Scale Trains using MTL couplers?!

[peteski]

Looking at the full page ad for their SD40-2 (in the N-Scale Magazine) shows a photo of the model and the coupler on it sure looks like MTL coupler, not the usual Scale Train's "Boxing Glove Jr." coupler they have been using all along.  What's the scoop?  Did they realize that their own knuckle coupler was not all that great?

[Bendtracker1]

Sure hope so!

[Sokramiketes]

Looking at the full page ad for their SD40-2 (in the N-Scale Magazine) shows a photo of the model and the coupler on it sure looks like MTL coupler, not the usual Scale Train's "Boxing Glove Jr." coupler they have been using all along.  What's the scoop?  Did they realize that their own knuckle coupler was not all that great?

My guess, if that is true, is that Matt Gaudynski is steering them in the right direction from an N scale perspective.  He has long understood what N scaler's are looking for and products that just run well.  And sometimes that means using the standard couplers and not trying to reinvent the wheel when the mass market is long trains on N-trak. 

[C855B]

Hmm. We've been hammering on them about their couplers since their first N scale release, the Big Blows, and that, yes, they specifically kept telling us that MTL couplers are drop-in in their cast-in boxes. Something I have yet to do, but need to, waffling between hacking the box out in favor of TSC or just sucking it up and going old-school. I have one GTEL8500 on the bench due to broken original couplers. Durable they are not.

Anyway, any transition to MTL on ST's part would be straightforward beyond striking a deal with MTL as OEM and sending the parts to their China operation, no redesign needed.

[lock4244]

Durable they are not.

Hard to be durable when they'll only automatically couple at warp 6.9 or greater 

[JoeD]

I know the standard conversion is to take out the innards of their coupler and replace our stuff using their box.  Seems easy enough.  I'm not aware of any contact between us and Scale Trains concerning OEM (it may be but that all happens further up the food chain here)  Many of our older customers switch to the Chinese made knock offs years ago. 

Joe

[peteski]

Unfortunately this drop-in MTL conversion using the innards of 1015 coupler only works in the Big Blow model (including the tender).  Their standard turbines no longer feature the slots in the top and bottom of the coupler box for the MTLs to operate properly.  Not sure about their other locos.  It is really too bad, as that was a brilliant idea.  I wonder why they decided to get rid of that feature? Miscommunication between them and the designers in China?  I don't think there is any extra cost involved when cutting the molds just to mill those slots needed for MTLs.  Just follow the Big Blow design.

I also am puzzled that Scale Trains(as a company striving for realism and incredible level of detail in their "Rivet counter" models) would design their own coupler to look and work as terrible as it does.  It would have made sense for their coupler to be closer in size to the MTL Z or TSC couplers than to the giant Bachmann "Boxing Glove" coupler.  When entire model is detailed to the extreme, and has all the railroad-specific features, that large coupler stands out like a sore thumb.  Yes, I know Scale Trains folks are ex-Athearn employees, and their coupler shows quite a similarity to McHenry couplers (Athearn product), but still, I think they could have done better.

[C855B]

... Their standard turbines no longer feature the slots in the top and bottom of the coupler box for the MTLs to operate properly.  ...

Well, crap. Didn't realize that. Those hadn't made it to the bench yet. They run way too well and I'm loathe to take 'em off the layout.

[peteski]

Well, crap. Didn't realize that. Those hadn't made it to the bench yet. They run way too well and I'm loathe to take 'em off the layout.

Actually, they did mold a shallow slot in the coupler box's bottom cover, but it is in on the wrong side!  Weird.

I thought I mentioned this back when the first run of standard turbines came out.  But these models do run very well, and the sound is amazing (especially the Big Blow, but standard turbines also have awesome sound).

[bnsfdash8]

The coupler definitely looks a MTL after enlarging a picture from their site.

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[peteski]

Hmmm, strange that the trip pin is twisted out of place.  This couldn't be done on MTL couplers since the trip pin is not round.  I wonder if those are MTL clones, and they use round cross section trip pins, which can easily be twisted out of alignment (like in the what Arnold/Hornby did in their version of RMR coupler).  It is sad to see companies trying to make knuckle couplers, yet failing to match MTL couplers. 

[ridinshotgun]

Actually, they did mold a shallow slot in the coupler box's bottom cover, but it is in on the wrong side!  Weird.

I thought I mentioned this back when the first run of standard turbines came out.  But these models do run very well, and the sound is amazing (especially the Big Blow, but standard turbines also have awesome sound).

They did that same thing on the first run carbon black hoppers too. IT was a royal pain to put the MTL coupler in and they have never sat right or worked 100%.

[oakcreekco]

It's 2023.

Why should it be a PITA to put MTL's on a model from a "big player?"

Doesn't make sense.

[Bendtracker1]

Scale Trains(as a company striving for realism and incredible level of detail in their "Rivet counter" models) would design their own coupler to look and work as terrible as it does.

This is what doesn't make sense...I have thought about this since the Carbon Black cars came out.
A company that brags itself on fidelity and then they use a boxing glove.   

[spookshow]

The feature list on their website would seem to imply that they are not MTL's -

Body mounted knuckle couplers; Micro-Trains® compatible
Coupler box accepts Micro-Trains 1015/1016 couplers without modification

-Mark