Dapol Easi-Shunt coupler

[velotrain]

Does anyone here have experience with this?  It looks to be very similar to the MT (Kadee) design.

 

It is designed for NEM mounts, and I'm wondering if it is as easy to replace Rapido couplings with this as he indicates in the video?

 

Has anyone tried these with hidden under-track magnets, which is an option with MT / Kadee?

 

Perhaps some of the UK members might not have personal experience, but know modelers who've tried these.

 

 

Here's one short video - there are others out there.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFk3D1yk6cg

[Nick_Burman]

Does anyone here have experience with this?  It looks to be very similar to the MT (Kadee) design.

 

It is designed for NEM mounts, and I'm wondering if it is as easy to replace Rapido couplings with this as he indicates in the video?

 

Has anyone tried these with hidden under-track magnets, which is an option with MT / Kadee?

 

Perhaps some of the UK members might not have personal experience, but know modelers who've tried these.

 

 

Here's one short video - there are others out there.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFk3D1yk6cg

 

I bought a pack ages ago. Never used them other than for sporadic tests. Yes, it's very easy to replace Rapido couplers with them - pop out, pop in. However I did not like the gap it leaves between buffers on European stock, which is why I would use my own home-brewed M-T based ideas.

 

Cheers NB

[Wonderbolt]

No experience of the product in question, but Dapols quality control leaves much to be desired so if you are importing from the UK don't be surprised if you have to have a replacement sent out.

[railzilla]

The Dapol coupler seem to work better than the MT magnematic. Teh coupler mechanic is closer to the prototype They are easy to swap as long the rolling stock has a NEM coupler socket. Two lengths are available. The price is a major drawback, retrofitting all your rolling stock could get quite pricey. Dapol has another NEM knuckle coupler but that is just a single piece of plastic and not really useful. Also knuckle coupler do not make a rigid connection. So with European Rolling stock with buffers, tight radii and short couplings there are some limitations.

In the Us there is a similar coupler on the market called MCHenry.

[velotrain]

The Dapol coupler seem to work better than the MT magnematic. Teh coupler mechanic is closer to the prototype They are easy to swap as long the rolling stock has a NEM coupler socket. Two lengths are available. The price is a major drawback, retrofitting all your rolling stock could get quite pricey. Dapol has another NEM knuckle coupler but that is just a single piece of plastic and not really useful. Also knuckle coupler do not make a rigid connection. So with European Rolling stock with buffers, tight radii and short couplings there are some limitations.

In the Us there is a similar coupler on the market called MCHenry.

 

Thanks for all the info - I didn't realize that the McHenry was NEM compliant.  This would be for Japanese stock with no buffers.  I just think the Rapido is really ugly, so was looking for an easy replacement, but may need to consider the price.

 

==>>  What is the cheapest but best-looking non-magnetic knuckle, that is easy to replace a Rapido with? 

 

I may be satisfied with permanent "rakes" of cars, but with working magnetics on the ends.

[kvp]

Tomytec has knuckle and shibata TN coupler kits that have the old rapido T end. Those are really cheap and easy to install but can't be used with NEM coupler sockets.

[HantuBlauLOL]

 

==>> What is the cheapest but best-looking non-magnetic knuckle, that is easy to replace a Rapido with?

 

I may be satisfied with permanent "rakes" of cars, but with working magnetics on the ends.

for EMU, i'd use kato's shibata with wires

 

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/411BTdXn0eL.jpg

source: https://www.amazon.com/Kato-11-704-Couplers-Brake-Hoses/dp/B0003KAQF6

 

 

 

else, use tomix truck mount TN couplers. kato knuckles are very unreliable imo.

https://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/amiami/cabinet/images/2009/36/rail-01014.jpg?_ex=330x330

source: http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/amiami/item/rail-01014/

Edited February 18, 2017 by cteno4

[westfalen]

The McHenry is not NEM compliant, I think what he was getting at is that the knuckles are a similar design with the small spring at the side, they are also similar in that regard to the Bachmann easy mate.

 

A problem I had with the Dapol couplers I fitted to some of my British rolling stock was keeping them at the correct height, perhaps because the NEM pocket is designed for Rapidos which have to have some up and down movement to couple.

[velotrain]

> because the NEM pocket is designed for Rapidos which have to have some up and down movement to couple.

 

I saw that illustrated in a video - one of the bogies was lifted right off the rails ;-)

[railsquid]

No experience of the product in question, but Dapols quality control leaves much to be desired so if you are importing from the UK don't be surprised if you have to have a replacement sent out.

 

That might be true for motorised units but hard to imagine what can go wrong with couplings.

 

Anyway no experience myself with these, but might be worth looking on the British N gauge forum: http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/

[velotrain]

Edited February 19, 2017 by cteno4
Fixed YouTube embed

[kvp]

On the last shot in the video above, the left (stationary) car is moving a bit towards the right (moving) car before they touch. This could happen when the car is being held down by hand off screen not to get pushed away. Setting the raido springs to be less stiff to allow easy coupling and uncoupling is imho a much nicer alternative and should work more reliably even on non level tracks.

 

ps: a rapido coupler is set good if you can lift the coupler up with a toothpick to 45 degrees without the car lifting up with it and it falls down immediately without sticking when you let go of it

[Wonderbolt]

That might be true for motorised units but hard to imagine what can go wrong with couplings.

 

Anyway no experience myself with these, but might be worth looking on the British N gauge forum: http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/

Am sure Dapol would find something lol, (in the OO guage wagons its not uncommon for the coupling hooks to fall off) its a shame really about their quality control as their stuff is great otherwise (the new class 68s look great but they to have a few QC issues).

[railzilla]

The McHenry is not NEM compliant, I think what he was getting at is that the knuckles are a similar design with the small spring at the side, they are also similar in that regard to the Bachmann easy mate.

 

A problem I had with the Dapol couplers I fitted to some of my British rolling stock was keeping them at the correct height, perhaps because the NEM pocket is designed for Rapidos which have to have some up and down movement to couple.

 

Yes i was referencing to the knuckle design.You only can use the Dapols on European stock as others do not have NEM 355 couping adapter. Even some Dapol truck do not have NEWM 355 coupling adaptors. So for Japanese Rolling stock you could go on with the McHenry.  

 

 

Btw i checked the NEM are only available in German and French.

http://www.morop.org/de/normes/nem355_d.pdf

http://www.morop.org/fr/normes/nem355_f.pdf

 

Personally i do not like the NEM 355. It was designed by Fleischmann to promote their Profikupplung.. But with Rapidos coupling with the old fashioned coupler box with spring is much smoother than with a NEM 355 adapter.If you going to convert to knuckle couplers the non NEM have a much grater variety of couplers. For Japanese rolling stock i like the TN couplers.