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"Kadees for operation involving coupling operations. Dummies for trains that never get uncoupled. Protocraft for really accurate models. Protocraft work really good, but they can get costly, and it is difficult to hire folks small enough to operate cut levers".
BOB2 nailed it.
I wanted 16 Ingot cars for my Steel mill so I built 17 (one spare in case I messed one up didn't happen) ingot cars using old Atlas ore car frames for the base and because they only run short distances in blocks of eight, around the mill I used SHOCK,HORROR, new Atlas couplings off cars that I had replaced with Kadees for the central cars and Kadees at each end if I can save a buck why not, I would not recommend them for anything else. Roo.
Unless one is financially comfortable some element of practicality has to be applied to the hobby. Neville (Roo) is the owner/operator of a well conceived model railroad, and knows the needs of his operating crew and his equipment. Couplers being just one of many components, and his budget says "get smart" and uses Kadee couplers with known reliability for his operating session and Atlas which are essentially dummies to hold grouped rolling stock together.
As often as the subject of couplers comes up, the most reliable and cost effective choice continues to be the long serving Kadee. If one is searching for more prototypical then expect the cost and availability to become a factor. I usually buy my Kadee 805's for about $3.00 a pack. This is but a single expense among many, and unless I was content with endlessly dreaming of what my railroad might be someday verses actually getting it built, I feel the steady pursuit of progress is a more productive approach.
Bob
Bob.
Very true in all aspects I can't add anything to that. 
Neville/ Roo.
