Couplers (not Kadee)

[m13d]

I read some previous posts about using Kadee couplers, and they looked amazing. I ordered a couple sets, but I don't have the skills or the patience to assemble them. Getting that stupid little spring in there appears to be beyond me. Has anyone tried any other brands? Does anybody manufacture or sell pre-assembled couplers? I see that Atlas appears to have an O scale coupler, but I can't seem to find any more information about it.

[Redimus]

I've never felt the need to to go away from the default magnetic couplers, I feel they're part of the charm of Lego and are pretty reliable.

[legoboy3998]

I am not sure there are any pre assembled couplers out there.  The main reason for the spring is to center the coupler in the box so it will always line up when you want to couple cars.  I use a simple tweezers to grab and compress the spring in the middle.  I make sure to leave a couple loops on the outside of either side of the tweezers so the spring won't pop off and go flying.  It works pretty well, but I keep extra springs I get in a small ziploc bag just in case I loose one.  I have a few more couplers I have to assemble.  When a I get back home from vacation, I can post pics of how I assemble them.

(I realize this doesn't exactly answer your question.)

Sal,

WFB, WI

[m13d]

51 minutes ago, Redimus said:

I've never felt the need to to go away from the default magnetic couplers, I feel they're part of the charm of Lego and are pretty reliable.

One of the things I want to do is automatic uncoupling, and some semi-realistic train operations. That is not possible with the default magnetic couplers.

21 minutes ago, legoboy3998 said:

I am not sure there are any pre assembled couplers out there.  The main reason for the spring is to center the coupler in the box so it will always line up when you want to couple cars.  I use a simple tweezers to grab and compress the spring in the middle.  I make sure to leave a couple loops on the outside of either side of the tweezers so the spring won't pop off and go flying.  It works pretty well, but I keep extra springs I get in a small ziploc bag just in case I loose one.  I have a few more couplers I have to assemble.  When a I get back home from vacation, I can post pics of how I assemble them.

(I realize this doesn't exactly answer your question.)

Sal,

WFB, WI

I understand, and appreciate the reason for the spring. It's just that, so far, I have lacked the patience, or the skill, to successfully assemble them. I look forward to seeing your pics, perhaps the solution is just me watching someone else do it.

[legoboy3998]

On ‎4‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 8:22 PM, m13d said:

I understand, and appreciate the reason for the spring. It's just that, so far, I have lacked the patience, or the skill, to successfully assemble them. I look forward to seeing your pics, perhaps the solution is just me watching someone else do it.

It took me a little longer to co than I planned, but I finally got around to doing some needed coupler assembly and took what picks I could.  They, along with descriptions of the process can be found on my flickr.

[m13d]

19 hours ago, legoboy3998 said:

It took me a little longer to co than I planned, but I finally got around to doing some needed coupler assembly and took what picks I could.  They, along with descriptions of the process can be found on my flickr.

Thank you. I'll take a look, and see if it can help me.

[xboxtravis7992]

Do O Scale Kadee use a spring for self centering? I have only worked with HO Kadees so I only know of the "whiskers" which self center the coupler.

Technically real prototype trains don't self coupler like most models do. So removing the springs and whiskers etc. is realistic, it just is tedious manually centering every single coupler!

[Xris]

2 hours ago, xboxtravis7992 said:

Do O Scale Kadee use a spring for self centering? I have only worked with HO Kadees so I only know of the "whiskers" which self center the coupler.

Yes, the O-gauge Kadee couplers use a spiral spring for self centering.

Christian