For Joe from MTL re new couplers

[Paradise275]

Hi Joe.
Is the plan going forward to offer the new coupler as standard equipment on new releases?
Or would you offer it both ways. Otherwise, we would have to buy extra couplers to replace the factory installed ones.

Rick

[Chris333]

I'm just gonna guess there are no plans to make them the standard coupler.

[Missaberoad]

Iirc He said in the other thread that he may consider including them with equipment (like the low pros used to be) but there was no guarentee this would happen...

Personally im happy they are avalible at all and am more then happy to put forward the extra expence... Im buying 903s already so its a savings for me

[jagged ben]

Note that most of MTs cars don't come standard with body mounts, and a conversion for truck mounts is apparently still just an idea.  So there's quite a bit to converting those. 

OTOH, I did notice that MT has 'conversion cars' it its offerings for next month.

[cjm413]

Note that most of MTs cars don't come standard with body mounts, and a conversion for truck mounts is apparently still just an idea.  So there's quite a bit to converting those. 

OTOH, I did notice that MT has 'conversion cars' it its offerings for next month.

This would be a good opportunity for MTL to release some trucks with low bolster arms....

[wcfn100]

This would be a good opportunity for MTL to release some trucks with low bolster arms....

And centered kingpins.

Jason

[mark.hinds]

Hi Joe.
Is the plan going forward to offer the new coupler as standard equipment on new releases?
(text removed)

Jeez; I sure hope not. 

And centered kingpins.

If you are referring to the hole in the middle of the truck bolster, this change would be nice, but this would seem to be do-able regardless of the type of coupler attached to the truck assembly (if any).  Actually, I am curious as to why they made this hole off-center in the first place. 

MH

[bbussey]

Actually, I am curious as to why they made this hole off-center in the first place. 

Necessary for the bolster pin to clear the back of the truck-mounted coupler box.  It's been that way since the inception in 1973.  Only back then, the holes in the bolsters on the diecast underframes were offset as well in order for the trucks to be properly aligned.

[wcfn100]

  Only back then, the holes in the bolsters on the diecast underframes were offset as well in order for the trucks to be properly aligned.

@bbussey can you maybe show an example of that?

I have some older underframes which are offset, but the wrong way (compared to what you're saying).  To compensate for the offset truck, the underframe holes should be more towards the center of the car, but the one's I have are further towards the ends.


Jason

[peteski]

Hi Joe.
Is the plan going forward to offer the new coupler as standard equipment on new releases?

Rick

I highly doubt it!  That would make all the new MTL releases totally incompatible with pretty much all of the current  (knuckle coupler equipped) N scale items out there.
Unless MTL starts releasing 2 versions of each new car:  one with a standard knuckle and the other with the scale knuckle coupler.  It seems to me that these new couplers are geared towards a very specific and relatively small group of N scale modelers.

[Maletrain]

"It seems to me that these new couplers are geared towards a very specific and relatively small group of N scale modelers."

The group that ultimately adopts them may not be so small. If they are not too inconvenient for switching, they may sell to the operations people, who mostly do not use magnetic uncoupling, as well as to the "runners" and the folks who just like to have prototypical models that they seldom run.  At this point, it only seems clear that people who do mostly switching are unlikely to go for them. 

So, I would not be suprised if there are more people who end-up using True Scale couplers than used those extra low profile wheels included with MTL cars.  So, maybe MTL will start putting them in the jewel cases instead of extra wheels.

[johnb]

I highly doubt it!  That would make all the new MTL releases totally incompatible with pretty much all of the current  (knuckle coupler equipped) N scale items out there.
Unless MTL starts releasing 2 versions of each new car:  one with a standard knuckle and the other with the scale knuckle coupler.  It seems to me that these new couplers are geared towards a very specific and relatively small group of N scale modelers.

um...it wouldn't surprise me....I remember when KayDee cars had the option of Rapido couplers

[ridinshotgun]

"It seems to me that these new couplers are geared towards a very specific and relatively small group of N scale modelers."

The group that ultimately adopts them may not be so small. If they are not too inconvenient for switching, they may sell to the operations people, who mostly do not use magnetic uncoupling, as well as to the "runners" and the folks who just like to have prototypical models that they seldom run.  At this point, it only seems clear that people who do mostly switching are unlikely to go for them. 

So, I would not be suprised if there are more people who end-up using True Scale couplers than used those extra low profile wheels included with MTL cars.  So, maybe MTL will start putting them in the jewel cases instead of extra wheels.

That section in bold I will have to disagree with you on.  In our club consisting of about 25 "runners" not a single person plans on converting their rolling stock.  At a show last weekend with 4 clubs the discussion there indicated only a handful of people would be converting any rolling stock at all and then only unit trains or passenger cars and mostly for home layouts.

I know this is heresy but I really think we get tunnel vision here sometimes.  This website (and the other forums like this) only represents a small group of model railroaders.

[peteski]

Some members seem overly optimistic.  Look back at how long it took for the US manufacturers to convert from Rapidos to MTL couplers (which were available for decades alongside the Rapidos).  Again, the MTL patent is the elephant in the room.  Even if MTL suddenly started installing the new coupler on all their rolling stock, other manufacturers would have to either buy the couplers from MTL or get a license(which costs money)  from MTL to produce their own couplers. Again, reminding the optimistic souls that looking at the current MTL coupler, most manufacturers opted to wait until the MTL patent expired and then started to produce N scale knuckle couplers.

I also think that we need to get those couplers in our hands to see how feasible (operationally) they really are for the average N scale modeler.

[learmoia]

um...it wouldn't surprise me....I remember when KayDee cars had the option of Rapido couplers

... Yeah, they stopped doing that a Looooooong time ago!!!  Long before knuckle couplers be game the standard!

I wonder if they still stock the Rapids truck conversions?.. 

~Ian