Tech Tips Blog

Ever since we invented the Kadee® Magne-Matic® knuckle coupler system over 60 years ago, we have taken great care to provide accurate instructions for every one of our products. Our product instructions describe the best way to install and use Kadee® products to ensure a trouble-free experience. Please follow the instructions provided in your packaging. Other sources of installation guidance (such as YouTube videos or online forums) may omit important steps from our instructions that could result in damage to your models or unsatisfactory performance. If you are wondering why something is not working correctly, it is probably because one or more of the most basic critical steps were skipped in the instructions and/or the coupler fine tuning process.

Let's go over the important basics:

Our large-scale couplers represent the common Type E coupler and come in two types and two scale sizes "G" scale 1:22.5 and #1 scale 1:32 scale ratio. Our original coupler style has an exposed knuckle spring with minimal details. Our newer style AAR Type E (New Generation), has a much more prototypically detailed coupler head, and the knuckle spring is hidden inside the head and cannot be seen. Both styles are completely compatible with each other and use the same draft gear boxes, so the conversion information is the same for both. It is just personal preference on what coupler style you prefer to put in your equipment.

Our online handouts page has a product number cross reference chart handout for the AAR Type E New Generation and Original Style Couplers. Large Scale Coupler Chart

Most Large Scale manufacturers use their own proprietary knuckle couplers or hook and loop couplers. As many modelers have found out, some may or may not be compatible with each other both operationally and coupler mounting heights. Kadee® couplers, when installed correctly and using our Delayed Magne-Matic® Uncoupling system, are a complete "hands off" coupler system. Kadee® couplers can be fitted to almost any model which eliminates any compatibility issues.

Our large scale couplers represents the common Type E coupler and come in two types and two scale sizes "G" scale 1:22.5 and #1 scale 1:32 scale ratio. Our original coupler style has an exposed knuckle spring with minimal details. Our newer style AAR Type E (New Generation) has a much more prototypically detailed coupler head and the knuckle spring is hidden inside the head and cannot be seen. Both styles ar

I regularly get questions from people confused and/or overthinking coupler mounting. I think it is more so overthinking about coupler mounting, not reading the information we provide, and not using the coupler conversion information we provide online. This is something that is a much bigger problem than one might think. This is not just from new people entering the hobby; this is from the hobby veterans also. I will break this down into different common scenarios.

HO Scenario #1: I have an old Example (UP 1234 car) or (B&O loco that has yellow lettering) I picked up; what at coupler do I use on it?
Sorry, we need the make and model of the car to look it up in our coupler conversion list; we can’t identify cars if you don’t know the make and model of a car. You must research it online, ask a railroad forum, or visit a railroad club or local hobby store. Then look it up in the coupler conversion list. https://www.kadee.com/convpl

I am happy to report that the Amherst train show was hopping at the Kadee® booth this year. I was able to get out of the booth a few times to take a quick look around but for the most part it was nonstop interaction with customers. Answering product questions, coupler conversion questions, and talking to individuals about the new O-Scale trucks that we will be releasing after they have been thoroughly tested. We have sent some samples out to some individuals and clubs for testing on different layouts. We still need to do some inhouse testing for ourselves before we release them. I would like to personally say thank you to all of the individuals that we have talked to about this project and a special thank you for all of those individuals and clubs that have been testing the O-Scale trucks on their layouts.

As for our technical tip of the month, I would like to talk about a couple of HO-Scale products that I feel are underutilized that quite possibly be because folks don’t un

The weather has been keeping a lot of you indoors and getting those old modeling projects out again. I have received several product requests for things we don’t sell as retail items or special pack requests. (Example: bulk #33 couplers) Also, requests for coupler conversions for brass cars or old obscure cars that we have never seen or heard of.

Please keep in mind we don’t sell special request packages of bulk couplers or special request parts. We would have to stop current production, check availability, pull parts for a single special package, program the special package in the online system for billing, and sell it to a customer. The reality is “special request product” needs to be billed for lost production time, set up, and assembly time for a single item; the “special request product” would cost much more than purchasing multiple 2-pair packages of couplers. For “special request detail parts,” the same is true. Generally, we don’t keep spare parts for cars we have

I am going to go over coupler heights again since I am still seeing so-called “HOW TO VIDEOS” on YouTube that has so much bad information they need to be removed. I am telling you, the amount of bad, misleading information on YouTube is disheartening!

I can’t emphasize this enough, check your coupler height with a height gauge, setting your coupler height using the centerline of the couplers, and make the necessary fine-tuning adjustments. These adjustments need to be precise for proper working couplers. “Good enough” doesn’t work for trouble-free operation. Checking your coupler height is something that should be, second nature for everyone in the hobby. “Scale” couplers make this even more critical because the coupler pulling face is smaller. See the below details.

STOP BENDING THE TRIP PINS!

Yes, we are releasing a Christmas car this year; it was just behind schedule. Limited quantity.

Upcoming shows we will be attending.

We will be at Trainfest this year on November 12th & 13th at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in Milwaukee, WI. We also will be attending our local railroad show. Rogue Valley Railroad Show November 26th & 27th at the Jackson County Expo Central Point, OR.

We look forward to being back at both of these great shows after they were postponed due to COVID restrictions last year. It feels good getting out there, socializing, and enjoying life again. If you have not had the chance to talk to us in person, we invite everyone to visit us in our booth at either show. Come check out what you have missed over the last couple of years. If you have not had the chance to talk to us in person. I will attend booth shows to answer your product and coupler conversion questions. We will be giving a Product Overview, Questions and Answers presentation