Rapid questions about Rapido couplers

[JasonRP]

Hi all,

I have read that there is an un-coupling "ramp" for uncoupling rapido couplers.. Is this the rapido version of the magnet un-coupler devices?

Also, all of my cars have rapido couplers on them, and they seem to work pretty well for me. I'm not excited about the idea of having to pry apart knuckle couplers, and I'm not bothered at all about the un-scale looks of rapidos.

All my locomotives except for one have rapido couplers on them. Has anyone here ever converted a Kato loco with the stock coupler to a rapido? Is this easy to do, or possible to do without butchering the loco at all?

Jason

 

[shaygetz]

The Rapido ramps actually push up on the pin of the coupler. They are installed off center in the track and are basically a plunger activated by an electromagnet. A steel pin is attracted upwards by the magnet when power is applied, pushing a small shoe against the trip pin of the coupler. Simple enough that, once you buy one to see how it is assembled, you won't be long coming up with your own design to save some coin.

As for the Kato conversion, it's been awhile, but I beleive they are a fairly easy twist out/twist in installation.

 

[60103]

Peco make a manual uncoupler SL330. I had a couple when I was in N.

 

[brokemoto]

I did read what you typed about your being satisfied with the Rapidos. I felt much the same way for many years. I even went to the extreme of buying MT 1500s (MT Bettendorf truck with Rapido coupler) so that I could run MT cars. I changed all the couplers on the Kato passenger cars to Rapidos.

What made me do the switch to knuckle couplers was when I learned that Atlas was getting away from Rapidos and going to a knuckle coupler. I was aware that some of the high end manufacturers were getting away from the Rapidos, but when a medium priced manufacturer decided to do this, I knew that it was time to switch. I had a large fleet of freight and passenger cars and locomotives, so it was time consuming and expensive, but in the end, I was gald that I did it.

These days, many of the better manufacturers are using knuckle couplers: Kato, Atlas, Athearn (at least on their nineteenth centruy stuff, I do not know about the modern), MT, IM and I have probably missed a few.,