thoughts running through my mind after purchases.

[Keikyu]

I consistently go for Kato trains over Tomix. Iirc I said a while ago I preferred Tomix trains, and I do, but I feel that needs elaboration. I feel Tomix has fantastic trains, when they are in one set. Like my Tomix 21000 Urban Liner is my favorite train I own and I wouldn't choose anything over it, but for something like an engine, carriages where you can change the engine, or freight cars I much rather Kato.

 

It just feels more customizable with Kato, like I can swap out my couplers on my B-Trains easily because they use the same coupler slot as Kato so i can just buy knuckle couplers or tight locking couplers and they had a healthy bit of realism that takes me a minute to add and I can do the same with my Microace and Greenmax trains because they all share that coupler holder.

 

With Tomix, I wanted to do that with my DD51 but I was disappointed that the coupler only works with Tomix trains and is a big and bulky thing that I appear to need to buy in sets of 2, compared to the 20 or so I get in one pack of Kato couplers. But Tomix makes single set trains that don't change quite well and I do like them for that.

[Densha]

If you look closely enough you will find that TN couplers are also sold in sets of six.

These ones for multiple units for example:

 

Shibata-type:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10134221

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10237057

 

Knuckle:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10096033

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10096032

[Keikyu]

The DD51 looks to only have packs of 2s though, which is what I wanted. And as far as I know you can't use those with Kato couplers can you? The Kato ones are far more versatile, I have them in my B-trains, Microace trains and Greenmax trains. If I wanted to I could hook all 3  companies up together.

 

As far as I know Tomix stands out in that I can't, Tomix works with Tomix. If I am wrong I'd be glad to hear it though, I'd love to have my DD51 couple up to my Kato Sakura set and containers without the hook couplers, Rapido or something iirc?

Edited January 30, 2014 by Keikyu

[Densha]

I don't understand what you mean. So far I know Tomix, Greenmax and MicroAce are compatible and it is Kato that doesn't work with any other company's coupler fitting, except for B-Trains maybe. Usually you cannot couple a Tomix loco with Kato cars, but you could choose to customize a freight car with at one end a rapido coupler and at the other side a Kato coupler, or on one end a TN coupler and on the other side a Kato coupler. But please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Martijn Meerts]

Tomix has separate coupler sets for locomotives and cars.. For locomotives they come in packages of 2, since you'll never need more than 2 for 1 locomotive. Also, many locomotives come with replacement couplers included. Couplers for cars come in much larger packs.

 

MicroAce used to have coupler pockets that fit Tomix couplers, although I believe they've started doing their own couplers as well. I'm not sure if they're compatible with the Tomix ones.

[Keikyu]

I don't understand what you mean. So far I know Tomix, Greenmax and MicroAce are compatible and it is Kato that doesn't work with any other company's coupler fitting, except for B-Trains maybe. Usually you cannot couple a Tomix loco with Kato cars, but you could choose to customize a freight car with at one end a rapido coupler and at the other side a Kato coupler, or on one end a TN coupler and on the other side a Kato coupler. But please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I have it the other way, all my trains have the little coupler pocket with the spring so I replaced all of them with Kato couplers. But Tomix, or the trains I have, doesn't have that so I can't use my Tomix trains with my Kato coupler trains that make up a majority of what I own. Like my DD51 and EF66 have Tomix knuckle couplers, which don't hook into the Kato knuckle couplers I have. Unless I use the rapido coupler, the Tomix engines I have are effectively useless. This became an issue when my Sakura set had Kato knuckle couplers that were out of print and the Tomix Ef66 I had couldn't hook up.

 

It irritated me so it put me off Tomix unless it's a set that doesn't need changing up, like my 21000 will always be the 6 car set I own so the Tomix couplers don't bother me.

Edited January 30, 2014 by Keikyu

[Densha]

I thought that coupler pockets with spring, which is a different coupler holder than the one I linked to (for passenger multiple units), could fit TN couplers as well. At least other brands than Kato do so I think.... but this means indeed that a Tomix loco with Kato coaches can only be hooked up through rapido couplers or a custom solution.

Edited January 30, 2014 by Densha

[Keikyu]

I'm unsure, I haven't bought them since I was certain the Kato ones would and I already had a majority of Kato trains by that time.

 

And I know they can be hooked up with the Rapido coupler, that just bothers me if that makes sense, like I'd much rather have the more neat looking knuckle and tight locking couplers. They look to pull the carriages closer together as well, though I assume that would differ depending on where the train has the couplers sitting.

[Densha]

I think I get it now. So Kato uses the arnold coupler holder: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10003621

And Tomix their own holder: either this http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10009876 or this http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10114288

So you really need to modify one car of a consist or one side of the loco to get it working.

[Keikyu]

Yep yep, that's what I am saying. And the Arnold coupler holding this is also on my Microace, Greenmax and B-Trains so I can add knuckles and tight locking couplers for that added realism easily and hook them all together.

 

My Tomix DD51 and EF66 are lonely not being able to be hooked up without cutting and gluing or using the unrealistic hook couplers.

[Densha]

Then I'm curious as to whether or not your MA and GM trains support body-mounted TN couplers: http://www.akihabara.artificial-science.org/tag/tn-coupler/

Because if they do, it means you can put a Kato coupler in the arnold holder on one side, and attach a TN coupler using body-mount pins on the other side. This is usually only the case with certain passenger stock though.

[Keikyu]

I'm unsure what you mean, the link doesn't look to load for me. But it would be neat if I could use different couplers on each end.

[Densha]

Hmmm... yesterday it worked. Maybe there's a server problem or something. This is an example of  a body-mount coupler: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10134221

Many Tomix, MA and GM trains feature little pins under the cars were you can pop these in. Just remove the coupler mounted to the bogie, install this and you're ready to go.

My idea was that maybe some MA and GM trains feature both these pins and Arnold coupler holders.

Example of Tomix TN coupler body-mount on MA trains: http://fine.ap.teacup.com/tetsumozanmai/23.html

If I understand correctly this Kato DF50 has a slightly modified TN coupler attached, so that does seem to work at least: http://ototetsu.hateblo.jp/entry/2012/06/04/040235

[Keikyu]

Oh okay, I have seen though before but I haven't used them. I didn't know what they were for. I do wodner then.

 

The trouble is though all the carriages I would couple up to my DD51 and EF66 are Kato. they seem to be the only one not in your list for supporting those.

[Densha]

Yes that's true. It only works in certain cases. You can however look if you can fit a Kato coupler in a Tomix loco on one side, it looks like it works the other way round at least.

[Kamome]

Hi Keikyu

 

I'm not sure what the older Tomix couplers look like so forgive me if I'm giving inaccurate information. I have a 99% Kato collection but have a few Tomix Locos. I have a DE10, DD54 and EH500 all in JRF livery. All of my wagons are Kato with Kato knuckle couplers as I prefer them to the regular ones. All of the Tomix Locos came with interchangeable Rapido and knuckle couplers. The Tomix knuckle couplers are housed in a cylindrical fitting so that they can be easily changed by removing the snow plough. These cylindrical housings can be separated allowing the coupler part to be removed. I replaced mine with a Kato knuckle coupler for coaches and wagons. The block part of the Kato coupler (that usually fits to the bogie) does need shaving a little with a scalpel. These modified couplers don't look quite as nice as the new Kato Loco knuckle couplers but are not far off. They allow me to pull all my Kato rolling stock with a Tomix loco.

 

I hope this helps