTER.
Thank you 😀
That was very interesting Lewis ,close coupled rakes of coaches really makes a layout more realistic instead of huge gaps between stock .This has given me food for thought on my own stock .Thank you ,look forward to more .
Lewis, just a shout out, still find myself finding these explainer videos in your playlists, they are just great mate. Very useful.
Ah that’s good to hear, glad you find them useful mate!
Are you buying anything new... New P2 from Hornby?
Thank you very much for answering a ton of my questions 🤗
That’s okay - glad you liked it 👍🏻
@@MouldyRaspberry I sure did ❤
Really enjoyed this as the explanation brought the video to life. Please do this much more.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Lews thanks for that I'm in the process of getting hunt couplings my self i have some 40 odd old mainline wagons but really do look good and a hole lot cheaper than the ones you buy today .I have converted all of them to Nem pockets and in the process of getting pivoting hunt couplings, cant wait. great video again Lewis thank you.
Thanks Tony. Sounds like a project but will be well worth it!
Those magnet couplers are very cool!! I also like your diaphragms
on these coaches, they do a great job of closing the gap and hiding
the magnet couplers!! I have got some phase 2 Amtrak coaches I
plan to run on my Conrail layout
here in Indiana and those couplers
might be the ticket, thanks for posting the link Mouldy!!!
Thank you - glad you found it useful! 😀
I liked the people in the carriages. More of these !
Thanks James!
enjoyed thatLewis and great insight, cheers Paul at Sandling Junction
Cheers Paul 👍🏻
Same problems in N Gauge. I went for DG couplngs which are I believe also available in 00. They are fiddely to assemble but excellent to use. I converted several hundred pieces of my stock. I am doing an even bigger job which is converting plastic wheels to metal and half way through, the supply of metal wheels at good prices has disappeared.
Cheers, Bob
Thanks Bob - I’ll have a look at those. Sounds like a big job!
Hi Lewis. Nice job, the diaphragms always make the passenger stock look complete! Also with Kadees, don't forget that you can have long, medium and short shank lengths. But, also 3 different head heights, underset, normal and overset. With NEM pockets you should be able to offset the manufacturers lack of standardisation with the different head heights!
Thanks Peter. Good point, if only they weren’t so expensive!
@@MouldyRaspberry
Lewis, I have used a semi permanent coupling between, say, between coaches untril I could afford to fit Kadees fully. I know of quite a few folk who have done the same.
I have also used commercial diaphragms and made my own. The latter were very fiddly to make but looked the goods when fitted.
Very interesting Lewis. Here in North America we tend to use a single system and adjust the height to the standard using a coupler height gauge. It is worthwhile having one of those. I have wagons and locos that have different couplers each end just to make them fit to the gauge. As for which coupler to use , it all comes down to making the knuckles meet. I keep a variety of couplers in stock, long shank, short and medium shank, underset , centre set and overset shank along with some of the older ones i.e. No. 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, etc. I even use some 17,18 and 19's when they are the best fit. All the best, David.
Thanks David - very good advice! I’ll look into that height gauge.
@@MouldyRaspberry Hi Lewis. You should get the plastic gauge to avoid a short circuit if you place it on the layout. I use a dedicated separate track to set up my couplers as my gauge is a metal one.
Nice to hear from you Lewis! Good video!
Thank you!
Thanks for another interesting video Lewis
Thanks Steve 👍🏻
Brilliant video Lewis. Well done very informative. Thank you.
Thanks Dave 👍🏻
Awesome video as always Lewis!!! Thanks for sharing this video! Cheers Onno.
Thanks Onno!
Great video, very helpful!
Glad you liked it 👍🏻
I had the same problem with the height issue and NEM versus non NEM ones. I came around it by designing my own nem pocket holder for the Bachmann nem coupler pockets with possibility of adding shims to adjust height and test each coupler height with the kadee gauge. Now I have no problem at all, even with the coach rakes. For undivisible rakes, I replaced the nem kadee with hunt magnetic couplers. Works very well and are quite reliable as well as not overly expensive like the kadee (fortunately I stocked loadsof couples early on so now I have enough for all my stock). To uncouple kadee, there are articles in Model Railroader and other magazines on how to make a handheld manual uncoupling tool from a bamboo skewer and a small pen torch... have a standard one without lamp that has worked for years with my US and continental HO trains, but I hope to make a new one soon with a pen torch. I'll try to find the article for you if interested.
Thanks Eric - good suggestions, that would be very useful thank you.
Very useful video - thanks.
Glad you liked it!
Hi Lewis and a very interesting video. I totally agree with you regarding Bachmann couplers and the wrong height setting. I think their view is "We supply tension lock couplers which for the most don't comply with NMRA height settings . They supply under slung tension locks on the Mk1 to get round that. I find most other manufacturers do comply. Like you I tend to get round that by using Hunt Couplers. they have quite a range now but can be a little tight fitting sometimes probably being 3D printed but they are good.
Thanks Denis. I found that as well, or sometimes they’re very lose and I had to glue them in. They still work a treat though.
I've been printing couplings similar to the ones you use on your coaches but with 2 smaller magnets side by side so they can connect either way round.
Sadly I bought quite a few magnets that were too big or not strong enough before I found suitable ones.
The best part of printing them yourself is being able to adjust length and height as needed.
The difference in positioning of NEM sockets really is inexcusable. The whole idea was to create a standard!
Nice video as always mate.
Thanks Gerry - good idea about printing them yourself!
Nice video, Lweis and a bit of change. A great analysis of the issues and how to work around them. I have never understood why the OO market continues to use those most unrealistic and garish couplings, leading to many different formats to go more realistic. You definitely showed some options and clever tricks. I am less realism of look but try to get the distances tighter, but as I do German/Austrian trains, we have the various relex coupling systems, except for my speed trains (ICEs and Railjets) which have the pin couplings.
Thanks Anthony - appreciate it. Me too, it’s very strange especially when compared to US and continental stock!
Very informative re coach couplings. Great video as usual.
Thanks Stephen 👍🏻
Very useful video, thanks Lewis :-)
Cheers Paul 👍🏻
Great video as ever Lewis
Thanks Alastair 👍🏻
Interesting video, Lewis. Kadee type couplers are now more or less the HO scale standard over here in the US, especially since the original patents timed out. For the most part we leave the lower bits on them as they resemble the air brake hoses between cars here (even though they obviously aren't connected). Like many others, I don't use magnetic uncoupling but rather use a small screwdriver or short bamboo skewer from above. The bamboo skewer works quite well and I use a twist-on electrical mains wire connector as a handle on the blunt end. Cheers from Wisconsin!
Thanks Andrew. I like using a tool as well. You’re right about them looking like the air/vacuum hoses. The only reason I cut them off was that they kept catching on things!
Hi Lewis, thanks for sharing your solutions on couplings. Differences in height is even problematic with stock from the same manufacturer so one always need to be inventive. I mainly use Kadee's to but also some Hornby = equal Roco short couplers for coaches. But these magnets seem interesting to for the ease of uncoupling. Have a good time together with Ollie running trains. Cheers, Filip
Thanks Filip - appreciate it 👍🏻
Those bellows are a must!! Trying to manufacture something like that for N scale which I model.
As always, another great video!! Tanks for sharing a lot of techs today. Cheers from 🇪🇸
Thanks! Yep, it’s a bit jarring when I see a rake without them now with huge gaps between the coaches.
The diaphragms look great. I'm guessing that close coupling is limited by the radii of the hidden curves in the tunnels. What are the radii? Thanks.
Thanks Dave. My tightest is third radius.
magnetic couplings are the way of the future, i've started converting my own stock with non-polarized ones, some of them have old hornby screw-type fittings too.
I agree, they’re great!
Thanks for showing us how you couple, Lewis. American prototype models couplers do not always line up very well, either. Kadee does make gauges wnere one can check coupler height, track clearances, etc. for the popular American scales.
Coupler height incompatability is less a problem now than a few decades ago as manufacturers have started to be more careful to stay true to prototype with their models!
Steve K.
Thanks Steve - I did have one of the Kadee height gauges at one stage, it was very useful!
You've done a good job on the close coupling front. Wouldn't have guessed that the MKI rakes were Bachmann/Hornby railroad.
One thing that puts me off close coupling (other than the large gaps between stock doesn't really bother me) is the amount of stock/locos I'd have to buy couplings for would just cost too much at this point and with older Lima/Hornby/Mainline stock I wouldn't want to ruin them experimenting with the placement of them.
Cheers
Thanks Paul. That’s fair enough, especially when you think of the nice locos you could have bought with that money you just spent on couplings!!!
Hello Lewis. Just watched your layout build from start to finish👍 I noticed you used hairspray as layering glue for static grass and matting. How permanent have you found this please?
Your info about coupling has really helped me. I have rolling stock from 60s to today’s offerings and coupling has been a big issue. I felt magnets would be the answer but until today did not know that were available. Thank you. I am running on steel track which may be an issue but I will get some to try. Regards Roy
Thanks Roy. The hairspray holds up okay I reckon, I’ve had the main layout years and never had any problems. I guess you could always re-spray it if you needed to. Glad you found the coupling video useful!
@@MouldyRaspberry Thank you Lewis. I will give it a go, lot cheaper than layering glue🚂
Interesting technical session.I had used the Kadees but I had stopped doing this due to the price, and the need to have magnetic decoupling devices.
Now, for my OO and HO rolling stock, I use Roco universals : cheap, reliable, and compatible with every mechanical decoupling device, from the top end electric remote decouplers to the DIY strip of plastic jammed between two sleepers. By the way, they are sold in packs with a manual decoupling paddle. Also they give a better coupling distance between two vehicles, and you enven have height ajustable models for Bachmann's bad surprises with NEM pockets. Only drawaback : horrible look...
Thanks Olivier. Yep very expensive. I forgot to mention that in the video actually, for a while I used the Hornby version of the Roco couplings. They were actually pretty good. But I had the same issue with the NEM socket heights - I didn’t realise you could get height adjusted ones though!
Interesting stuff there...
Thanks, glad you liked it 👍🏻
Nice informative video.
Thanks Paul 👍🏻
Hi Mouldy. Youve seemed to have some fuss with couplers. You probably know that Kadee also issues couplers with above centre and below centre also each with their different lengths this brings me to the question: is it safe to say you dont rely on automatic uncoupling where the rolling stock is just out of reach of arms?
Yes that’s right, I just uncouple everything my hand. I’ve never been bothered about automated points and coupling, I’d rather just spend time in the scenery 🤣
Nice video Lewis. I am, slowly but surely, converting all my rolling stock to Hunt couplings. I have such a variety of couplings, buying mainly second hand, that they don't fit together well anyway. I don't think I've found one yet with an NEM pocket they're that old! I was about to bite the bullet and go the Kadee route (not cheap) when Hunt couplings came on the market. Cheers
Thanks Davie 👍🏻 Ha, nothing wrong with the older stuff. Crazy how expensive the Kadees are now isn’t it.
@@MouldyRaspberry Tbh I had no idea how the different Kadee numbers worked, or how I was going to fit them, so Hunt couplers came along at just the right time. I also bought some 3D printed NEM sockets but you still have to adjust the height, reach, etc so I just glue them like you do now. Cheers
the paper carriage gangways that you showed, I cannot seem to find, even on ebay. Any suggestions?
I’ve had a look as well Geoff and I can’t see them on there anymore. I’ll have a hunt around and see if anyone else sells them.
@@MouldyRaspberry Thanks, I really appreciate that.
Great informative video - saved for future reference 👍 Where you have the height difference could you potentially put a slightly smaller set of wheels on the higher wagon? Would make the buffers line up better too.
Thanks David - that’s a good idea!
For the coaches, with the flexible gangways, have you thought of putting a 'weak' magnet inside each so that the pull themselves together.
Good idea Dave!
Of all these, the KayDees look the best. They might not necessarily be prototypical, but they look as if they might be. They also work rather well.
I think so too Roger - I almost forgot they’re there.
I always found the worst coupling height, were on Heljan wagons, I had a 4 pack of not sure weaver they were either Dogfish or Catfish wagons from Heljan, but the coupling height was different from each other! Also have had several problems with build quantity with their locos as well!! for the prices we are paying its disappointing.
I’ve got no experience with their wagons, but I have found the same thing with their locos!
Hi Lewis, very interesting that, I remember many years back converting all my stock to 3 link or scale screw link couplings, it took ages, but they were quite cheap and looked lovely.............over the years everything got replaced so I'm now back with good old tension locks. I do have K-dee couplings on my American stock, well they are standard there, they work well but I keep loosing the little tiny springs on the head..............You mentioned a tool to uncouple your K-dee's, I use a wooden kebab skewer, which I got the idea from watching a US modeller on here, that's what they use. Cheap too. What were the paper corridor connectors, as those you had look like some of the better ones I've seen made up? Oh sorry rambling again, great video, stay safe and thanks until next week, all the best Dave.
Thanks Dave. I like the look of the screw links as well. Did you find them a bit annoying to couple and uncouple or not have any issues? I’ve lost a few springs too! They usually come with a few spares in the pack now. I’ve just looked for them on eBay but can’t actually find them now, if I can I’ll send you a link to the coach gangways though.
@@MouldyRaspberry Hi Lewis, yeah the 3 links were a bit fiddly, I remember back then it must be nearly 30 years ago now. I drilled a small hole were the hook would be on the wagon, then filed the back of the new hook finer, then heated it up and basically pushed it through the hole in the wagon, melting it's way through. I didn't bother with the springs and stuff, they still worked fine. I even fitted screw links to the coaches, they were OK, looked nice, put pushing the train tended to uncouple them. Also they didn't like corners so much as the headstock doesn't follow the bogie as it goes round. Still live and learn I guess. Eventually I moved to my own house and sold alot off as Lima modern image was the latest most up to date product around, so I went down that road for a few years. Couldn't face doing all those couplings again. I must admit the sounds of shunting wagons with 3 link couplings was very realistic!
good vid on you channel thanks lee
Cheers Lee 👍🏻
Hi Lewis
That was interesting on how you set up your rolling stock. Non conformity of couplings really annoys me 😡
Cheers Kev
Thanks Kev - me too!
On rolling stock wagons excerter I have screw couplings on carriages K de couplings the close kind but all my track filex track no sharp radius
Sounds like a good set up 👍🏻
@@MouldyRaspberry yes I have been building it for 10 years about 2/3 built but all good fun
The ending lmao! What's your favourite goods wagons?
Haha my excellent editing skills! I like the good old Bachmann box vans best.
Hi Lewis. Any chance you could show us the track plans for your layouts?
If you email me at mouldyraspberry@gmail.com I’ll send you them 👍🏻
They should of made a standard for coupler heights so all stock was the same Bachmann wagons of the same type even vary from older releases to newer ones so I cannot even run a train of tankers using all the ones I have. I began to use the what Bachman call DMU couplers which are the Roco D type after seeing those in use on European models and found the work well and not affected so much by height variations. The K dee are good but cost too much to convert everything to them, with the Roco ones you can couple a tension lock hook onto a D so I did not need to convert everything at once. I am no trying the hunt ones and am liking those. I got a couple of packs of the elite ones so vehicles do not need to be a certain way round to couple
There is a standard, with NEM and NMRA but unfortunately not all manufacturers respect it. Now with 3D printing though it's easy to make coupler pocket holders to adapt on the wagons (like the peco or Wills kits amont others) and adjustments the height with shims using the Kadee gauge to set the correct height.
@@ericsainte290 3D printing is certainly a good thing for those who have the knowhow and access to one. There are files on line for many things now and I have thought about getting one.
Good idea - I forgot to mention the Roco couplings in the video, I did try those at one point and did like them.
@@MouldyRaspberry the Roco ain't the best here on the continent. The Fleishmann are way better. Close by principle to the Kadee but work with traditional uncoupling systems (lifting plank) yet offer the shunting mode like the kadee. The down side is they are even more costly although less sensitive to bumps in the track level.
I have to ask … where do you get your stone walling from? It looks amazing!
Osbourne’s Models 👍🏻
Is that a coach at the end of that Goods train at 14:32?
Yes a parcels coach, I’ve got quite a few of those.
Excellent. Weird to see the hand of God. And above all no sound on Neville Grove 😉
How about some black foam to close the small gap you still have in certain cases on the corridor ends? Just an idea from à forced armchair modeller (for the moment, just waiting for the day 😉)
Thanks Robin. Very good idea!
Another superb video which is very interesting, although I always look forward to Thursdays when a new one comes out. I have often wondered about the close coupling between coaches and how these could be improved by the manufacturers and, I think, I may have come up with the answer. I was intrigued by your magnetic couplings, A and B between coaches, trucks etc. Would it be possible to add a magnetic strip to the insides of the paper couplings, A one side and B the other so that they stick together like the underside magnetic couplings do? Surely that would make the seal so much better such that no light would appear at all between the coaches? What do you think, Lewis, possible, or not?
Regards, Eric
Thanks Eric - that’s actually a damn good idea! I guess the only issue would be the paper ripping if a heavy rake of coaches are joined, but you could just easily make the gangways out of something a bit stronger. I might give that a go!
Very interesting video, I have thought about going down the Kaydee route but the cost for my collection would be astronomical nowadays. I so hate the tension lock it should have been discontinued a long time ago, it just droops on a lot of modern models so they never couple properly and they come in different sizes with different length hooks causing derailments. Need to find a good reliable alternative that doesn’t cost an arm and leg.
Thanks Rob. Yep the Kadees are crazy expensive. I got a bulk pack second hand on eBay I think, but brand new they’re nearly £8 for four in my local shop. That’s nuts!
And I thought mixing Hornby Dublo and Triang tension locks was complicated - showing my age there 🙄
Ha, I haven’t tried that yet!
Hello. Video super good 👍👍👍🎥🛤️🚝🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍. Thanks. Fim 🚂👮♂️✋
Thanks 😀
trouble with couplings is people still want coaches to go round curves you would find on a childs model-railway , very unrealistic , especially with couplings the scale- size of a double bed !! just saying . Your model railway is exquisite and proves the old adage "less is more ."😍😍
Thank you 😀 That’s true - I guess if you had unrealistic curves that tight, you’d probably be happy with the old tension locks.
@@MouldyRaspberry don't believe in unrealistic curves -reminds me of Triang Trains when I was a kid and those big couplings that look like 15 foot between each waggon just look silly!
Ahh. you "bodged" the couplings, not "botched" them!
A bit of both I reckon! 🤣
Nice, but magnetic couplings can cause damage. Remember that some magnets are so strong, it takes a lot of strength to prise them apart. And then something gets broken, hopefully not beyond economical repair. Kadee couplings aren't right for coupling up British engines and rolling stock, as damage can be caused because they are heavy. To keep the coupling gentle, NEM couplings are much better. They are lighter and coupling up is more realistic with them. So remove all Kadee and magnetic couplings, and put the NEM couplings back where they belong. Trust me, NEM couplings are much better than magnets and Kadee couplings in the long run.🙃😉🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🚂
Personal preference
I always did more damage using the NEM tension locks, I’d pick a wagon up and it would hook on something, drag the whole rake off the track and cause mayhem!