Buck Heard Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Anyone know of a part# for an operating knuckle coupler that would replace the standard Rapido style factory coupler on a Tomix DE10? Thanks! Link to comment
David Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 The new DE10 comes with a TN knuckle coupler in the box, but these are too small to couple with Kato/Microtrains/North American knuckle coupler. I have not yet confirmed if the same Microtrains coupler that fit into my Tomix ED75 will fit into the DE10 - I have the spare couplers, I just have other projects before I tackle the DE10. Visually they look the same, but the DE10 seems like there is a little less space. If you wait until tonight I could do a quick dry run to see if the pin fits. These are the Microtrains couplers that seem to have worked for Tomix engines: http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,3713.msg37369.html#msg37369 Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Buck, if yours is the older variant (2208/2209), there isn't. I just looked through my instruction sheet, and at the coupler directly, and I can't find anything indicating there is a replacement available. The coupler itself is of the sort that swings up over the Tomix uncoupler tracks, and the mounting in the truck doesn't look like it would take a different sort of coupler. So, if you have the older model, you will probably have to kludge a DIY solution yourself, unfortunately. Link to comment
Buck Heard Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 The set I've got comes with two DE10s. It's the TOMIX 92949 Tarumi Railways Diesel Locomotive Set. Any help you guys can provide would be great. I just don't care for those factory type connections. Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 The set I've got comes with two DE10s. It's the TOMIX 92949 Tarumi Railways Diesel Locomotive Set. Any help you guys can provide would be great. I just don't care for those factory type connections. That would be the older style, I'm afraid, which means no factory replacement couplers are available as near as I can tell. That said, I just had a closer look at mine. If you remove the coupler, you're left with basically an empty box. Although I don't have any experience with them, I bet there is an M-T coupler that would fit in there. Link to comment
Buck Heard Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 I am beginning to think I shouldn't have bought these. I liked the way they looked and chose them as my first Japanese locomotive purchase but after receiving my set from Plaza Japan one of the locos was running poorly and the directional lighting function was not working. Had something to do with that weird spring drive mechanism. Plaza Japan was great to deal with and sent me another set but after the problems i've had and now the fact you cant make them look prototypical I am a little hesitant about purchasing anything else from Tomix. Even the new replacements I got wont run well double headed like in the picture on the box. One has a bad habit of uncoupling itself from the other and running away. Anyway I really didn't want to have to modify the locomotive in order to get the right couplers in there. I've scratch built a few things in my life so it's not beyond me to come up with something that will work I was just hoping for an easy plug and play solution. Grrr. Oh and David whatever help you can provide I would appreciate it. Thanks. Link to comment
clem24 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 That would be the older style, I'm afraid, which means no factory replacement couplers are available as near as I can tell. Incorrect.. If it's the older DE10 release with coupler mounted on truck, then you can replace with Tomix 0392, but it's only a TN coupler which is generally pointless: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10009877 If you want an operational coupler or something that can actually hook up to actual rail cars (I know of no one who would install TN couplers on freight cars), then you'll need to mod it to fit Microtrains. 1 Link to comment
Buck Heard Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 I'm not familiar with the "TN" terminology. What does that mean? Will they mate with the Microtrains? Link to comment
David Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 No, TN won't work with Microtrains. TN is Tomix's own brand of rapido replacement. Microace now also makes a compatible copy. Like Microtrains the TN couplers have many variations for different mounting scenarios, and there are two main types the knuckle and the scharfenberg style. In both cases the features of TN couplers are: Close coupling Easy push together coupling (though they may not couple well under train power alone) Pull apart to uncouple (a spring ensures that human strength is needed, though this means you can't run an American style 50 car coal train) Obviously Tomix's scharfenberg style coupler is not compatible with any of Kato's, but the knuckle is not either. The reason is that the coupler is shaped and sized (depth wise) a little more like the actual prototype. The result is a knuckle that is too tight and small for a Microtrains or similar knuckle coupler. You can sort of force it, but it still doesn't make a good connection. Instead the coupled car hangs on by hair, ready the fall off at the slightest bump. Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I'm not familiar with the "TN" terminology. What does that mean? Will they mate with the Microtrains? No. "TN" is Tomix's brand of couplers, which are designed for semi-permanent coupling. They look very good, and hold very well, but uncoupling requires considerable force! Which is the point. At any rate, they are NOT compatible with M-Ts (or Kato's knuckle couplers, or Micro Ace's knuckle couplers...or anything else that isn't a TN coupler), and the semi-permanent nature means they are not good for shunting at all. You'd be better off with the stock Rapidos for that, actually. Tomix's automatic magnet system is pretty cool :D Even if it looks awful. All that said, the Tomix DE10s are an outlier. Tomix generally makes excellent products, and their new DE10 model has been redesigned from the ground up for reliable running. Don't let your frustration with this one model spoil your taste for Tomix! Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 TN is Tomix's own brand of rapido replacement. Microace now also makes a compatible copy. Compatible only in the mounting. Micro Ace and TN knuckle couplers do not mate with each other, sadly! Link to comment
Buck Heard Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 Can someone tell me how many couplers come in the package below? I might be able to modify the replacement by adding a MT shank to the base of this unit. http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10009877 Does the Micro Ace mate with the MT? Link to comment
clem24 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Can someone tell me how many couplers come in the package below? I might be able to modify the replacement by adding a MT shank to the base of this unit. 12. I have these and I highly doubt you can modify it. I'd just take the truck, strip the plastic bits that hold the old coupler box in place, and screw in an MT... Or, just ebay your set and buy the new Kato DE10 with factory knuckles and silky flywheel hehehe... Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Can someone tell me how many couplers come in the package below? I might be able to modify the replacement by adding a MT shank to the base of this unit. http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10009877 Does the Micro Ace mate with the MT? set 0392 comes with 12 couplers. http://www.newhallstation.com/images-lib/kits/Tomix_Coupling_Kits.jpg Micro Ace couplers, which will not fit the mountings on your DE10, are also not compatible with M-T couplers. Basically, Tomix TN are ONLY compatible with Tomix TN; Micro Ace are ONLY compatible with Micro Ace, and Kato knuckle couplers are compatible ONLY with M-T and M-T-alikes. I think. They're supposed to be, anyway. Link to comment
David Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 set 0392 comes with 12 couplers. http://www.newhallstation.com/images-lib/kits/Tomix_Coupling_Kits.jpg Micro Ace couplers, which will not fit the mountings on your DE10, are also not compatible with M-T couplers. Basically, Tomix TN are ONLY compatible with Tomix TN; Micro Ace are ONLY compatible with Micro Ace, and Kato knuckle couplers are compatible ONLY with M-T and M-T-alikes. I think. They're supposed to be, anyway. That image is really useful. I assume that all of those bulk kits at the bottom except for 0392 are T-shank (direct Rapido replacements). Nice and cheap like the Kato bulk sets too. As for the Kato/MT, they are mostly compatible. The Kato Japanese knuckle couplers (11-702/707) are meant to coupler a little tighter so they don't seat perfectly (the Kato's are more square/angular, the MT more rounded). The result is that they couple well enough for short trains, but can accidentially uncouple in longer ones. Link to comment
Buck Heard Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 Thanks to everyone for the advice. Link to comment
foxhsu Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Actually there is a coupler compatible with MT/TN/Kato coupler, call "Shinkyo Coupler". It uses the normal Rapid base, it may fit the DE10. The problem is hard to buy for the foreign buyer. http://www.tacocity.com.tw/railway/formosarail/ Link to comment
keitaro Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 whats wrong with rapido couplers anyway I like em easily couple together with all brands by default (freight that is) Link to comment
brill27mcb Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 A lot of "serious" n-scalers in the U.S. use MT Z-scale couplers, because they are closer to scale for N, which is what the Tomix couplers sound like they are, too. Has anyone tried coupling the Tomix knuckle coupler to an MT "Z" coupler? By the way, the MT Z coupler does couple to their N-scale ones, too. Rich K. Link to comment
clem24 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 whats wrong with rapido couplers anyway I like em easily couple together with all brands by default (freight that is) LOL Automatic coupling and coupling (MTs and new Kato knuckles). Ugliness and non-prototypical look is the second thing that comes to mind. Second would be car to car gap. List goes on... Link to comment
Martijn Meerts Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 My main issue with the rapido couplers is that they don't take the stress of many cars too well, especially the rapido couples on various locomotives, which are a bit bigger than regular rapido's. And, since N-scale doesn't really allow for any serious and smooth shunting activity, there's really not much point in keeping the rapido's. (Yes, I'm aware there's a variety of uncoupling methods for N-scale, but I'm not convinced by any of them, yet. Especially not after shunting a little with Lenz 0-scale locomotives ;)) Link to comment
Densha Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 (edited) Actually there is a coupler compatible with MT/TN/Kato coupler, call "Shinkyo Coupler". It uses the normal Rapid base, it may fit the DE10. The problem is hard to buy for the foreign buyer. http://www.tacocity.com.tw/railway/formosarail/ It looks like we will be able to get it from HobbySearch soon: http://www.1999.co.jp/search_e.asp?Typ1_c=104&scope=1&scope2=0&itkey=SHINKYO Edited January 9, 2013 by Densha 1 Link to comment
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