Hi Folks
There are a few threads about couplings, all seem to involve various degrees of expense and fiddleabillity, why can't we just have a small tension lock coupling?
Hopefully attached is a comparison of the 00 and N versions of the 64xx by bachmann & farish.
Opening the last pack of bits from Maplin I noticed the staple was about the right size, just thinking of a easy loop thingy and way of attaching it.
Radius 1 in 00 is 371mm, we have 225mm so we have less angular displacement so how difficult can it be?
I declare the discussion open.
Cheers
Alan

There are already some artisan coupling designs available that are tension-lock style

http://www.n-tram-shop.de/FineScale-Kupplungen


Isn't the Mike Bryant coupling a form of tension-lock?


Personally I find the Rapido coupling works fine, although granted it's not the prettiest thing.  I'm glad it was adopted by just about all N manufacturers pretty early on and I can couple anything to anything, unlike the mess with OO/HO couplings.  There were a few early 60s models by Lima which used a version of the HOe style coupling but that didn't last long once it was obvious the Rapido was becoming the standard.

The problem with the standard N gauge rapido is hands off coupling and uncoupling. The only comprehensive system that allows hands off un-coupling is Dapol's easi-shunts. They are not perfect because delayed uncoupling is hit and miss and their magnets are too long. Complaints about the costs for converting everything are probably justified but then an exclusive product will always be more expensive because there is no competition to force the price down.

I would also prefer the Dapol effort to be smaller but it is marginally better than the standard and at least you can experiment with different lengths to get the closest gap that track and rolling stock are happy with. If only the NEM sockets were fitted to everything and were consistent then we would be in the position to choose Dapol's coupling or some of the others that are available. (Are the manufacturers reading ?)

As for a tension lock style - well having jumped through hoops to get a reliable and easy system that suited Bachmann, Hornby, Lima and other OO/HO styles, all I can say is no thank you !

There are posts on the forum about Peco metal lift arms fitted to their Elsie couplings (an unsprung version of the Rapido).

I have some but haven't experimented with them.

I believe there is a video here somewhere of them working very well.

FWIW the LoneStar OOO models had a tension hook style coupling, albeit a very large and clunky one which makes the Rapido look almost svelte.



Looking at my drawer full of various types of couplings and variants thereof, this cartoon comes to mind:


https://xkcd.com/927/

That's what I remember from 4 years old!
When I returned to n/000 5-odd years ago i was shocked at how chunky the rapidos were.
If anyone has one of these, how does the hook rotate, and how is it held to the rest of the coupling?
There must be a way.............................................
Cheers
Alan

Quote from: Bealman on December 30, 2017, 07:00:08 AM
There are posts on the forum about Peco metal lift arms fitted to their Elsie couplings (an unsprung version of the Rapido).
I have some but haven't experimented with them.
I believe there is a video here somewhere of them working very well.

I guess slightly off topic but to make the point that it is perfectly possible to make Rapido couplings perfectly practical as "hands-off" uncouplers (though not to make them less intrusive). Peco "Elsie" types can be fitted with the lift arms or home made variants, sprung types can be modified to make them pivoting types or simply used without the springs.  Many use electromagnets, others (including I) use sliding or hinged permanent magnets.   You can see this in action on any of my "Lofthole" videos.  Pete Latham and Steve Farmer use electromagnets.

For fixed-rake couplings it is easy although slightly fiddly to cut the heads off Rapido types, drill small holes in the shank and make a "staple" out of thin wire.  This is next to invisible.

All the above are pretty much zero cost.

Cheers Jon 

I cart a lot of stock to exhibitions, all Rapido fitted, and it takes me between one and two hours to load the trains onto the layout at the start of each show.

All of the artisan couplings I've seen have the advantage of being smaller and neater than the Rapido.  HOWEVER that comes at the expense of robustness.  In general they need to be packed away much more carefully for transit than stock fitted with Rapidos.  Presently at the end of a show trains are taken off quickly and put back in the boxes in the right order with each wagon the right way round to ensure a fighting chance of that train running properly next time.  If stock needed to be put in more carefully that would add to the time, and extra protection for the couplings would add to the bulk.  I don't want to still be at a show 90 mins after it ends, especially as I'm currently usually away in about 30 mins.

I AM, however, moving to rakes with a Dapol easy-shunt pair where the train needs splitting, and Rapidos elsewhere,  The vast majority of my trains have no couplers at the ends to avoid them coupling to the one in front in the fiddle yard.

All the very best
Les

I guess slightly off topic but to make the point that it is perfectly possible to make Rapido couplings perfectly practical as "hands-off" uncouplers (though not to make them less intrusive). Peco "Elsie" types can be fitted with the lift arms or home made variants, sprung types can be modified to make them pivoting types or simply used without the springs.  Many use electromagnets, others (including I) use sliding or hinged permanent magnets.   You can see this in action on any of my "Lofthole" videos.  Pete Latham and Steve Farmer use electromagnets.

For fixed-rake couplings it is easy although slightly fiddly to cut the heads off Rapido types, drill small holes in the shank and make a "staple" out of thin wire.  This is next to invisible.

All the above are pretty much zero cost.



Cheers Jon 
[/quote]

I very much enjoyed your Lofthole vids. Do you have a vid on how you did the couplings please?   I'm pretty new to this  so a little nudge in the right direction would help. TIA

Thanks TrevL

No video I'm afraid, but there are some good (IMHO!) photos on the Lofthole thread, reply 42.   http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=14792.30

Cheers Jon 

Thank you Jon, very helpful.
Oh yes, awesome layout by the way.

Here I am, new to the hobby, 8 years later, have spent weeks researching couplings so I can make sure I have the best chance of reliable coupling and auto uncoupling in a ready to run fashion, without modifying anything.

Are there wagon brands that come ready to run with Dapol easi shunts or similar?

To answer a couple of  points;
I cut the Dapol magnets in half. They can tend to splinter so care is needed.
With fixed rakes I use a combination of medium/short or short/short couplings to achieve as close coupling as possible. I then use Dapol Easi-shunt couplings at each end, again a mixture of medium or short.
I'm not aware of anyone supplying Easi-shunts already fitted but it's an easy unplug/plug in process.

If anyone thinks using these couplings is a slow, painful process, I volunteer at the Ashford International Model Railway Education Centre (AIMREC) https://aimrec.co.uk/ refers. On the Gresley Beat our longest train is around 82 wagons long – all coupled correctly with three link or screw couplings. We think very hard before varying the rakes!

Quote from: GrahamB on Today at 08:26:17 AMI cut the Dapol magnets in half. They can tend to splinter so care is needed.

@GrahamB That's my intention. Can I ask what you used, please? Cutting disc? Razor saw?

Quote from: Newportnobby on Today at 09:26:32 AM

Quote from: GrahamB on Today at 08:26:17 AMI cut the Dapol magnets in half. They can tend to splinter so care is needed.

@GrahamB That's my intention. Can I ask what you used, please? Cutting disc? Razor saw?

Razor saw. VERY slow and gentle cuts.