N-Possible Coupler Announcement (Nashville 2022)

[ednadolski]

I visited the demo booth at Altoona today. These really looked great.

Pics...?

Ed

[Dwight in Toronto]

I visited the demo booth at Altoona today. These really looked great.

Same here.  Andrew did a superb job of explaining how to assemble the couplers, and I was especially impressed with his demonstration of tensile strength.  These little couplers really hang on to each other - 100+ rakes of cars would be a walk in the park.  And their diminutive size and appearance are simply astounding.  He’s still on-track for a November release, so, not long now!

[robert3985]

Same here.  Andrew did a superb job of explaining how to assemble the couplers, and I was especially impressed with his demonstration of tensile strength.  These little couplers really hang on to each other - 100+ rakes of cars would be a walk in the park.  And their diminutive size and appearance are simply astounding.  He’s still on-track for a November release, so, not long now!

Man, I can't wait!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[MRLX1020]

I keep following this thread for all my freight, but in building the Union Pacific business car fleet, I've acquired a few Overland Models brass cars. While the overall looks are great, the MTLs and distance between the cars compared to the Kato cars are enormous.

I'm hoping they will drop in and fit in the OMI box.

Perhaps an F or H modified tightlock head might be in the works for these couplers later for added prototype fidelity on passenger applications?

I have drawings available for the head contours on both of these.

Justin

[learmoia]

I walked around the show twice and didn't see the booth.. where was he?

[MK]

I walked around the show twice and didn't see the booth.. where was he?

Right across from the Combined T-Trak layout, more towards the front.

[randgust]

I stopped by as a bored skeptic and after some study would have walked away with enough to do a full test if they were ready to sell.

I won't be convinced until I can try them, but they are seemingly ideal for my little log trains, tiny geared steam, etc.   

The printing fidelity is absolutely off the chart, never seen anything like it.

[Jimbo]

The printing fidelity is absolutely off the chart, never seen anything like it.

I presume this means that the samples on display were 3D printed?

Jim

[Dwight in Toronto]

I presume this means that the samples on display were 3D printed?

Jim

Yes, Andrew confirmed 3D printing as his production method.

[peteski]

So the production couplers (not just prototypes) will also be 3D printed, not typical injection-molded slippery plastic (like Delrin?).  Well, that explains things to me quite well.

[randgust]

I know it's scary, but this is something that Bob Gilmore, Peteski, and I all could use and agree on.   They are just absurdly smaller, yet coupled easily, fit in existing boxes, and passed the pull stress tests.  And no slinky, which really appealed to me.

If I hadn't seen it for myself I'd dismiss it entirely.   The only question I have is how you could possibly keep up with production when it all has to be RP'd.   Talked to his wife, too, and she said he had to make and design his own springs. 

He can't do magnetic uncoupling, and you better be really good with a skewer to uncouple.   He was also trying to figure out how to print a modified mount for the front of an Atlas Shay.   Oh... now you got me.

[Jimbo]

In an earlier post, it sounded like the only remaining item he needed was the spring, which has arrived.

So I’m not sure what would be holding them up for release to the public?

I agree with you, @randgust  - I’d think 3D printing would not be a viable long-term production method.  We have bunches of people eagerly waiting for these; if the production can’t keep up with demand, then demand will dry up.  ‘Cuz once someone makes the decision to convert, they’ve “crossed the Rubicon”, “burned the boats”, “passed V1” (for our aviators), etc.  And if modelers aren’t comfortable with the long-term supply, they will be hesitant to consider conversion.  It ain’t like the production delays with Atlas code 55 track, or Micro Engineering turnouts, where there are other options.  Availability gaps of couplers will be much more painful.


If @turbowhiz is willing to “cross the Rubicon” with us (by ordering injection molding tooling) and offer them in Delrin, then it would indicate his long-term faith in the product.

Having said all of that, I’m still willing to experiment once they are available.  Who knows… maybe he has a solution to meet demand with his current process?

Thank you to all you who have seen these and have reported your observations!!

Jim

[jagged ben]

I don't really want another delrin coupler.  Worst material for couplers.

[ridinshotgun]

In an earlier post, it sounded like the only remaining item he needed was the spring, which has arrived.

So I’m not sure what would be holding them up for release to the public?

I agree with you, @randgust  - I’d think 3D printing would not be a viable long-term production method.  We have bunches of people eagerly waiting for these; if the production can’t keep up with demand, then demand will dry up.  ‘Cuz once someone makes the decision to convert, they’ve “crossed the Rubicon”, “burned the boats”, “passed V1” (for our aviators), etc.  And if modelers aren’t comfortable with the long-term supply, they will be hesitant to consider conversion.  It ain’t like the production delays with Atlas code 55 track, or Micro Engineering turnouts, where there are other options.  Availability gaps of couplers will be much more painful.


If @turbowhiz is willing to “cross the Rubicon” with us (by ordering injection molding tooling) and offer them in Delrin, then it would indicate his long-term faith in the product.

Having said all of that, I’m still willing to experiment once they are available.  Who knows… maybe he has a solution to meet demand with his current process?

Thank you to all you who have seen these and have reported your observations!!

Jim

I had that very conversation with Andrew at Altoona about supply chain availability. While this is a great product from everything I have seen both here and first hand from his running on our freemo-n layouts i really want to get into them but with the way he described his distribution and production I have my doubts I will be able to get my hands on anywhere near the amount I want to start. And for sure never if all of the posters here ever try to get the numbers of couplers they are claiming to want. If they can’t be available in bulk numbers for a long time (and that is what it sounded like from him) I just don’t want to do drive and drabs of one or two when I can occasionally find them in stock since he said has no plans to offer anything other than the packs like he has on display at his booth in the near future and it would be a long time before any bulk packaging was available.

I really hope he finds a way to get lots of product to market in a reasonable frame of time and we don’t have another micro engineering issue as alluded to above.

[wazzou]

Whomp, whomp.
I too was looking forward to these.
A streamlined injection molded production method is going to be necessary to fulfill the demand for these.
I fear it’s going to be be like trying to find TP was a few years ago.