Scale Trains using MTL couplers?!

[C855B]

As much gnashing of teeth as there has been over the whole coupler thing with ST, you'd think they'd relent and just do it. It's become too much of a distraction. I contend for every penny they save by rolling their own, they spend a nickel on administrative, support and marketing to defend their decision, and that's not considering the costs incurred in multiple retools to get one that works.

I'll put my tin hat on and posit that whatever is driving this priority, it's gotta be personal. Gotta be. They do everything else so well, so why not the couplers? 

[MRLX1020]

I asked Shane W. about this point blank at the Collinsville, IL RPM meet a few years back about this - and his response at the time was that "it is that much quicker/easier to install a one piece coupler assembly than a two piece coupler with a spring". 

Seems fair enough, I only fix or replace these if they act up in service... Both versions of couplers seemed to run fine on my KCS grain train mixed in with McHenry and MTL equipped cars...

[peteski]

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

Ok, then judging by appearance in the photo, they are MTL clones (likely not as well made). Good news to me is that they again made the coupler box compatible with the MTL coupler "innards", and that they hopefully ditched their "Boxing Glove Jr.) couplers. 

[GM50 4164]

I spoke with Shane about this at the N Scale convention when they were first announced and if I remember correctly they needed these as the coupler box sat to far back and would hit the trucks  if they used their original coupler. So these MT clones needed to be used instead.

 I'm pretty sure that's what he said.

[peteski]

I spoke with Shane about this at the N Scale convention when they were first announced and if I remember correctly they needed these as the coupler box sat to far back and would hit the trucks  if they used their original coupler. So these MT clones needed to be used instead.

 I'm pretty sure that's what he said.

Well, ok. I just wish they would stop messing with the couplers, and stick to a single design (preferably one which will also accept MTL coupler shanks without modifications, like they did on the Big Blow turbines).  That couplers "musical chairs" game seems a bit unprofessional.  Hopefully, in the subsequent models, they will stick with MTL clones.