Recently I've bought three packages of Kadee's number 58 couplers for installation on some rolling stock and locomotives I bought. First thing I noticed was the size- the coupler's smaller than the #5. Also, the coupler spring is the same color as the rest of the coupler- kinda hard to see if you have a spring or not, but they don't stand out like sore thumbs. They also mate and work well with the #5s. I'm buying the 58s from here on in! Has anybody else tried the number 58s yet? If so, what do you think?
I bought some for use on the Sn3 disconnects that I am building and also a set for the GP15-1 that in still in little pieces. THe knuckle spring has a different number so watch out.
Only reason to buy any other coupler now is if you have a special application, or a car/loco that has a coupler box height issue. I love em, and I'm starting to wonder what it will cost me to change all those fives on my coal hoppers.
One thing about the #58 is, KD does not make an off-set series like they do with the # 5. If you have a special coupler situation you will be using the old style coupler knuckle.
I've had one pair on test on an Atlas covered hopper, I was very impressed, operationally you couldn't tell the difference between the 5 and 58 whilst switching, I had expected a few missed couplers due to the narrower head. I'd guess that the setup has to be pretty much spot on though to get those results. I'm waiting for bulk packs before I start fitting them as standard, and loco front ends and cabeese will probably be first in line as the couplers are more visible than ones buried in a train!
Are these couplers the "scale" ones? I think Kadee now makes a coupler that is close to scale as opposed to the number 5, which is about twice the size of a true scale coupler.
Yes they are the scale ones. They're still not perfect. I think it's a little wider and he shape doesn't look quite right but it's getting closer.
Take a look at MR July 01 edition reviewing the Scale-size Accurail's Accumate Proto:HO magnetic coupler. It doesn't get any closer to the prototype type E.
I have tried the 58's. I too will be using them from here on out in place of the #5's. When I need a funky shank or length, I will switch back to one of the large KD's that fits the application. I like the 58's. -Kitbash
As do I. It'll be interesting to see if Kadee comes out with scale-sized couplers with the offset heads, long shanks, etc. like they have now in their other lines. From this point on, I'm using Kadees and metal wheels on my HO rolling stock. ANd forget the plastic couplers- nothing holds up to stress like the metal Kadees.
Frisco, I have to agree with the metal couplers! Thats the main reason I use them! Even the plastic knuckles on my length of trains break! I will never go back to plastic couplers Xf2's or knuckle ones. Its KD metal ones or bust for me! And thats just what the rest do...BUST! I haul long trains of 30 to 60 cars even up to 70! And the plastic ones would never hold up to the stress!
The only thing I noticed about the 58's was a tendency to sag. A strip of .010 thick x .020 wide styrene cemented to the inside bottom front edge of the draft gear box seems to take care of the problem. From what I've read elsewhere, there will be other shank styles available in the future. Don
Don, I have to make a statement on something you brought up with sagging couplers, plastic ones were known for that! BUT I have to say on the KD's its not sagging! They weren't mounted snug to the draft gear box and the play inside where the draft gear box goes through the hole in the coupler is where the trouble lies! The hole has to much "play" in it to hold the coupler up to a level postion! Which makes alot thing that the couplers are sagging, not true! Guy's use a little common sence! These couplers are cast metal! Hows that going to sag unless they were in contact of high temperatures to soften the metal castings! The coupler draft gear box is where and what the sagging like effect is comming from... Shim them up to makle a tighter tolerance, back where the coupler connects to the draft gear box, test it out, and you'll see its not the coupler! its the draft gear box!
Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. I'll stand by my post that a strip of styrene as mentioned cured the sag. Don
Don, No agreeing or disagreeing... The plastic sheet you add in the draft gear box is making up the vertical play in the draft gear box.... Where the rear most section of the coupler shank slips over the plastic draft gear bushing is where the problem is. The bushing is to high, where the coupler shank is too narrow! This is where the coupler is showing the "sagging effect" the draft gear bushing isn't low enough to put a small amount of presure on the coupler itself to hold the coupler knuckle up to a level possition.... With adding the pastic to the draft gear box, this thin shim is taking up the vertical play in the coupler.... See???? Its actually simple as to whats wrong. The coupler is metal which wouldn't sag from weakness of materials. It will sag if gotten close to an extreme temperature tho... Being they are poured casting which took heat to smelt the metal to pour the casting...At it being in normal use and not near an extreme temperature of a few hundred degrees, the metal is stiff and stong... And won't sag. As for plastic couplers thats a whole other story! The stress put on plastic couplers from long trains put strain on the plastic shanks at its thinest locoation, which with evenually "stretch" the plastic till it forms a stress crack, being that plastic won't take the weight load like the metal couplers will... And if the plastic ones do stretch and don't form a stress crack this then weakens the plastic and gives way to the weight of the knuckle and causes it in time to actaully sag. If you have a metal and a plastic coupler to do what I'm explaining whats actually going on here try this: Take the metal coupler, hold it buy the knuckle with one hand, and then with your other hand hold it buy the round donut ring that fits inside the draft gear box and try to bend it once, it'll hold out for awhile till, SNAP it broke in 2 pieces, a clean break. It won't bend easily and will take a good amount of force to break it! Now do the exact same thing with the plastic coupler! It will bend so far, till it gets to the point that the bend is creating a stress mark in the black plasitc or brown or rust colored plastic, this is the being of the stress crack! The plastic will turn a lighter color from its original color this is the beginning of the stress crack before it happens! If it don't break clean and you have 2 pieces in your hands, set it on a flat surface, that plastic coupler has a bend in it which it will hold that shape! and will not go back to its original shape! The hand you held the draft gear box end of the coupler with is acting as the draft gear box itself when its mounted to a car. The other hand that you used to hold the coupler knuckle demonstrated the weight of the knuckle on the couplers shank. Only you emphasized it about 20 times and took a 3 or 4 year process and preformed it in about sixty seconds per coupler! If you tried this, you will see exactly what I'm talking about... The metal coupler can not sag! It will simply break! Where the plastic one will begin to sag and hold its shape in the middle of the sag and won't break till it looses all its strength and then it'll break... This is all laws of phyics more or less, the properties of metal versus plastic... [ 06 June 2002, 15:29: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
