Has anyone converted from Marklin couplers to Kadee knuckle couplers?
If anyone has, how did you do it and what problems did you encounter/solve?

Welcome to the Forum,

Martin is correct. As long as you have NEM pockets you can easily convert to Kadee couplers. Since all my stock is European I do not care to use them. If you are modeling US stock then I can see using them otherwise why bother. I prefer the standard couplings with my older locomotives and rolling stock.

Hi, and wellcome to the forum,

I have converted my M* US freight cars and locos to Kadee couplers (mostly #18) as well, and I am very satisfied with it. Nevertheless, there are a few points that one should consider:

- As Cem has already said: Kadee couplers are more sensitive to *vertical* irregularities on the track. Differently from M*'s short couplers, the kadee couplers are not vertically guided. Make shure that the tracks are mounted smoothly, and that there are no kinks at the transitions between the tracks.

- The NEM pocket of M* cars usually can move sidewards. That's usefull for M* short couplers (as they form a stiff connection between the cars), but it highly unstable with Kadee couplers, especially on long and heavy trains. I have therefore fastened the NEM pockets in the center position before I have insertes the Kadee couplers. (Easy on most cars: press the tip of a tooth pick in the NEM pocket mechanism and it is blocked).

- I have been told that Kadee couplers and buffers don't like each other. Might hang in narrow curves. Fortunately there are no buffers on US stuff. If you want to convert european stuff to Kadee, however, this might be an issue.

Regards

Hans Martin

Hi Edward,
Welcome to the forum.
Before you make the switch to Kadee, check out the Fleischmann Profi couplings.
Similar knuckle-type coupling and much better practically and visually than Kadees.
The part number is 38 6515 and they come in packs of 50.
I have converted some of my rolling stock (both freight and passenger)and I am very pleased with the results.

Regards
Tony

You need to get the Kadee height gauge. They work very well indeed but need to be properly set up, and the height is one crucial part of that. Don't clip or bend the trip pins until you have checked this - I have never had a problem with them striking the rails so long as the coupler head is at the right height.

Kadee make a scale-size knuckle coupler too - you cannot beat these in terms of appearance, although the standard #5 is easier to work with and still looks very acceptable on a model.