LGB and possibly other manufacturers couplings.

S

Sarah Winfield

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I note on my LGB locomotive and some of my stock that there is only one hook.

It is similar to the tension-lock couplings on Triang trains except it operated with the hook being forced downwards instead of upwards.

Is it usual on LGB stock for only one hook? Why is it done that way, please? Presumably it means it is possible to have 2 of the other half facing each other and not connecting!

Thanks,

Sarah Winfield
 
Sarah Winfield said:
I note on my LGB locomotive and some of my stock that there is only one hook.

It is similar to the tension-lock couplings on Triang trains except it operated with the hook being forced downwards instead of upwards.

Is it usual on LGB stock for only one hook? Why is it done that way, please? Presumably it means it is possible to have 2 of the other half facing each other and not connecting!

Thanks,

Sarah Winfield
Click to expand...

To be simplistic..
You have a loop at the front, and hook-and-loop at the rear.. - Mainly because that is how the LGB loco's are supplied, as it looks better at the front..

For reliable running, outdoors, over less than perfect track, many will fit hooks at both ends. - Stock which is 'double-hooked' is less likely to uncouple on rough track.
 
If you buy new LGB rolling stock, or good and complete boxed second-hand ones, then you should find a second hook, plastic "spring" and plastic rivet all on a little sprue somewhere in the box packaging - often taped to one of the card inserts. Of course, second-hand items may have already had the second hook fitted by a previous owner, or they may have lost the spare hook or nicked it for another piece of stock....
As PhilP mentions above, having hooks on both ends can help avoid accidental uncoupling - the only downside is that it can make it just a little more fiddly to manually uncouple stock when you do want to - basically you have to push down both hooks at the same time while moving the wagons apart, the easiest way of doing this is to insert something flat between the loops, push down on the hooks and gently twist.

If your layout has no means of actually turning a piece of stock round, then you can work with hooks on one end only - you just need to make sure the stock is always put on the track the "right" way round; if you have anything like a reversing loop, however, so stock and locos can get turned around, then you will run into problems of finding there is no hook where you need one to be.

If you want to double-hook stuff and the spare hooks are missing, then you can buy them as (relatively) inexpensive spares, you get the whole little sprue of hook, rivet and spring.

Jon.
 
LGB 64462 is the part you want Sarah?

Available from the usual sources....
 
A little tip for the actual fitting of the second hook..... first undo the screw holding the coupling together, and then re-fit it with the plastic spring in place (look at the other end of the wagon to see exactly how it fits); now locate the pin on the spring into the little hole in the new coupling hook, and gently compress the spring until you can slip the large hole in the hook shaft over the little plastic tube on the coupler body. So far, so obvious, but when you come to put in the little plastic rivet with the semi-circular head, which holds the hook in place, don't just try to force it in the "correct" way round, as that is a bit of a b*gger to do, and it will tend to try to spring out of your fingers - instead, rotate the rivet so that the semicircular head is 180 degrees out of position - then push the rivet PART-WAY in to the hole, and only THEN, with a twisting motion, turn the rivet round 180 degrees again as you push it firmly home - it should seat into place with a satisfying "click". Once you've done the first one that way, it will become obvious and all the others will be very easy!

Jon.
 
Sarah,

Just a word of warning. In other threads you have mentioned your interest in buying older items of stock: Before 1979 LGB came with single ended couplings with metal springs, like those on that coach we discussed. The loco couplings from this period only had s small D shaped rear coupling bar with the hook.

There are real issues using these older loco couplings with double hooked stock AND the older couplings are generally nowhere near as good and effective as the modern ones with the plastic springs.

In another thread you mention the single axle bogies that you found - one option is to replace the bogies on older stock with these to ensure reliability and all round comparability.

James
 
Thanks. I've searched for that part number and note the illustrations vary. One shows just the hook while another shows the hook and spring but no dome headed rivet.

Also the prices vary considerably from about £13.00 to £21.00. Some including free post and others not.

Which supplier do you use please?

Sarah Winfield
 
I am not a great lover of the very old couplings with the square higher point. They are somewhat trickier to uncouple. Also for me I needed to make a semi working hook for the end without one. Not too tricky using plasticard, a bolt and a bit of lead as counterweight keeps it in place. I have two such vehicles both now vans after some swopping around with chassis bits and they stay permanantly coupled in 2 of my Selktalbahn 2 coaches and a van in the centre these sets.
 
Sarah Winfield said:
Thanks. I've searched for that part number and note the illustrations vary. One shows just the hook while another shows the hook and spring but no dome headed rivet.

Also the prices vary considerably from about £13.00 to £21.00. Some including free post and others not.

Which supplier do you use please?

Sarah Winfield
Click to expand...
 
I usually use Glendale Junction Sarah, but shop around and you might find a better price....
 
This at £6.30 if you don't mind having the loops as well:
http://www.chalkgardenrail.co.uk/store/product/item315.html
(The "rivets" are the two little round things on the sprue below the spring piece)

I'm sure you can also buy packs of the hook/spring/rivet sprues on their own, without the loops, but Chalk doesn't seem to list them at the moment. There are some here on evilBay at a fiver a pop....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LGB-COUP...I6Mywic28iOjE1MDAsImMiOjk5Nzk3fQ==&rmvSB=true

The number that Gizzy quoted (LGB 64462) is NOT the right part I'm afraid - that is the special hook for rack-rail use, to prevent the hook fouling on the rack strip. The standard ones are 64402.

Jon.
 
Hi Sarah,

There is a little plastic pin which secures the hook onto the coupling which is not in this picture (you may already have this?) and a screw to secure the plastic spring you will need. On the underside of the loop attached to your carriage if you have the right loop you should be able to see where this goes.

I have most of my system with a single hook one end as this works much better with the track decouplers (auto or manual) and as someone has mentioned it is fiddly to get a double hooked connection apart.
 
Slawman said:
Hi Sarah,

There is a little plastic pin which secures the hook onto the coupling which is not in this picture (you may already have this?) and a screw to secure the plastic spring you will need. On the underside of the loop attached to your carriage if you have the right loop you should be able to see where this goes........
Click to expand...

You will need the plastic pin (what I've been referring to as the "rivet"), but you shouldn't need the screw - as that is what holds the coupler loop in place, that should already be there even on the un-hooked end of the wagon. To fit the spring, you remove the screw, slip the tab of the spring in place and re-insert the screw through the spring tab.

Jon.
 
No problem, hopefully I have cancelled my order for the rack-type coupling.

I think I'll stick with one complete coupling one end and just the loop the other until I see a reason to put complete couplings each end.

Sarah Winfield
 
Sarah Winfield said:
No problem, hopefully I have cancelled my order for the rack-type coupling.

I think I'll stick with one complete coupling one end and just the loop the other until I see a reason to put complete couplings each end.

Sarah Winfield
Click to expand...
The only difference that matters on the Rack Coupling is that the curved bottom is slightly higher to stop it rattling along the Rack Rail Teeth. On normal circumstance they will not make a hoots difference so if you can get them no problems.

I still have the odd wagon that was used on the Ruschbahn Rack that had these Special Rack Couplings fitted just for the reason that they were occasionally tabled to run on the Rack Line.
 
dunnyrail said:
The only difference that matters on the Rack Coupling is that the curved bottom is slightly higher to stop it rattling along the Rack Rail Teeth. On normal circumstance they will not make a hoots difference so if you can get them no problems.

I still have the odd wagon that was used on the Ruschbahn Rack that had these Special Rack Couplings fitted just for the reason that they were occasionally tabled to run on the Rack Line.
Click to expand...

OK, useful to know - so the rack ones would actually work fine, just no point in paying a premium for them if you can get the standard ones cheaper....

Jon.
 
Funnily enough, I checked my stock of extra hooks today, and they are all of the LGB 64462 type!

Apart from being a grey colour rather than black, I couldn't see much difference....
 
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