Jack, I'm not sure these boys here will understand "Slack" in the concept you and other rails know all to well. I personally think that what they are seeing is the model railroad version of an exaggerated "Slack" and they call it "Slink". They don't understand what it means to have the slack catch up with the locomotive. They've never experienced the train cars slack move in on them and then retreat only to repeat the process, as the train runs through those slight, ever present hooptie do's. Further, they don't realize that most of this can be minimized or controlled by the person operating the throttle. If only there was a way to get them up in the cab, with you. They could experience "Slack" first hand. Many of the rails, experienced injuries the result of "Slack". The conductors riding in the caboose might experience a whip lash like snap of the neck, if they were caught off guard. Engineers, would end up with back and neck pain. It wasn't pretty...then or now. In the mean time here we are discussing the pro's and con's. It's ok. It appears I'm in the minority and that's ok. I will continue to watch the action of my train cars. I just finished operating two trains. The first train made up of MTL couplers and wheel sets. The second train a mix of Rapido and Accumates. The first train, I did see some "Slack" movement in the train cars but nothing I'd call "Slink". The second train did oscillate as described, while running on the flat across the top of my layout. We've turned cold here in Big Bear Lake. Temperature is at 24 degrees, as I write. I decided to turn on the frost watch heater and retreat back into my mobile home. Otherwise, I would of run a train made up of Atlas, InterMountain and Athearn train cars. More later when things warm up.
Sandro, the couplers were assembled by Athearn on cars and engines: with original screws on engines (not tightened). The uncoupling on straight track was mainly on start of the train. Thinking about it, maybe the problem could be mainly because of the push-pull effect between a couple of the same athearn engine with slightly different speed at start both between engines and coupled cars. To all other Guys, I appreciate a lot Your participation and thank You for Your valuable opinions and suggestions. As some of You has properly focused, each of us makes the choices he judges closer to his requirements: maybe I made some valutation mistake but at the moment McHenrys couples are the only banned from my layout. Mike
Applause Applause! I could of swore I heard applause. Good call, good decision. Until the guys and gals over at McHenry's work out the bugs, I would agree that avoiding operating with the Mcee's is the best decision you can make. Now watch out for the slack...it will hit you in the butt when you least expect it.
