Another Micro-Trains truck/coupler question

I would like to convert all my cars to MT trucks and couplers. They come with short, medium or long extension couplers. I'm thinking that I would use medium extension couplers in most cases. Am I right?

 

Why are you thinking "Medium Extension in most cases?"

 

No, you need short in most cases. Been there, done that.

 

Yep, +1

 

Yes, short shank in most cases. The only time you would use a medium or long shank is if, for some reason, the trucks are set back under the carbody enough that a short shank would not result in the knuckle extending beyond the end of the car or if you had such small radius curves that the car ends would interfere with each other but that would be a rare exception.

Doug

 

That's an open ended question without knowing what your fleet looks like and what your track is like. I normally use short shank couplers, but I have cars that those barely are visible peaking out from under the car, and others where they look OK, but the cars are so close they hit on sharp curves. Short shank will also to be too short for long cars like 89' flats and autoracks or most passenger equipment. I'd say you can get by with short shanks about 85% of the time, but they won't fit every car, so plan on picking up some others along the way. IF you bought medium couplers, they would probably fit 90-95% of cars, but they won't look as good since they'll push your cars farther apart.

 

Micro Trains medium shank couplers are good for later Southern Pacific Hydra-Cushion equipped cars and Pacific Fruit Express mechanical reefers. They replicate the extended draft gear pretty good.

 

I have three cars with medium extension - a 90 foot flat and hi cube boxcars - and about 100 with short. Basically anything after the mid fifties is short shank roller bearing.

 

Thanks for the advice, guys.

My upcoming layout will use Unitrack with 11.1” minimum radius mainline curves. The era will be contemporary, roughly 2000 to the present. I won’t be changing trucks or couplers on passenger cars, maxi I and IV intermodal cars, auto racks, or any other cars that will be run through only.

I will be changing trucks/couplers on cars that will be switched such as 50’ boxcars, flat cars, gondolas, etc. I was guessing that short extension couplers were for layouts with larger curves but since I didn’t know I asked you guys who have more experience than I do.

 

Mostly short shank trucks and couplers here also. A few exceptions including the "simulate a cushion underframe" that 308GTSi mentioned.