To All Us Modern Era Modelers from 1975 on,
The couplers Jimmy Booth is bringing out are Protocraft in design,the only difference will be the E couplers with a double safety shelf,(SE),are for use on tank cars and the lower shelf coupler,(SBE),are for use on all other equipment. There's also an H Tightlock coupler for use on passenger cars. They can be uncouplerd with cut levers or with a magnetic tool that's offered from Protocraft.
I have some of the Protocraft E couplers and they work great with the Kadee couplers on an MTH car,what number those are I don't know,and the newer Atlas couplers. Older Atlas couplers work with the Protocraft too, but require some "5 fingure assist."
Kadee keeps saying the shelf coupler's on their "to do list," but other things are ahead of that project. In HO,the 119 Kadee dbl shelf coupler's lower shelf isn't designed like the Prototype in configuaration, and the reason that was given to me back then, was that to have the prototype design for the shelf required a coupler design like the Sergent Coupler. So I'm thinking the O Scale coupler will use the same design. I'm glad Mr. Booth's coupler is making it onto the market 1st. I'm a "hands on" modeler that likes to do things as much like the Prototype train crews as possible,so these will be the ultimate in realism for me and others like me.
Al Hummel
