Ouigo couplers

[Richof]

Just received a Kato 10-1763 Ouigo 10 car set.  Nice model. Unique couplers. Have a couple of cars that frequently uncouple when hitting a curve. Anyone have suggestions for making these couplers stay coupled?  Also was under the impression that this had two motor cars. In fact, there is one motor car and a second unit without an actual motor that still takes a decider to manage lights. Strange setup. 

[disturbman]

Not strange at all. It’s a relatively normal setup for MUs, though the TGVs are push-pull units, and is the normal TGV setup. Most Kato MUs required three decoders, one for the motor cars and two functions decoders for the cabcars.

 

Regarding the coupling, I think you probably didn’t clip the cars correctly together. In my experience, cars don’t uncouple when correctly connected as they need to be forced in. But do verify that all are working properly or are installed the same way. It arrives that one get rotated the wrong way.

Edited April 28, 2023 by disturbman

[Richof]

Thanks for the feedback.  I got a little more forceful with couplers and all is good now. I realize multiple decoders are often needed for lighting, but I put a full function decoder in the trailing MU just for lights, thinking there would be a motor there.  My fault. Lesson learned. 

[tripel7]

I have a PBA thalys unit, and the Kato couplers make me uncomfortable with the ammount of force needed to couple them😅

[Richof]

Agreed. That's why I was having issues at first. On first run, the cars would uncouple, especially on super elevated curves. After rereading the manual and looking around here, I decided to apply a little force. It works. But is scary. 

Edited April 28, 2023 by Richof

[brill27mcb]

It's more scary when you try to pull them apart to uncouple them.

 

Rich K.

[cteno4]

Yeah the Japanese shared bogey romance trains are the same way, always a bit of terror coupling of and uncoupling them. But I’ve never broken one!

Just feels like it when you are in process…

 

jeff

[disturbman]

The real problem were the "scissor" couplers between the motor cars and the first passenger cars, these were terrible designs and easy to break. Stuff of nightmares really. I'm glad they designed an alternative since the new Thalys sets.

[Wolf]

On 4/28/2023 at 11:32 PM, brill27mcb said:

It's more scary when you try to pull them apart to uncouple them.

 

Haha, felt. Absolutely get a nervous breakdown sometimes XD