LGB Amtrak loco/coaches with LGB knuckle couplers

[Brixham]

For most of my stock, I prefer the LGB hook and loop coupler, even on US outline items. I now have an LGB Amtrak P40 Genesis loco and matching coaches which I would like to fit LGB knuckle couplers to, mainly for appearance sake. In real life, the p40's hardly ever work non passenger trains, so I would be happy with this incompatability.
I normally have temporary layouts on the lawn, and am wondering if this combination will be much more problematic to run due to changes in track tilt than the hook and loop type couplers. A pair I have to hand only seem to give about 10 degrees of tilt, whereas h+l will take much more. As the Amtrack coaches are quite long, I think I'll have problems. I have seen a track testing combo of two wagons, with almost fixed outer bogies, and freely floating inner bogies, with extended arms at the inner end of each wagon. Running this round shows where the twists are, and packing can be applied.

Of course, with a permamnant layout, the track can be fettled to minimise such twists, but a temp layout is only up for a week or so.

Comments please...

Malcolm

 

[stevedenver]

the knuckles are indeed less rough and ready
but i too run knuckles exclusively on my amtrack consist-i did use an idler from knuckle to hook and loop -when i added an F7B for sound

one reason i have kept knuckles is that i have not been able to fit a hook to the genesis, only a loop-this is a design flaw in the loco-sorta-it was desinged in the US specifically for knuckles -and a hook wont fit without some mod

i have found that the knuckles are almost as reliable-and pretty forgiving--a real tip is to use graphite and work the pin fairly firmly to burnish any slight molding imperfections-for great operation
one thing that i have experienced and havent really been able to diagnose is that sometimes i will get uncoupling spontaneously with one of my coaches, -not sure why-but i can only surmise that vibration may unseat the knuckle pin that causes it to lock , and results in uncoupling-contrary to gravity, but i could see it

id give it a go at slow speeds and see how things go-
i can tell you -the longer the wheel base the more level your track must be, and sharper radius exacerbates the effect

i have rough and tumble outside track too-and i can definitely tell a difference, even from the shorty 2 axel euro starter coaches to the slightly extended Rhb style or brake platform box cars-US equipment , even with fleixible bogies can become a bit fussy-the amtrack coaches will probably be abut as fussy as things can get

what id be more concerned about is a tip over-dont know if the kncukles will let go before they break-and theyre quite pricey now

 

[Madman]

I'll throw my two cents in here. I have had some experience with the LGB knuckle couplers and gave up on them. Not being too fussy about such details, the hook and loop couplers have never let me down. I have added hooks to the non-hooked coupler on each piece of my rolling stock, which increases reliability.

 

[Brixham]

Thanks for your input.

I hadn't thought about a complete train tip over, as with knuckles the train is almost rigidly coupled in this plane, as opposed to h+l.

I don't really want the train to uncouple randomly, so was considering some spring arrangement on the coupler release bar ( solder tag washer, with some springy brass wire..fitted into a small hole at the bottom of the bar )

Malcolm

 

[stevedenver]

well due to my excellent judgment, care in track design, and adult-like operatoin, tip overs happen to me, more often than i would like to admit!

 

[Gizzy]

Did try the LGB knuckles, but having found them problematic, I changed back to hooks and loops on both ends of all my stock.

I think I gave the knuckle couplings to Bigjack....

 

[stevedenver]

what pray tell
is a five star numpty ?
does one become a numpty after four stars, simply due to sheer posts and the presumption of numptiness somewhere in those posts?

when do i become an official numpty?

 

[dragon]

what pray tell
is a five star numpty ?
does one become a numpty after four stars, simply due to sheer posts and the presumption of numptiness somewhere in those posts?

when do i become an official numpty?

You can officially choose to be a Numpty whenever you wish. Freedom of choice reigns on this Forum
.

 

[Gizzy]

what pray tell
is a five star numpty ?
does one become a numpty after four stars, simply due to sheer posts and the presumption of numptiness somewhere in those posts?

when do i become an official numpty?

You can be a 3 star numpty Steve if you like....

http://www.dictionary.co.uk/browse?word=numpty

http://www.btinternet.com/~george.williamson/numpty1.htm

 

[stevedenver]

3 star numpty -how distinguished-yes please!