In case it's any help. Usual mix of good stuff and pics, with not reading the question well enough:
Does anyone use Protocraft & Kadee Couplers together? I'm new to O Scale,in the experimentation stages. I tried mating Protocraft & a Kadee #805 coupler last night with my 2 hands,not on 2 separate freight cars. They coupled,sometimes the Kadee would close the Protocraft knuckle 1st,other times...
ogrforum.ogaugerr.com
Jason
Protocraft and KDs together ?
I've tried without much success.
Considering Protocraft ( alone )
1. using their narrow draft box, they are very sensitive to set up and track radius.......... below 60" rad unhappiness requires intervention with pointy skewers etc, thus defeating the objective.
2. A slightly wider draft box is available ( more like the patented KD ?? ) I have some to play with. Based on comments from the US. the wider "throat" facilitates brakeman kicking couplers to improve alignment.
New Modular layout has min rad of 72", my intent is to set up Protocraft only sets of cars / switchers.
N.b. the 60" rad min relates to making / braking joints, the wider box may help? Trials this summer...... Protocraft couplers will run though 48" rad curves in a train, provided overhang lengths are not excessive but they won't make or brake happily
An alternative considered, if rads are below 60", is to truck mount the Protocraft so it follows the track centreline, however P48ers go into a faint swoon when this is suggested ;-] Too much like satan's "HI Rail" & damnation to you On5er swine sir !!
When Protocraft work they offer pure joy in the sense of open knuckle coupling or dropping cars without inserting the skewer and moving things in an unproto way. The watchmakers among us will no doubt rise to the challengers of working cut levers but I'm ok with a magnetic wand, if used carefully, only real hazard is too strong a magnet getting hold of the car, practice makes perfect.
When making a joint, loco stops short by 5ft, Brakeman opens both coupler jaws with cut levers or mag wand, calls engineer on to the joint which like the proto causes the couplers to automatically engage, stretch the slack, hook up the air and away you go :-}}
Protocraft & KD conjoined ???
Tried with each using standard draftboxes, Protocrft narrow box & KD 805 and KD 7xx series standard boxes. Neither system works faultlessly enough, skewer intervention sometimes works but the Protocraft needs to be opened to make the joint, this inevitably causes the Proto to touch the nose of the unopened KD causing both the refuse the hook. Not tried the wider Protocraft D/Box yet but based on present experience can't really see any point. Go with one or the other system. Not tried KD/ Protoc over the KD on track magnet but can't see the point of that either ?
Hope this helps, new layout is modern switching 21st century in On5. Protocraft couplers throughout if possible is the plan.
John Pearson
. Here's some Protocraft couplers on my GP9
