The Carolina Sandhills Lines in HO Scale

[Dave V]

If you're going bigger, go all the way!

TWSS.

[ednadolski]

Kit.  But, don't even think about trying this without the assembly jig.

Good advice, and likely explains why I was having mixed results (and those tiny ball bearings are a real trick to handle) 

Anything in particular that you do, to cleanup up flash or otherwise help ensure smooth operation?

Ed

[ednadolski]

Like the prototype, you have to line them up manually.  This is where I want to play with the couplers to see if this becomes too fussy.  I don't mind the lack of a centering feature, but if it turns out that the couplers must be perfectly lined up with no room for error, that will become annoying.  We'll see.

With these (and P:48) I try to install them so that there is just a bit of drag in the swing,  not so much as will impede motion but enough so that they do not flop loosely off-center.  Coupling on curves is a bit more problematic, when variations in overhang leave the couplers in slightly different positions.  The prototype would have the same problem, tho with our models the curves are typically way sharper which accentuates the differences.

Ed

[davefoxx]

They DO look good, Dave.

If you like that, you'll love this comparison:

Before (Accumate boxing glove):



After (Sergent Engineering):



Much better!  It's now going on 1:00 a.m., but I built three pairs of couplers and converted one locomotive, one box car, and one caboose today.  I've been running back and forth and switching the caboose and box car between the two yard tracks.  What a blast!  The couplers seem to be working fine.  I like how you have to slow down to do this operation (like on the prototype), i.e., stop and make sure you're lined up and at least one knuckle is open before coupling, as opposed to just "ram and go" with Kadee-style knuckle couplers.

Looking at the fleet, some cars will be cake to change over, but others, with their glued on uncoupling lever will pose a challenge to avoid causing damage.  I started with the cars that had the Accumate couplers, because they're huge and didn't couple well with the more scale sized Kadee couplers.  Until I get most of the cars converted, I'll leave my second locomotive with Kadee couplers for now, so I can still run anything in the fleet.

DFF

[davefoxx]

But, but, it is an N scale layout!    

Touche! 

UPDATE: Rand has a blog and some photos posted in there. If you look at the photos at https://www.flickr.com/photos/23552090@N03/sets/72157632751693773/ you can see the recesses panels with the bullfrog pulls.

Here are couple:

Perfect!  Thank you!  I'll be using the same knobs as your friend, Rand, which I purchased from Fast Tracks with the Bullfrog kits.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Good advice, and likely explains why I was having mixed results (and those tiny ball bearings are a real trick to handle) 

Anything in particular that you do, to cleanup up flash or otherwise help ensure smooth operation?

Ed

@ednadolski,

I just used the backside of my Xacto knife blade to scrape away any flash inside the coupler, and used a toothpick to burnish inside the pocket where the ball bearing resides, per the instructions.

I didn't have much trouble with the ball bearing.  I have a pair of needle nose pliers that easily picked up one ball bearing, and that allowed me to aim and drop that ball bearing into the pocket (again, the assembly jig made this possible).  The real bitch for me was the spring that needs to go into the coupler shank to provide a little drag to keep the coupler from swinging side-to-side too easily.  Getting that spring into place is tough, and I probably lost about three or four that shot off into space.  Thankfully, I received some extra springs in the package from Fast Tracks.

DFF

[davefoxx]

With these (and P:48) I try to install them so that there is just a bit of drag in the swing,  not so much as will impede motion but enough so that they do not flop loosely off-center.  Coupling on curves is a bit more problematic, when variations in overhang leave the couplers in slightly different positions.  The prototype would have the same problem, tho with our models the curves are typically way sharper which accentuates the differences.

Ed

I agree with wanting a bit of drag, which is why I fussed with those springs.  A video that I watched about installing Sergent Engineering couplers mentioned that you could leave the spring out.  But, once I understood that the purpose of that spring was to provide that bit of drag and minimize the side-to-side motion when coupling, I fought with those springs and made sure that I got them installed.

DFF

[davefoxx]

lol you don't play around when switching scales 

Haha!  Thanks.  Just trying to take advantage of the opportunities that opened up by going to HO. 

DFF

[peteski]

Perfect!  Thank you!  I'll be using the same knobs as your friend, Rand, which I purchased from Fast Tracks with the Bullfrog kits.

DFF

You're welcome!
Rand also made up some bell-cranks between the knob and the bullfrog to reverse the action of the linkages/knobs. He uses those for some of the switches. He also decided that when the knobs are pushed in, that selects the "normal" route for the switch they control (regardless of the switch or the bullfrog orientation in relation to where the knob is).

He left the knobs unpainted/unfinished (which bugs me a bit), but he doesn't sweat the small stuff. 

[LIRR]

nice work dave, you're making great progress......keep us updated on the coupler conversions....

[Lemosteam]

Most be recessed more than mine. They need about 1-5/8" to throw. You can see in my photo if I recessed much more I would hit the Bullfrog.


Dave unless you have a turnout right up against the edge you can just recess back about 1-3/4" under the layout and mount a 1x2 with holes in it.

Why not add a fulcrum between the knob and the bullfrog (if there is room of course), the 1 5/8" motion could be reduced in half.

[svedblen]

I like how you have to slow down to do this operation (like on the prototype), i.e., stop and make sure you're lined up and at least one knuckle is open before coupling, as opposed to just "ram and go" with Kadee-style knuckle couplers.

The same is required with my O scale Clouser couplers. My layout is more or less at eye level so I do mainly see the couplers from the side. Not seeing them from above makes aligning them before coupling quite tough. Hard to believe, but that is true. In this case having the layout somewhat lower is actually better.

But as in your case, the couplers look great 

[eric220]

Another option for recessing the turnout pulls that is popular with my gandy dancer crew is to use PVC pipe caps. Mount them behind the facia, and they create a nice, clean little recess.

[Chris333]

Just got a FT box full of Bullfrogs for my mini layout 

[davefoxx]

Just got a FT box full of Bullfrogs for my mini layout 

Yeah, my experiment with the first Bullfrog went well enough for me that I need to order more, too.

DFF