# couplers



## sid (Mar 26, 2018)

i need to convert from knuckle coupler to rapido coupler but i can not find any rapidos with the wisker hair thingys. they all have either T's or something else. I do not like knuckle couplers there very unreliable for me. i find the rapidos never have a problem. im trying to convert my loco from knuckle to rapido and i have 1 rapido that would work but the shank is too short. google has turned up nothing . HELP


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I'm an HO guy with a long ago history of N.
But all my locos and cars had knuckles.

I don't know Rapido coupler versions, but you might
consider creating a transition car with Rapido
on one end, knuckle on the other so you
can couple to loco. If the loco coupler is the problem,
fashion a wire loop to lock the loco to the
transition car.

Most knuckle uncoupling is due to
vertical misalignment. There is a tool to
help with that. Uneven track will also
cause unwanted uncoupling.

Don


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## sid (Mar 26, 2018)

thanks don. ya i just changed out the loco coupler for some other brand and that seemed to help. dont have photo at the moment. when i had my N scale dc layout every thing worked perfect but then again every car , loco was rapido couplers and they work great no problems at all. but with the dcc all my locos are newer with knuckle couplers . i did make a car that has both. my lil switch loco works great back wards forwards. no problem. but the green loco always derailed the car directly behind it . ill keep looking and getting more info. im learning the hard way some cars are shorter in hieght that otheres too and that afects some of my stock. also learning plastic wheels are smaller an in such it afects the couplers as well. . why is there not a standard of things i dunno. there used to be from what ive been reading every thing was rapido and it works good. so what it dont look like the real trains , i really dont care i just want them to work period and reliably and im finding knuckles are not reliable at all. im finding this new found hobby is worse than owning a boat hahahahahahahahaha


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## Dudlee99 (May 6, 2018)

I've found some knuckles work better than others. I have some Micor-Trains that work good. The knuckles that came on my Bachmann locos also work well. I bought some Model Power cars with knuckles and its hit or miss if they work. I've been replacing the whole truck/coupler assembly with new ones on the problem cars. I have some older cars with Rapidos that work great. Just have to have some Conversion cars to mate them up.


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## sid (Mar 26, 2018)

i have found a knuckle that has helped with backing up so far it hooks up pretty good too. not as well as the rapidos but pretty close. i dont know how to tell the brand but its a brown color and it works pretty good so far. i dont back up that loco very much with cars hooked up.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Truck mounted Rapidos for your loco?*



sid said:


> i have found a knuckle that has helped with backing up so far it hooks up pretty good too. not as well as the rapidos but pretty close. i dont know how to tell the brand but its a brown color and it works pretty good so far. i dont back up that loco very much with cars hooked up.


 sid;

If you are still interested in getting your locomotive converted to truck-mounted Rapido couplers, I may be able to help. The locomotive in your photos looks like a Bachman brand model of a U28C diesel from the trucks. It should have a brand name on the bottom of the center fuel tank, between the two trucks. Your loco also looks somewhat similar to a Bachman U36B diesel that I have, which is why I'm guessing yours may be a Bachman.
I also have an old Minitrix brand model of a Fairbanks/Morse diesel switcher with 4-wheel trucks and Rapido couplers mounted on those trucks. 
Are you interested in such a locomotive?









If, on the other hand, you want to go with knuckle couplers ( I see you have found one that works reasonably well when backing up?) Then I would go with Micro-Trains brand knuckle couplers exclusively. They are simply the best knuckle coupler available, and the brand of choice among experienced model railroaders.

good luck with what ever you chose;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## sid (Mar 26, 2018)

hi traction .i have some of the micro train couplers (whole trucks with couplers ) they also do not work well for me. i have removed them and went back to the rapidos. i was wondering about those mc Henry couplers. i saw them and did some research. i found out that brown coupler is a backmann . but im un able to find and that can be replaced in the rapidos i have. all my cars are rapidos. my lil emd switcher also derails cars backing up but i think i have solved that problem by gluing the coupler striaght. problem was the coupler would turn to the side and then derail the car . that green loco is a u boat i forgot what the number is but its a 6 wheel unit 6 in front and 6 in rear body mount coupler. my lil switcher is a kato. i really like it. i redid my track again so that all the switching is closer to me (works much better ) im just trying to find something that works and i know that the rapidos work at least they did on dc real well. i ordered some different couplers to see if i can find one that works for me as i can not find any thing to convert rapidos with out having to body mount them.
EDIT green loco is an Arnold u boat


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Micro/Trains made Rapidos?*



sid said:


> hi traction .i have some of the micro train couplers (whole trucks with couplers ) they also do not work well for me. i have removed them and went back to the rapidos. i was wondering about those mc Henry couplers. i saw them and did some research. i found out that brown coupler is a backmann . but im un able to find and that can be replaced in the rapidos i have. all my cars are rapidos. my lil emd switcher also derails cars backing up but i think i have solved that problem by gluing the coupler striaght. problem was the coupler would turn to the side and then derail the car . that green loco is a u boat i forgot what the number is but its a 6 wheel unit 6 in front and 6 in rear body mount coupler. my lil switcher is a kato. i really like it. i redid my track again so that all the switching is closer to me (works much better ) im just trying to find something that works and i know that the rapidos work at least they did on dc real well. i ordered some different couplers to see if i can find one that works for me as i can not find any thing to convert rapidos with out having to body mount them.
> EDIT green loco is an Arnold u boat


sid;

Long ago, what was then the Kadee company, [which has since split and the N&Z-scale portion is now called Micro/Trains] made Rapido style couplers. I don't know if they still do, but you might check their website. 
The couplers were Rapido shaped, but had magnets in them and were designed to fit into their trucks.

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## sid (Mar 26, 2018)

Thanks traction . ive been searching high an low. im going to try some thing i found on flea bay. on off the problems im seeing is the knuckles get pushed side ways when in reverse thats a big problem. they dont stay straight at least on the switcher and on the road loco the first car jumps rail because the leverage efect the loco puts on the truck. im trying to figger out how to stiffen the switch loco knuckle so it wont move with out gluing it to the loco, IE shim it some how to test my thoughts on it. i dont mind not reversing the road loco , but the switcher needs to reverse. i do believe that if i get that switch knuckle stiff then it will work much better.


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## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

How many cars are you trying to backup? I backup 30+ car trains threw several switches without any problems. All my cars have knuckle couplers, most of them also have Kadee/MT trucks with couplers. I do have lots of rapido couplers for Atlas locos let me know if you want a few.


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## sid (Mar 26, 2018)

Hello rrjim1 i only back up a few cars at a time. i think i have resolved the switch problem by gluing the knuckle so it dont move side to side . Thank You for the offer on the rapidos. the other loco im still trying to figger it out. right now i cant run either of them. still working out the track placement. i like the knuckle coupler looks but there reliability is not real good not as good as the rapido in my short newbie learning experience hahahahahaha


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