Improving coupler performance

I up-graded all freight equipment and all locomotives (the few diesels I have got up-graded to fixed pilots also) to Kadee couplers. I think I started about 4 or 5 years ago, and the switch operations just got better and better as the lobsters claws found the trash bucket. No more slamming into cars in order to get them to couple.

 

Once you try them, especially the new, improved Kadee 740 series couplers, you will never look back.

To me, couplers are like switches, go with the best.  RCS switches are highly recommended and so are Kadee couplers.

 

I tried everything I could think of to make the old style couplers work satisfactory while switching and just couldn't come up with a fix.

 

If you have any Weaver cars, give the Kadees a try.  If you don't like them you can revert back to the older couplers quickly, at least on the Weaver cars I have.  The last 3 Weaver cars I got the couplers are held between the truck and body bolsters.  Remove the trucks, remove the couplers, add Kadees and reinstall the trucks, that's it.

As much as I want to convert to Kadees, my tight O36 curves in some areas of my layout would be too tight for them.

Which brand 3 rail couplers are giving you problems?
I find Weaver and K line to be most problematic.
Weaver won't stay closed.
K line won't close.

I have all types on the layout but my biggest issue seems to be that my 0-8-0 switcher wont close and lock its coupler when trying to couple up too some Atlas O cars.

 

I also can not get lionel ones to close on contact unless i get a really good ramming speed up and smash them into each other. 

 

How many of you have truck mounted kadees so you can still go around O46 and O48 curves?

 

Try a Kadee product called "Greas'um" (or there-abouts). Its actually powdered graphite in a small tube you squeeze to blow out the tip into the coupler mechanism. It's the only thing I've found to make the Atlas"O" couplers work any better. They're usually tighter than a tick when new out of the box, but will loosen up some with the graphite application.

Besides the Kadee option, I like the newer Lionel "push toward the car" tab coupler; they generally will close at a reasonable switching speed.