Go ahead and upgrade your couplers now!

[tom mann]

http://www.sergentengineering.com/

[DKS]

http://1-87.blogspot.com/2008/07/new-couplers.html

Just got my order, will post photos shortly. In a word, awesome.

[hminky]

I can never understand why people put a scale coupler in the supplied HO KD compatible draftgear box molded on cars.



The Accumate proto:HO box on the left and the "HO" box on the right. If you don't use the narrow shank box what is the point? I like the Accumate Proto:HO because it is less finicky than the Sergent and not that much difference at layout level.

Just wondering
Harold

[DKS]

Open and closed:



Compared to Kadees:



For whose who don't know how these couplers work, a tiny steel ball bearing inside the coupler locks the knuckle in the closed position. When a magnetic wand is held over the coupler, the ball is raised, allowing the knuckle to open. You can see the ball in this photo:



BTW, the couplers come finished in a perfect rust color, exactly as you see them here.

They're available assembled or in kit form, with various shank and pocket styles. They also have a version made for steam loco pilots.

[tom mann]

David, send those photos to them, they are better than what they have on their site.

[DKS]

David, send those photos to them, they are better than what they have on their site.

And I thought mine were bad--the auto-focus kept focusing on the coupler pocket instead of the coupler!

[asciibaron]

i have been a big fan of these since they came out - the PROTO:87 movement is really starting to take off and the coupler is the make it/break it point for many.  i would advise against using these couplers if you have sidings out of reach or hard to reach places - the couplers are not self centering and require you to move them in the pocket, just like the prototype. 

you also have to set the coupler ahead of time - if at least one knuckle is not open, you will never make the connection.  you have to open a knuckle and align the coupler so you can make the connection.  i wonder if anyone has lost a finger to these yet 

moving to this type of coupler really slows down switching operation and puts it on a real time level.  having to "pull the pin" on grades also could open up kicking of cars or dropping helpers  - you just have to time it right.

so yeah, these things rock.

-Steve

[Mark5]

Wow, those are nice.

[tom mann]

David, did you get the kit or the assembled ones?

[DKS]

David, did you get the kit or the assembled ones?

For the regular couplers, I got them all assembled--a few of both versions, the drop-ins for Kadee-style pockets, and the kind already installed in scale-sized pockets (seen in the photos). But I also got a pilot coupler for my 0-6-0, and that only comes in kit form. Hang on, and I'll post a photo of each--the kit is a bit scary with that ball bearing being loose...!

[DKS]

Left to right, assembled coupler in scale pocket, assembled drop-in Kadee (or equiv.) replacement, and pilot coupler kit:



This is the pilot coupler kit, which they refer to as a "craftsman kit". Oddly, it comes with no instructions. The straight pin (see above) I assume is to secure the coupler in the pilot, and the fine brass wire is provided to fashion a cut lever:



And here's a slightly better macro shot of the knuckle. Just look at the rust effects--it's practically "Tom Mann" pre-finished!

[tom mann]

oh, most excellent.

[Erik W]

I decided a while back to use them on all my HOn3 builds.  Here's a HOn3 UTLX tank car I built a year or so ago with the last incarnation of Sergents.









Erik

[Ian MacMillan]

I have been using these for years and mentioned them here! Where have you guys been? Or is it because you just moved over to the dark side! ;D

[DKS]

I have been using these for years and mentioned them here! Where have you guys been? Or is it because you just moved over to the dark side! ;D

I think the topic was raised more because of Sergent's new tooling, which was just announced, than because anyone just discovered Sergent couplers. I don't have any of their older couplers, so I'd be interested to see a direct comparison (their website is a bit short on good marketing information).