catnap posted:He keeps talking about these "shelf couplers." I'm new to 2-rail and I've been using the Atlas stock couplers and Kadee 745 medium shank couplers with absolutely no issues. What is a "shelf coupler" and what are they used for that any other coupler couldn't do?
To the extent, I understood his request, Alan is referring to the prototypical couplers on modern trains when he is referring to shelf couplers. So far, no model manufacturer has offered them or agreed to offer them in O-Scale. The couplers available, including Kadee, Protocraft & possibly others are similar to the regular AAR, Type E coupler, suitable for models of trains from say, around 1934. Shelf couplers are more suitable for modern trains. Most freight cars have a lower shelf coupler, introduced around 1970’s include a shelf on the underside of the coupler, to keep the cars connected in case of a wreck so that the couplers don’t puncture cars, especially important for tank cars carrying hazardous goods, or for cars next to tank cars, so basically all freight cars. Double shelves, on top & bottom seem to be used mainly on tank cars for extra protection in wrecks.
So, for added realism on Atlas-O 25,500 gallon tank cars, they should have Type-E double-shelf coupler. For the other modern cars like Auto-Racks, mill gondola, Trinity 5161 cu.ft. hopper, bulkhead flat car, 89' flat-car, Gunderson Maxi-Stack intermodal cars, a single bottom shelf coupler would suffice.
To add to the complexity, there is also the Type-F tight-lock coupler, that I like over shelf-coupler, that are found on most modern locomotives ordered by Union Pacific & BNSF & also found on modern coal cars like the coalporter. Amtrak & most passenger trains use a coupler similar to Type-F, tighlock but they are called Type-H.
These are just my opinion.
Thanks,
Naveen Rajan
