Adventures in prototypical True-Scale coupler pockets.

[wcfn100]

Should have the new version tomorrow hopefully, but I'm not sure how much time I'll have the rest of the week to test them.  At a minimum I need to see if the counter sunk holes will cause the FXD to crack under too much tightening.  If not, then it's full steam ahead with other pockets with various amounts of swing or extended draft gear styles.

I also found out my test track that I thought was 15" (381mm) radius is actually 13.7" (348mm), so I'm even more encouraged that these couplers will work for whatever I need, especially if I have any sort of easements.  I need to find my worst offender car.  Right now it's between the Athearn 89' flat and the MTL heavyweight with the bolster holes set towards the middle of the car (lots of overhang).

Jason

[robert3985]

Should have the new version tomorrow hopefully, but I'm not sure how much time I'll have the rest of the week to test them.  At a minimum I need to see if the counter sunk holes will cause the FXD to crack under too much tightening.  If not, then it's full steam ahead with other pockets with various amounts of swing or extended draft gear styles.

I also found out my test track that I thought was 15" (381mm) radius is actually 13.7" (348mm), so I'm even more encouraged that these couplers will work for whatever I need, especially if I have any sort of easements.  I need to find my worst offender car.  Right now it's between the Athearn 89' flat and the MTL heavyweight with the bolster holes set towards the middle of the car (lots of overhang).

Jason

Jason,
Kudos to you for your work.  Just to let you know, I'm following this thread closely and when you get your final design(s) to where you like 'em, I'll be ordering a sh*t load of these to completely re-coupler all of my motive power and rolling stock...

Keep up the good work!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[wcfn100]

So after a 3 day delay and my regular postman going on vacation, I went down to the PO and got my Shapeways package.

Everything appears to have worked out exactly the way I had hoped.  The Atlas adapter fits perfect and the coupler is spot on to my gauge.  The only thing I don't like is tapping the FXD.  I beefed everything up to avoid any breakage and it seems to have worked but the material still isn't the best for threading.  Fortunately the screw is just for holding the lid.









I also got the new standard coupler pocket for the Atlas box car with the flat head screw.  So far, so good on the lids not cracking under the pressure of the screw.



I think I'm all set with these two pockets.  I'm going to send a few out for testing and open them for sale.  Next up is a slightly larger (wider) coupler pocket for cars longer than 50' and also one for 89' cars and passenger cars.  Hopefully that's it for generic pockets.  Looking at my freight cars roster, these plenty of opportunity for custom pockets as well.

Jason

[robert3985]

Okay...I'm ready to order standard coupler pockets.  Just let me know how to do that ASAP

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[wazzou]

Jason, maybe I missed it but why what was it necessary to do the milling on the frame?

[MarkJ]

Very impressive work!

You mentioned that the lids on early versions were prone to cracking. Is it because you’re using a screw with a counter sunk head or is the FXD is that brittle?  I’m wondering if you can source a flathead screw that is not counter sunk (I’m assuming 00-90 threads).

Here is where I get my hardware: https://www.microfasteners.com/

Maybe they have something you can use. How about a nylon pan head screw that you can easily flatten with a file or hobby knife?

Again, great work!
Thanks, Mark J.

[Lemosteam]

I have also used these with awesome success:

https://www.microfasteners.com/nbb00908-00-90-x-1-2-binder-head-screws-nylon.html



The head is only 0.57mm high.

[Sokramiketes]

It looks like these boxes are a bit shorter in overall height than the MTL version?  A common theme on my first 10 converted cars is that the damn screw keeps ending up in line with an axle. And once you get the car to the right bolster height, the coupler box and screw are in the way.  So I switch from the useless MTL button heads to countersunk heads like you're using, but its still not ideal clearance. 

Maybe I missed it somewhere, but what height are we suppose to be setting these to?  I've been seeing what works easiest on the conversions so far, and then dialing in cars to a mean height from there.  But maybe I'm setting them too low and that's the issue with axle clearance.

[wcfn100]

You mentioned that the lids on early versions were prone to cracking. Is it because you’re using a screw with a counter sunk head or is the FXD is that brittle?  I’m wondering if you can source a flathead screw that is not counter sunk (I’m assuming 00-90 threads).

Mark, I haven't had any cracking yet.  I was concerned about the switch to the flathead screw and any spreading forces because the FXD is very brittle. I think the design is robust enough that it's not going to be an issue.

Mike, with the flat head screw these pocket have a lot of clearance. I've been setting my couplers to the same. 216" centerline like the normal MTL couplers. 


Jason

[Kentuckian]

What is the current status of this product? I can't find it on shapeways.

I am interested because I have been testing the TSCs on my HCD layout. The curves on each end of the oval have about a 13" radius. A TSC on an Atlas GP-9 will derail a 40' MT boxcar with Fox Valley wheelsets and weighted to NMRA specs. A Bachmann consolidation, which has less space between the rear truck and coupler, will not derail the same car. So I want to try these modified boxes on the geep to get more coupler swing in the curves.

Other than that, I like them a lot. Easy to assemble and install, no slinky effect, and no unwanted uncoupling.

[wcfn100]

Unfortunately I had to again leave town to attend to some family matters.  I should be back home by the weekend can hopefully get back to this then.

Presently, I just need to separate the regular coupler box and the Atlas ore car box into to different files and I will put them up for sale.  I have been looking through my collection of cars to identify any cars that will require special boxes.  I will warn ahead of time that some cars will not be simple.

One other thing I've been waiting on is I contacted Joe at MTL and asked about the possibility of getting just the long shank couplers in brown without the rest of what  they package it with now.  Joe said he'd ask and I haven't heard back. While not a deal breaker, getting 50 packs of just the coupler would certainly be cost beneficial.  I really hope that they don't view these coupler pockets as some sort of competition to what they sell but more of a promotion of the coupler itself.

I will try and get the regular pockets up for sale next week and give a preview of some other pockets that are in design.

On a side note, I have some concern about these couplers being available in the future.  I have been to several hobby shops in the last few weeks and not a single one carries these and when I ask, they haven't even heard of them.  I may need some assurance from Joe/MTL that they won't pull the plug on these in the next 5-10 years.


Jason

[peteski]

  I may need some assurance from Joe/MTL that they won't pull the plug on these in the next 5-10 years.

Wouldn't this really depend on how well they sell?  That is how most products life-cycles are.

I think that we should be realistic here - while visually appealing, I doubt they will ever sell well to the average N scale modelers, which means that they won't sell in large quantities.   One thing going for them is that the molds are already made, so MTL will keep producing couplers to at least try to recoup the tooling costs. Then since the molds are available, squirting plastic into the mold and packaging them unassembled  into clam-shell packages is fairly inexpensive, so I think they they will probably keep on producing them for as long as the modelers keep buying.

[Trainmaster247]

Ok, i am sure its obvous but are these ho scale or work with kadees?

[jagged ben]

This is about an n scale product.

[Trainmaster247]

k thanks