Hi all,

I'm not happy with Marklin couplings. They don't always catch, they don't pre-couple properly, some old locos just bump against them, and if this happens at a far-end of your layout this is frustrating. Did anyone change to any other type of close couplings that fits the standard slot? the Roco couplings look nice but I have no experience with them. Do they pre-couple with Marklin electric C-track uncouplers? Any comments on Roco or other types?

many thanks
Monique

Lars, are those roco universal couplers compatible with Märklin close couplers ? I'd like to know because some non-Märklin coaches can have problems with the Märklin ones, when coupled the couplers scratch along the underside of the buffers or can get stuck on it in a bend...

Regards, Winston

Hi Kevin !
Thanks for guiding us - looks great [:p][:p][:p][:p]
But - will it survive the hard world of playing
Regards
John

Adrian:

They are Viessmann #5048, but they are having a production problem with them at Viessmann (according to the Lok Shop). I have had some on order since November.

I have all three types of Roco couplers; loop, close, and universal(UC).
Loop is Marklin.[:p] Actually, the Roco loops work better than Marklin's for me.

Close is rather odd: from the side it looks like a solid bar. But they do connect well together. Not so good with loops or UC.

Universal has a "hook" intead of a loop. This item gives a very strong connection. You can only separate by pushing up from the bottom of the coupler or by twisting (not easy to do). Best part: the 40351 comes in two parts, which can slide up and down for easy height adjustment (no bending metal). NEM, of course.

The easy height adjustment is the best feature! I have several older Marklin and Roco cars (pre NEM 362 socket) where the heights are not standard. These have to be coupled by hand.[xx(]

I have a couple of Roco sets that came with both Close and Loop couplers. I use the close inside the string, and put a loop on each end (for Loks).

Hope this helps!

Hi all!

M's "modern" close-couplers [:(!][:(!][:(!] produced several derailments when in a row with older cars (they never ever do that alone) - my trusty Relex couplers beat that junk forty miles by sunday !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Those trains are here for playing [:p][:p][:p][:p][:p] so I switch each new car back to Relex immediately after purchase

Regards
John

Hello...

Which Kadee part number did you use? I have heard someone else mention these couplers for the 1 gauge, but I was not aware that they serviced HO as well..

Welcome back Richard

Monique,
The Kadee item ## are 17-20.
And don`t forget to order the coupler trip pin plier in order to adapt these uncoupler pins to the necessary clearance when travelling
through turnouts and crossings with their elevated PUKOs.

Regards,
manfred

One other point about couplers: because of the size of the Märklin close coupler, they interfere with the buffers on ROCO passenger cars when on a curve, easily causing derailment.

I also use the Fleischmann Profi-Couplers which, as stated earlier, are more rigid and require more coupling force, but provide the closest buffer-to-buffer operation of all close couplers. Hint: the uncoupler pin which faces straight down on the Fleischmann Profi-Coupler hast to be shortened in order to avoid "hang ups" on (K-track) center studs at switches. I cut them half-way in length, then use my soldering iron to melt the plastic to a small ball to keep it in place, since the pin has a mushroom-shaped end.

The Märklin close couplers, as described earlier, also do not consistently couple together.

Peter Neuman
Florida

But at least they do very well when on their own. My new close-coupler-only "Orient Express" runs perfectly troublefree [:p] - just learned a new lesson: NEVER MIX THOSE COUPLERS ... [xx(]