I am happy to report that the Amherst train show was hopping at the Kadee® booth this year. I was able to get out of the booth a few times to take a quick look around but for the most part it was nonstop interaction with customers. Answering product questions, coupler conversion questions, and talking to individuals about the new O-Scale trucks that we will be releasing after they have been thoroughly tested. We have sent some samples out to some individuals and clubs for testing on different layouts. We still need to do some inhouse testing for ourselves before we release them. I would like to personally say thank you to all of the individuals that we have talked to about this project and a special thank you for all of those individuals and clubs that have been testing the O-Scale trucks on their layouts.

As for our technical tip of the month, I would like to talk about a couple of HO-Scale products that I feel are underutilized that quite possibly be because folks don’t understand their usefulness when converting cars and locomotives to Kadee® knuckle couplers. It is so important you have the correct tool for the job, not everyone knows what products are necessary or important for proper coupler mounting and coupler function. It is not just beginners who would benefit from these products in their workbench. Do I have you guessing what products I am referring to yet? Shall we que the dramatic music and a drum roll or keep you guessing a little longer. Before I talk about the products I am referring to, let me say it is very important to make sure you have all the necessary Kadee® components to properly mount, adjust, test and operate our Kadee® knuckle couplers. Our Magne-Matic® coupling system relies on Kadee® knuckle couplers mounted at the correct height and on the cars centerline to operate with our magnetic uncouplers and for the couplers to open and delay as they have been designed over the uncoupling magnets.

The first product is the #13 HO-Scale Coupler Sample Test Kit. Now, Now, I can hear some of you saying; “Why do I need a #13 test kit. I have been using Kadee® couplers for years; I just put a NO.5® on everything!” But maybe there is a better coupler/gearbox combination that would make that coupler conversion look, function, and require less modification then just slapping the NO.5® on everything! I know with enough time, patience and the proper tools (milling machine, lathe possibly, or complete machine shop) every car can be modified to fit a NO.5® coupler. But for those of you who don’t have a complete machine shop space or want to hack and whack your car to pieces to fit that NO.5® coupler at the proper operating height for proper function, we have other couplers & gearbox options than just the NO.5® coupler. What!!!, I know, I am talking blaspheme to some of the NO.5® purists out there. We have made many products over the years to make equipping locos and rolling stock to Kadee® couplers easy and requiring the least modification to the original equipment as possible. This is why we have couplers with offset coupler heads and different shank lengths that function in virtually all of our different gearbox options to accommodate the vast variations of mounting platforms that have been produced over the years on cars. Now the #13 is a test kit that has only one pair of all these couplers. #13 comes with NO.5®, #140 Series Whisker® couplers, #158 “Scale” Whisker® coupler, 20/30 Series Couplers. #212 Talgo Adaptors, #213 20-Series Gearboxes, #233 30-Series Gearboxes, #232 NO.5® Type Gearboxes, #234 Short NO.5® Type Gearboxes, #242 Whisker® Snap-Together Gearboxes, #252 Small Whisker® Snap-Together Gearboxes. #208 .015” Red Fiber Washers, #209 .010” Gray Fiber Washers, #211 .010” & .015” Shims, #256 Plastic 2-56 x 1/2” Screws, #621 30-Series Torsion Springs, #622 Knuckle Springs, #634 NO.5® Type Centering Springs. One pair #321 Code 100 Between-The-Rails & #322 Code 83 Between-The-Rails Uncouplers. #231 Greas-em, #206 Height Gauge & a #241 Dual Tool. All the important items to have to get the best fitting coupler on that loco or rolling stock.

The second product is the #1030 HO Scale Starter Pack. It is for someone who wants to get the most popular couplers and tools and yet have enough couplers to convert a couple cars without having to run out and purchase more couplers. The #1030 is designed to assist the beginning model railroader in learning the basic modeling skills of proper coupler mounting and use of the Kadee® Magne-Matic® coupler system. The Starter Pack includes full size packages of NO.5®, #142, #143, #146, #147, #148 Whisker® couplers, #158 “Scale” Whisker® couplers. #208 .015” Red Fiber Washers, #209 .010” Gray Fiber Washers, #211 .010” & .015” Shims, #256 Plastic 2-56 x 1/2” Screws. One pair #321 Code 100 Between-The-Rails & #322 Code 83 Between-The-Rails Uncouplers. #231 Greas-em, #206 Height Gauge, #334 Uncoupler Gluing Jig, #237 Trip Pin Pliers, & a #241 Dual Tool. The Starter Pack has the critical items to get you started converting and operating your Kadee® Magne-Matic® equipped products hands free. Get your #13 or #1030 Today!