N-Possible Coupler Announcement (Nashville 2022)

[ednadolski]

It's all or none or all.

If you make up a couple of conversion cars, the you can mix-and-match for a while.   But yeah, you wont have 100% interoperability until everything is converted.

My bet is, once folks see what these can do, they'll want to get to 100% as quickly as they can

Ed

[C855B]

Waiting for these with bated breath. I like the TSCs and have about 200 cars and 20 or so locos converted, but after a couple of years with them I've noticed the centering springs on some are starting to fatigue and won't stay coupled. And, of course, there's the conversion issue as more manufacturers incorporate 1015-compatible boxes into their rolling stock.

[Nick Lorusso]

Will you guys have a height gauge and conversion list?

[ridinshotgun]

Andrew said he was looking for shops to carry them as he does not want to be the retailer. I second Ed, bulks packs will be in the future based off demands

Talking to him while he was over running trains with us and showing off the couplers the bulk packs are on his list but it won't be soon.  I'll get some to convert some of my loco consists but won't be going whole hog until the bulk packs come out and just about all us talking with him told him the same thing.

[dem34]

If I  understand this correctly, since these are not compatible with the currently used "large size" knuckle couplers, this means you have to convert your entire fleet of rolling stock and locomotives, right?  It's all or none or all.

At the show he found out by accident that they are compatible with Athearn,Scaletrains, and Accumate couplers.

[learmoia]

I'll message @turbowhiz here on TRW, but a way to contact him to become a dealer would be welcome.

I'd like to setup Caboose Stop Hobbies as a dealer..

[jagged ben]

At the show he found out by accident that they are compatible with Athearn,Scaletrains, and Accumate couplers.

 

[peteski]

At the show he found out by accident that they are compatible with Athearn,Scaletrains, and Accumate couplers.

 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

At the show he found out by accident that they are compatible with Athearn,Scaletrains, and Accumate couplers.

I was there when he figured it out with the ST boxing glove "Oh, well, that's a thing!". lol.

[peteski]

I was there when he figured it out with the ST boxing glove "Oh, well, that's a thing!". lol.

Well, I believe that "boxing glove" was a name originally given to the *HUGE* Bachmann N scale knuckle couplers, which along with Scale Trains "super prototypical rivet-counter" coupler   seem to be based on design of another greatly oversize N scale coupler: the McHenry.

I seem to recall @daniel_leavitt2000 using it here for the first time, but I'm not sure if he coined the name or heard it somewhere else first.  I recall having a chuckle when I first seen them referred to as "boxing gloves".  Very apt name.

Funny to see that a truly prototypically sized coupler will mate with one of the largest examples of the oversize couplers.  I wonder what the offspring will look  like? 

[jwaldo]

Funny to see that a truly prototypically sized coupler will mate with one of the largest examples of the oversize couplers.  I wonder what the offspring will look  like? 

This is how Accumates are made. 

[Lackawannae8]

I love Andrews concept and will be making an enormous order from him as soon as they hit the market for some of my unit trains

[garethashenden]

Does anyone know how these uncouple? I'm assuming a fine pick of some sort?

[GM50 4164]

Does anyone know how these uncouple? I'm assuming a fine pick of some sort?

Andrew was using a home made pick similar to what we use already though with a small difference. Most picks we use have a slight wedge in them whether it be a skewer or Rix Products uncoupling tool. Andrew's was almost like a needle though not so fine of a point. His didn't have a wedge at all. He showed us how they uncouple but it will take some getting used to as he was going in at a angle where as we normally go straight down and twist. He didn't seem to twist at all. Again, just something new to learn but I'm sure we'll be able to fairly quickly.

[turbowhiz]

Just a quick note here on compatibility;

Just because they couple doesn’t mean they’re going to be acceptably reliable. I’m not claiming any compatibility with existent overscale couplers, even though as has been mentioned here they actually do functionally couple to some existent overscale designs. I’d known about the ScaleTrains “working” for a while, but the Accumates were a surprise. You can work them into a coupled state with Kato and conventional MTL couplers too.

Automatic coupling is very spotty at best… High force needed, and making a joint is very hit and miss. My medium and long shank couplers are more likely to automatically couple then the short shank couplers. The scale/overscale couplers poorly aligned when connected, so reverse movements or tighter corners or long trains will be an issue. But super simplistically the cars do stay connected together and they can traverse corners and turnouts. The scale/overscale joint isn’t very reliable on uneven track.

A conversion car will be a much more satisfactory experience I expect. Any (semi) compatibility with existing overscale designs is just a happy accident, and at least in my opinion the experience isn’t optimal. That said, I will say in some cases the reliablity is arguably better then some other brand-K to brand-x joints, so depending on your goals, it could work in a pinch.

Andrew