This standard exist in the european MR community (NEM), but tiny differences between couplers height between European manufacturers makes this standardization a dream.

Just try to soft couple a new marklin or roco coach to a new Fleischmann coach (using same couplers of course) and you will see that standardization sometimes is a bad word in MR European industry.

For marklin old trains you just adjust the height with a pair of clamps because they are easy to adjust, the new ones with the nem socket are different story, no easy solutions for them because the socket is plastic.

American MR is way more advance in standarization, couplers is the best example for it.

From my side, I'm using Kadee with nem socket in all my european trains.

Roco has a NEM 'universal' coupler with adjustable height. They also have a close coupler that is adjustable. The coupler comes in two parts, a 'shank' with a groove, and a 'head' that slides into the groove.

I was lucky enough to get about 50 for a good price on eBay. Lasted for several years now. If I have problems with couplers, I swap out with these and the problem goes away!

If you need the part number, I can look it up when I get home tonight.

Guys and girls... The link is exposed to show the larger image... The little image or thumbnail is just to give a taster about what is on the other end of the link... Give it a try - just click on the link..

As far as I know, those roco couplers are going to be discontinued, Mr Magdefrau (former owner of roco) has the right of the design of those couplers and those rights were not included in the recent agreement between Magdefrau and the new Roco society.