N-Possible Coupler Announcement (Nashville 2022)

[CBQ Fan]

What brand cars and brand/type of couplers?  Body or truck mounted?

Microtrains and whatever couplers come on them stock.

[peteski]

Microtrains and whatever couplers come on them stock.

So body-mounted then.  I could see some problems during backup moves (the couplers can get pushed to the side), but if it happens when stopping the train, that seems unusual.  Well, unless maybe the stop is on a curve.  Sounds like some detective work is needed for a diagnosis.

[Lemosteam]

Microtrains and whatever couplers come on them stock.

Replace the plastic pins with MT screws to prevent swivel. The plastic pins allow the coupler box to swivel for tight radii curves, but it introduces two pivot factors on each coupled joint that can cause hook misalignment.

[CBQ Fan]

Replace the plastic pins with MT screws to prevent swivel. The plastic pins allow the coupler box to swivel for tight radii curves, but it introduces two pivot factors on each coupled joint that can cause hook misalignment.

Interesting and cool!  This also explains why they work their way loose over time and fall out.

[CBQ Fan]

@Lemosteam

Is this what you are referring to 001 12 020? 

[Lemosteam]

Yes. Also keep in Ming that now you will only have the coupler swing in the 1015 box available in curves AND more importantly the car overhang as it traverses the curve will use much of that coupler swing.

This is why some makers use a kinematic (ever changing swing geometry) bar to allow for close coupling. Keep an eye on the ends of the car as they traverse through the crossover, noting how close they are even with all of that motion. These kinematic couplers of my design are for the BLI P70 cars.I just wanted to illustrate the action and to imagine the coupler swing.

I think that is why MT uses a pivot pin. One thing that might also work is an untightened screw in the coupler and a stop block on each side of the coupler box to limit the amount of swing the MT couplers can use to hazard a guess.

[peteski]

This is why some makers use a kinematic (ever changing swing geometry) bar to allow for close coupling. Keep an eye on the ends of the car as they traverse through the crossover, noting how close they are even with all of that motion. These kinematic couplers of my design are for the BLI P70 cars.I just wanted to illustrate the action and to imagine the coupler swing.

Yes, the kinematic coupler design (yes rapido couplers) has pretty much been a standard on most European N scale model trains released in the last 10 years or so. Even on very short cars.  The benefit is that this type of coupler allows for close coupling while still being capable of traversing sharp curves.

The FVM Hiawatha cars are are I believe the only American prototype models factory equipped with kinematic couplers. Kato offers kinematic coupling for their SP Daylight set, but it is an add-on kit.

[Lemosteam]

Yes, the kinematic coupler design (yes rapido couplers) has pretty much been a standard on most European N scale model trains released in the last 10 years or so. Even on very short cars.  The benefit is that this type of coupler allows for close coupling while still being capable of traversing sharp curves.

The FVM Hiawatha cars are are I believe the only American prototype models factory equipped with kinematic couplers. Kato offers kinematic coupling for their SP Daylight set, but it is an add-on kit.

The BLI P70 are kinematic, they just chose to put REALLY LONG couplers on the kinematic pivot piece.  My design uses the feature but pulls the cars much closer.

[peteski]

The BLI P70 are kinematic, they just chose to put REALLY LONG couplers on the kinematic pivot piece.  My design uses the feature but pulls the cars much closer.

Yes, I totally forgot about it (and I have one of those cars I bought to play with the nuclear-glow lighting).  I was also thinking of modifying the coupler.  That car is sitting in the middle of my projects pile. buried by few other projects.

[Jbub]

Yes, I totally forgot about it (and I have one of those cars I bought to play with the nuclear-glow lighting).  I was also thinking of modifying the coupler.  That car is sitting in the middle of my projects pile. buried by few other projects.

When you write about your "pile of projects" I can only imagine what your desk looks like. The never ending pile of to do's

[peteski]

When you write about your "pile of projects" I can only imagine what your desk looks like. The never ending pile of to do's

LOL!  This is my workbench few years ago (it is even worse now)!  And lots of projects are waiting on the shelves on the other side of the workshop.

[Cajonpassfan]

And I thought mine was BAD! 😬😬😬

[peteski]

And I thought mine was BAD! 😬😬😬

I admit that I clearly have a problem.  Too many projects, way too little time. 

[JMaurer1]

...and here I was going to say that it is much cleaner than mine.

[Mark5]

...and here I was going to say that it is much cleaner than mine.

  Mine was much worse before I boxed most of it up last year. 

http://classicplastic.org/image/Pete-workshop-5.jpg