S-Coupler Head

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Welcome to the "S-Coupler Head"

A web site / blog FOR ALL S-Scale/Gauge Enthusiasts!
S-Scale Couplers, Information, Specifications, Latest Updates, How-To's, and more!

*UNDER CONSTRUCTION*
much to be added---IT WILL TAKE TIME---
PLEASE check back often for NEW info!

General concepts for this site:

ALL S Standard Gauge and S Narrow Gauge Couplers will be part of this site as it develops. (Some O Scale Narrow Gauge - On3, On30, On2 etc. enthusiasts may find information here useful).
Your contributions are welcomed and will be considered as part of this SITE with credit/attribution given to contributors.
UP-To-DATE information and resources for ALL S enthusiasts.
Links will be added to all S coupler manufacturers / importers / retailers. (CONTACT US AT: drktrains@gmail.com)
Technical info, methods and techniques to utilize couplers will be added as they become available through contributions and your assistance.

For S Scale 1:64 Scale Proportioned Couplers, Information, Modifications, How-To's, and Resources go to Page 1 (click)

S Helper Service "SHS"#01295 S-Scale Coupler mounted on "Hi-Rail" freight truck, for use with any S freight car. This is especially useful method for tight radius curves and switches, such as found in American Flyer, SHS, AM and others sectional track.

Here are some comparisons of American Flyer Trucks with attached couplers. A truck with an attached coupler is often referred to as a "Talgo" truck and/or cplr. mounting. This is an adaptation of a Spanish Patented method for allowing real RR passenger cars to lean into curves at high speeds and swivel over a common truck that two car ends are attached to (articulated).

The advantage of American Flyer Trucks and most other "toy" model trains trucks with attached coupler, is negotiating much tighter curves and switches without derailing cars or engines.

Shown here are two variations of American Flyer trucks with Knuckle Couplers - top truck with operating knuckle, bottom truck with a fixed knuckle coupler

Earlier version of American Flyer Trucks had Link Couplers.

Shown here are three variations of American Flyer trucks with Link Couplers - top truck, a later version, with Black weight button, center truck,with brass weight button and bottom truck with a non-weighted link coupler.

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This page will deal with scale proportioned Couplers

and their use, mounting ....

MODIFICATIONS TO KADEE
#802/808 COUPLER ASSEMBLY
TO REMOVE UNDESIRABLE
BACK & FORTH SPRING LASH
By Dr. K. Loeb

1st. Cut piece of.026" +-.001" dia. (#74 wire size) wire to .315" (5/16") Long.
Make as many of these as you need. Do not use a smaller or larger dia. wire...they will not work...I tried.
2nd. Modify the Kadee coupler shank as shown. Be very gentle and use a very fine file and /or sharp knife blade to trim, remove any flash and parting lines, burnish surfaces. Round corners at back of shank and remove small half-round piece with small hole at back center of shank.
#3rd. Do not undercut shank body, just file/cut detente to a parallel angle as angled detente face surfaces (parallelogram). Do this with a light hand and a little at a time, checking to be sure you are not undercutting shank (making it thinner will weaken coupler shank).
4th. To assemble, lay wire pin in "trough" at front of coupler draft gear box, insert coupler shank, with detente between wire pin and back of "trough" and over center hub. hold in place and insert Kadee shank spring, slide draft gear box cover over assembly still it snaps in place, check for flush seating of cover and free movement and centering of coupler. If all is working then you may wish to seal lid to box by using a small tipped soldering iron to "weld" lid to box in a few places. If there is a bind, or coupler does not spring back to center, disassemble and find problem, then reassemble.
This "FIX" will eliminate almost all of the back and forth spring lash and still allow for free spring centering and side to side movement. You will still have a bit of slack action as part of built in tolerances in coupler head design, necessary for the couplers to work properly. Now sit back and enjoy operating your trains!

S Coupler installations on S cars both high rail and scale applications.
These are "easy" installations requiring very little modification.

S Scaled (1:64 proportioned) Couplers

mounted to truck rather than car body.

Kadee (RH), S Helper Service (LH).

Typical American Flyer coupler mounted on truck rather than car

Scale proportioned S couplers attatched to AF with minimal modifications

Body mounted Kadee # 802 Coupler
shownwith trip-pin cut off on Hopper car

Page 1

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This page is for:
S-Scale 1:64 proportioned Couplers

AT THIS TIME THERE ARE 3 magnetically activated
automatic COUPLERS AVAILABLE:

Kadee #5 is an over sized HO coupler, utilized in S-Scale by some with or without trip pin modifications (cutting off trip pin, lengthening trip pin, or leaving it as is). The Kadee #5 is approximately 12% undersized for S-Scale. There are also the Kadee HO #20 Series (Plastic) and #40 Series (Metal) couplers (METAL RECOMMENDED BY ME) that have an identically sized coupler head as the #5 and uses a #5 draft gear box and spring. Both the #20 and #40 Series Couplers offer a large variety of shank lengths and coupler head offsets to accomodate just about any mounting conditions.
Kadee #802 (black), #808 (brown), is an S-Scale 1:64 proportioned coupler, redesigned for S enthusiasts by Kadee by altering length and curvature of the trip pin of a coupler originally intended for On3. The Kadee #802/#808 is a Standard Gauge full size 1:64 coupler in S-Scale, and a 3/4 size 1:48 coupler in O-Scale. It is a reasonably realistic looking, easy to install coupler.
The #802/808 Kadee couplers have, according to commentary by some S people, an undesirable amount of centering spring back and forth lash, resulting in an "accordion" like back and forth jiggling of cars when changing speed and/or direction.
If this is a problem for you SEE: "Modifications to Kadee #802/808" on Page 2 (click), this modification, developed and tested by author, WORKS and eliminates back & forth lash and allows free movement of coupler from side to side for easy coupling. Any one can do it with a few tools that most everyone has. Or you may wish to use Kadee's method, see the link to their web site in adjacent column.
For optimum performance all Kadee couplers require a bit of "finishing" work. (Follow Kadee's instructions closely, especially important is removing any parting lines and flash that go horizontally across coupler with very fine file, smoothing surfaces flush).

S Helper Service coupler #01295 installs easily on SHS cars and locomotives as well as most other locomotives and rolling stock. SHS couplers come already assembled in a rust brown color, four to a package. SHS coupler is a great looking coupler and mates with the Kadee #5, #802/#808.
For optimum performance all SHS couplers require a bit of "finishing" work. Especially important is removing any parting lines that go horizontally across coupler face and gathering surfaces and to smooth surfaces flush with very fine file. Take care not to dislodge knuckle spring.
For mounting S Helper Service #01295 and Kadee #802/#808 couplers to S Helper Service cars and locomotives, go to adjacent SHS link,look for "Scale Coupler Corner/Tips & Tricks" on their site.

SEE PAGE 2 for a variety of FIXED and TRUCK mounting suggestions, applications, how-to's utilizing 1:64 proportioned S couplers.

Head on comparison S Scale 1:64 proportion Couplers by Kadee #802 on left and
S Helper Service #01295 on right.
At this time these are the only available S couplers in 1:64 scale that work automatically and have magnetically activated uncoupling.

Sergent (Engineering) couplers (NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE) have "scale" proportions, very realistic looking but difficult to assemble. Coupling can be "automatic", and may require some manual "centering" of coupler. Uncoupling is manual using a magnetic "wand".
Compatibility is questionable with SHS #01295, Kadee#802/#808 couplers, although they can be "forced" to work, uncoupling requires a hands-on approach, it has been reported. Some S modelers have stated that Kadee#5 couplers will work fine with Sergent couplers. Please note that Sergent couplers are meant to be an exact replica in scale of a real coupler and therefore uncompromising, except as necessary to function. It is due to Sergent's strict adherence to scale proportions that the other "S" couplers may have difficulty coupling.

Sergent # EC64 S- Scale Coupler,
Previously offered in S-Scale,
see comment below!
Photo courtesy Sergent Engineering

FROM: FRANK SERGENT, Sergent Couplers (9-11-2008) Re: e-mail to this Author!

Hi,

" I would stress that we don’t currently manufacture any S scale products, although we have in the past and we may again some day. ..... While nothing close to the volume of the HO scale couplers, the S scale product volume was respectable and we haven’t given up on future S scale offerings."
"I think it is no secret that Sergent Engineering is much smaller than the big boys in White City. I have always had great admiration for the engineering of Kadeent> products – even though I think we make a better coupler. ......
Thanks,
Frank Sergent"
Please see Link to Sergent site in adjacent side bar!

S scale modelers of "old time" standard gauge and narrow gauge as well as industrial railroads, may wish to use link-and-pin couplers. The Back Shop, Grandt Line and some older HO manufacturers (Alexander, MEW?) may have close to S-scale link and pin couplers.

Partial excerpts quoted here as follows by Art Armstrong,et al, follows:

From: "ModelTrainWiki "(S-Scale Couplers) - See link to site in adjacent column!
Created by: Art Armstrong, Artarms last modification: Saturday 07 of June, 2008 [20:39:58] by rardshell. - A well laid out website for S Gaugers, documented with explanations, photographs and other links. relating to available S Couplers.

"Anonymous tips from experienced users on how to apply S Helper Service (SHS) Kadee (KD) style couplers to American Models (AM) freight cars
Drill and tap for a 2-56 screw right through the hole provided for the AM dummy coupler box. Then attach the KDnt> box with a 2-56 screw. If the screw doesn't hold, use a 2-56 nut on top of the floor where the screw pokes through. And whether or not you use a nut, flow a drop of super glue into the mating surfaces (coupler box to floor) to prevent the box from rotating around the screw.
The older American Models (box cars,reefers, 2 bay hoppers and etc) were (are?) tooled for their 'scale' coupler, while the newer models (spine, PS-2 CD, tank cars and etc.) have tooling for KD 802s. Frequently the tooled screw holes are too large. With a little practice and eye-hand coordination slipping the centering spring into the shank slot in the box, putting the cap on and screwing in place can be done with two hands and a screwdriver.
Touch a small soldering iron to the KD coupler box seams and it welds the box together. Don't try glue. Super glue seeps in by capillary action and may destroy the centering spring motion."

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STILL WORKIN>' ON THE RR - EXCUSE CONSTRUCTION MESS - CONSTANTLY UPDATING, REFINING, FIXING, IMPROVING !