can someone tell me WHERE I can find PECO track connectors? I spent an hour searching hobby shops on the internet, but the only one that has them is CABOOSE HHOBBIESS, but they're not in stock, and they don't know when they will be. Walthers dosen't have them. I don't mean rail joiners.
I got all my Peco track from Hattons in Liverpool, UK. The top of their website www.ehattons.com indicates that they will ship foreign. The item I think you want is listed there as the ST273 Power clip. Cost is £1.50 which is about $2.25. Would be plus shipping but possibly minus taxes. If you are in a hurry, and they have them in stock, it shouldn't cost a fortune to airmail such small items.
I had suggested two sources, but then I couldn't find what you are looking for when I checked them after posting, so I deleted the post ... sorry. [ 29. October 2002, 20:30: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ]
Wow that website has the Flying Scotman. I got a question, now these engine and cars that are made in europe do they have the same coupler system that we have in the US or is it diffrent?
Most UK models come with what's known as a "Tension Lock" coupler, which is a loop, with a hook that sits on top. The hooks connect with the loops on the adjacent vehicles. Hope that helps.
Martyn, I understand the point of this hook is pointing "up", and the loop falls down over the hook to make a couple. How do you "uncouple" cars you wish to leave on a siding?
There's a pic of a British tension lock here, the loco on the left. http://members.shaw.ca/acocker/converting.html The hook is above the loop on these and the hook part points down, the angled end of the hook lifts it over the bar on the other vehicle and it drops into the loop to auto-couple. Hands-free uncoupling is acheived by a ramp beneath the rails pushing up the low hanging piece of the metal hook. The Lima class 73 shown here with one is one of the more gross applications of these, many of the modern Bachmann & Lima offerings have a much smaller and less obtrusive version of these. The European (non-UK) models have a range of couplers, but some are as you describe with an upward pointing hook. This is all OO and HO info btw, for N most things come with the "standard" N coupler. HTH [ 30. October 2002, 16:15: Message edited by: Martyn Read ]
Thanks for the info. Martyn! I have seen the "up" hook, and figured they worked as well as the old brass Mantua loop and hook couplers (I still use) and that used to come with Mantua kits here in the U.S. My enjoyment is not how classy a KayDee coupler looks, compared to the loop and hook, but in the fact that I can slowly back into make a couple (with my couplers), and not even move the car I am coupling onto. Then simply pull it away. Having to bang the cars together doesn't look good to me, and I often need to couple up on a curve. [ 30. October 2002, 22:38: Message edited by: watash ]
One of the things I hated during my British 00 modelling days was the horrible loop and hook couplers. They were so intrusive! So I changed all mine to scale coupling hook and 3-link chain, or dummy screw couplings, and uncoupled with a scaled down version of a "shunter's pole". Very satisfying When I changed to European HO models, I was delighted that almost all vehicles were fitted with a pocket that would accept the usual small loop and hook coupler, or a Kadee coupler could simply be plugged in! I immediately changed all mine to Kadees On passenger stock (and quite a lot of freight stock) a system of close coupling was used. So that vehicles were tightly coupled on straight track, but the distance between vehicles would progressively open out on curves, using a gull-wing shape in the floor of the car. I am unaware of any US passenger stock which has used this system even now. Time to catch up?
