# Mixed Couplers?



## jlassen (Dec 5, 2013)

Okay... so I've almost immediately come across the downside of mixing and matching my christmass train off of ebay and various sources.

My BevBel North Pole express box car derails as it hits the straight before a 18 degree turn.

It's attached to a brand new BN diesel, and it seems the diesel engine's coupler is pulling the Box car off the rails.

Here's my couplers. 









I'm assuming the problem is the engine has "Fancy" couplers, and the Boxcar has oldschool plain couplers. 

They do in fact couple. but the derailing at the turn is a problem, IMO. 

Any thoughts on how to proceed? Cheaply?


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## wingnut163 (Jan 3, 2013)

change the hook coupler. not used any more.

i use kadee


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## jlassen (Dec 5, 2013)

the "Hook" coupler is on the boxcar, right?


kaydee is the brand? Any particular type or style of coupler from Kaydee? What are the new ones called?


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## waltr (Aug 15, 2011)

Yep, Horn on the box car (to the left), the Loco has a knuckle coupler.
Kaydee is a brand (do a web search for them) and is consider the 'standard'. The most commonly used is their #5 coupler. To learn more read their web site and search and read through the forums here.


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## jlassen (Dec 5, 2013)

waltr said:


> Yep, Horn on the box car (to the left), the Loco has a knuckle coupler.
> Kaydee is a brand (do a web search for them) and is consider the 'standard'. The most commonly used is their #5 coupler. To learn more read their web site and search and read through the forums here.


ah ha! perfect. "Knuckle coupler" and "#5". Thank you for teaching how to fish. Very much appreciated


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## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

Knuckles only work with knuckles! Kadee has the highest quality out there. McHenry's and EZ Mates will work, just ain't as high quality!


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## wingnut163 (Jan 3, 2013)

Kadee Kadee Kadee!!!

not: kaydee.


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

wingnut163 said:


> Kadee Kadee Kadee!!!
> 
> not: kaydee.


:laugh::laugh:


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## waltr (Aug 15, 2011)

Gottcha. Kadee...


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

Hard to tell in the pic but is the coupler is body mounted on the loco and talgo style (truck mounted) on the car it is possible that they will derail even with the proper couplers. You may need the extended shank coupler on the engine or both.


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## jlassen (Dec 5, 2013)

*Thanks everyone*

Knuckle Couplers arrived, and are now install on my mix-n-match Christmas train cars. 

For what its worth, it seems like the detail level on the Bev-Mo Christmas box cars really dropped off from 88 to 96.

On the other hand, and kind of appropriately enough, the Kadee Christmas cars are pretty nice.


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