They work well, and EXACTLY like real ones do. Source: Sergent Engineering : :http://sergentengineering.com/ My opinion review: This coupler should NOT be painted, nor oiled. These are NOT designed nor intended to couple with K-D couplers. (They "can" be made to catch onto the lip of a K-D, but are prone to slip off, and you experience a down grade runaway with no brakes!) We were able to modify a scale dummy coupler to allow coupling, but it is tricky to do. (Do NOT thin up the Sergent's knuckle too much or you will have too much 'run-in'.) At the time of our testing, Sergent did NOT sell spare knuckles, pins, rivets, nor balls. Work very carefully, and do not lose any parts! This coupler does look and 'work' much like the 'real one', in that you must personally place a 'pencil type magnet' very lightly on top of the coupler you wish to open up. You need a steady hand, so it will be necessary for you to be able to reach any couplers you wish to uncouple. You would usually 'open' the coupler that is on the engine, or "engine side" of a string of train cars, inorder to leave this knuckle 'open' ready to connect to another car somewhere else, and will look good in photos. 1) To 'open' the engine coupler: (Front or rear) While holding the magnet over the engine or tender's coupler, you must move the train engine away from the car which will rotate the knuckle to swing 'open' to disconnect the two knuckles. You may 'then' remove the magnet and go on about your business. Usually the knuckle will remain in the 'open' position while traveling about the layout. (The knuckle on the car left, will usually remain 'closed'.) Vibrations can move the knuckle and or the coupler body out of position. Just like in real life. 2) If the disconnected car left in place, is to be coupled 'onto' again later on, you must apply the magnet, use a tooth pick, and open the knuckle, then remove the magnet to make the knuckle stay 'open' and 'ready to receive'. When you back in to couple up, you must align the couplers so they can 'clasp' correctly. Once aligned, they 'can' couple on a curve, over a switch, and on tangent track when both knuckles are in the 'open' position. You must insure there is enough 'swing' allowed in a coupler pocket to clear your smallest curve with your longest rolling stock. 18" radius curves and #6 switches are concidered the minimum, and if close coupled, it doesn't 'look good' but can 'work'. (We found difficulties negotiating a #4 switch with a long passenger car and the short coupled tender of a steam engine, so check all possibilities.) Because these couplers operate very much like the real ones do, being "Impact Couplers", a slight 'bump' will insure a 'lock' of both couplers, (as is required for real ones.) If a 'lock' fails on one or the other side, simply back in again like we always do. The magnet is not needed when coupling up, (unless one or the other knuckle is 'closed'). (Occasionally you 'can' have one knuckle closed and the moving knuckle will slide in behind it like real ones 'sometimes' do, but not always.) Remember, "A good couple does not shake the water in a passenger's water glass!" Do not try to make a couple at 25 miles an hour! This means that an impact at no more than 4 miles an hour is a 'hard' couple, while an impact at 5 miles an hour is a collision! (A hard couple is OK for freight cars.) These couplers work the same way, in that if you make contact at less than 4 miles an hour, the knuckles can clasp, and lock, but any faster and the couplers will rebound an empty car away before the knuckles can lock up. These couplers will require some amount of assembly and "tuning up". (All casting flash must be removed, both inside and outside of the knuckle must be slick, smooth and straight, including the coupler body slide area! Do NOT tighten the rivet too tight, and make sure to follow the directions to the letter, and common sense! There is a tiny steel ball bearing placed inside the coupler body, that does the locking when gravity pulls it down. The magnet pulls this ball up out of the way, allowing the knuckle 'lock cam' to rotate in under this ball to open the knuckle, just like a real one does when the lock post is pulled to release the knuckle's cam. It is NOT wise to oil any part of this coupler because oil collects dust and smoke fuzz, which will prevent the ball from falling freely. You 'could' very lightly spray paint the top of the coupler body, but paint flecks and any over-spray, will render the coupler inoperative. BEWARE! Perhaps a chemical coloring might work, but we didn't try it. This coupler is not designed to be operated remotely. We did not experiment with an electro-magnet to see if one could be made strong enough to "repel" the ball, (for possible remote operation), but that might remain a possibility. "A remote possibility" I''ll say. This is of course, is just my opinion. I like the coupler.
These are now sold assembled and weathered. Just drop them in. I have played with them and liked them. Decided to go n-scale instead, but if I stayed with HO I would be using these.
great couplers... i've been playing around with a number of pairs (haven't actually operated with them perse, but alot of straight track couples and uncouples) and i must say the realism level is ridiculous. at first you have to pay more attention to coupling, but before you realize it'll be second nature and it's just like the prototype. the first time i coupled two cars together with these couplers i was like "wow" and had to do it again if you're serious about realism these are for you, but if you just want to run trains around, kadees are the way to go- my opinion: great couplers and very realistic
They are really great for display models. If they were made like my Dad's were, we could have remote control for them.
