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Offline daveoZ  
#1 Posted : 14 March 2023 19:38:03(UTC)
daveoZ

United States   
Joined: 02/01/2022(UTC)
Posts: 15
Location: Las Vegas
I recently purchased a Marklin digital starter set. As I am new to Marklin HO I have a question as to the durability of the couplers. Plastic, but I noticed that one of the pieces, lifts up by pushing up on a lever. Part of that piece has a very narrow bar across it. I'm just wondering how strong, or durable are these plastic couplers, and are they standard in Marklin HO?
Thanks
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Offline rhfil  
#2 Posted : 14 March 2023 19:46:53(UTC)
rhfil

United States   
Joined: 05/09/2014(UTC)
Posts: 422
Location: NEW HAMPSHIRE, Somersworth
Never had one break. But on mine the part that lifts up is, I think, metal.
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Offline daveoZ  
#3 Posted : 14 March 2023 23:19:51(UTC)
daveoZ

United States   
Joined: 02/01/2022(UTC)
Posts: 15
Location: Las Vegas
Thanks. Took a closer look and it looks more metal than plastic. Coming from Z to HO the only similarityy is electricity.
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Offline marklinist5999  
#4 Posted : 15 March 2023 00:14:57(UTC)
marklinist5999

United States   
Joined: 10/02/2021(UTC)
Posts: 3,075
Location: Michigan, Troy
I have many of the older close couplers. Occasionally, thry get hung up in a derailment, but usually are fine. I've had one or two of the metl parts crack off because they were bent and broke from over straightening upon reassembly. Use a nedle nose plier to squeeze them from the sides onto the plastic body after re-atatching. The metal part should pivot freely or its not aligned or too tight on the shank body. The current conducting ones are set up the same.
Offline Toosmall  
#5 Posted : 15 March 2023 03:57:28(UTC)
Toosmall

Australia   
Joined: 26/07/2021(UTC)
Posts: 608
Location: Sydney
Originally Posted by: daveoZ Go to Quoted Post
Coming from Z to HO the only similarity is electricity.

Even that is different AC vs DC.
Offline H0  
#6 Posted : 15 March 2023 08:22:22(UTC)
H0


Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,254
Location: DE-NW
Originally Posted by: daveoZ Go to Quoted Post
Part of that piece has a very narrow bar across it. I'm just wondering how strong, or durable are these plastic couplers, and are they standard in Marklin HO?
I assume we are talking about short couplers and I also assume that small bar is part of the Relex mechanism.
This bar just prevents the coupler loop from falling down over the hook, so it only must carry the weight of the coupler loop. Not much strength required.

In my experience the failure rate with those short couplers is very low. The small tips that extend towards the other coupler are at the biggest risk and will sometimes bend downwards or to the side.

Regards
Tom
---
"In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS
UserPostedImage
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Offline river6109  
#7 Posted : 15 March 2023 10:12:00(UTC)
river6109

Australia   
Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC)
Posts: 14,636
Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
Don't use Märklin, Fleischmann or earlier Roco couplings, the one I'm using are the Roco Universal couplings (40395), I've experienced they are the safest couplings on the market and you will not find any carriages are going to uncouple, the mechanism secures both hooks on both sides.

John

https://www.youtube.com/river6109
https://www.youtube.com/6109river
5 years in Destruction mode
50 years in Repairing mode
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