New auto-coupling air hoses available in N scale.

[wcfn100]

At $3.50 a car vs.  $0.40 for the better looking BLMA train lines, I doubt I'll ever even try them.

Jason

[ednadolski]

Uh-oh. Does this mean we need a "3 inch rule"? 

I can't see that close even with my glasses....  maybe it's time for me to get back into Proto:48....       

Ed

[mirage]

I can't see that close even with my glasses....  maybe it's time for me to get back into Proto:48....       

Ed

I think it would be hardly visible on an average n-scale layout with 20-30 car trains running ;-(

[Scottl]

Yet, a lot of what we do is to detail our models for close up photos.  These are radically better visually than MT hooks.  Each to their own.

[w neal]

Its great they offer them in N scale, but the price?; ouch!!

Can we see a demo please with slow uncoupling motion?

I'll wait till then.

[bbussey]

I happen to like the Magne-Matic system of coupling/uncoupling and delayed spotting.  It's worked well for nearly half a century.  The primary reason the Micro-Trains nee-Kadee couplers were and are widely accepted (and the trip pins are not "stupid-looking" since an inanimate object cannot "look" stupid btw) is because they were a vastly improved alternative to the Rapido coupler — so much so that there has been no alternate method designed over the past 40+ years to render it obsolete, and the other manufacturers have either incorporated the MTL coupler into their products or introduced a coupler that operates within MTL coupler parameters.   

Seems to me that it is possible to discuss the merits of one product without trashing the merits of another.

[Scottl]

The MT pins look terrible, how is that for grammar.

[DKS]

The MT pins look terrible, how is that for grammar.

And those knuckles look just fine? Just wondering where one draws the line, what gets a pass and what doesn't.

[Scottl]

We are waiting, with considerable patience, for the next great thing in couplers...

[DKS]

Let's leave that out of the equation for the time being. They are still a ways off; in the meantime we have what we have, and I'm curious about where people's heads are at with respect to couplers.

[VonRyan]

Let's leave that out of the equation for the time being. They are still a ways off; in the meantime we have what we have, and I'm curious about where people's heads are at with respect to couplers.

The McHenry's look prototypical, albeit they aren't shrink-ray copies of the real thing, and of course that outside spring is just a throwup to HO Kadee couplers.



-Cody F.

[Mark5]

I'm curious about where people's heads are at with respect to couplers.

I like Accumate and MTL. I prefer the Accumate (I've been experimenting with body mounting these) due to the MTL slinky, but respect the wide range of coupler options MTL offers. The McHenry's are just too big for my tolerance, and the Bachmann knuckle is even worse.

Mark

[bbussey]

I like Accumate and MTL. I prefer the Accumate (I've been experimenting with body mounting these) due to the MTL slinky, but respect the wide range of coupler options MTL offers. The McHenry's are just too big for my tolerance, and the Bachmann knuckle is even worse.

With the exception of preferring the AccuMates over MTLs, I agree on all counts.  I like the two couplers equally, along with the Kato couplers.  All three are capable of the delayed uncoupling function.

[wcfn100]

I like Accumate and MTL. I prefer the Accumate (I've been experimenting with body mounting these) due to the MTL slinky, but respect the wide range of coupler options MTL offers. The McHenry's are just too big for my tolerance, and the Bachmann knuckle is even worse.

Yep.

I was a big user of MTL Z scale couplers until body mounted couplers became standard.  The extra cost was fine when I was changing cars over from truck to body mount, but I just can't justify it just to get a smaller coupler.

Jason

[strummer]

Seems to me that it is possible to discuss the merits of one product without trashing the merits of another.

An important point,I think...

Mark in Oregon