Body Mount Yes or No

I have been mulling over this question for a long time, and I'll bet others have as well. My questions are: is there any reason, from an operational standpoint, not to switch? What sort of minimum radii are we getting into. I would bet the 9 3/4 are out of the question, at least on the main and on a major branch line. Any other limitations on track design?
The reason for asking these questions is that I am designing my first real layout in decades. I would hate to design body mount couplers out of this layout.
TIA
Len

 

I've had no problems with 10" radii on my test loop. However, automatic coupling in the curves it out of bounds.
Especially the MTL #1015/1016 (only the former as 10-packs) have a really, really wide swing and will negotiate such a small radius easily.
However, again: if you couple long to short cars _that_ could bring you trouble. But the prototype had certain restrictions, too.

hth
Michael

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't the 1016's the medium shank version of the 1015. I had problems with an SD-80 kicking cars off the track on an 11 inch radius. the cure was to install Kato's long shank coupler. I imagine mixing a long overhang with a short shank coupler is asking for derailments.......and I don't mean the lovely Miss De Rayle

Len

 

The #1016 couplers are the LONG shank version of the #1015s. By the way, these couplers are more suited for diesels than freight cars.

If you look carefully at a 1015/1016, you'll see that the sides don't extend all the way to the end of the coupler pockets. This allows for greater swing on curves and it helps hold down derailments (Dee hates to be held down for shots and stuff at the Vet) .

If you put 1015s on your cars, when you back them up, the joined couplers can swing out so far that they create a 90 degree angle even on straight track, much less sharp curves! Talk about UGLY and unprototypical!

 

Len:

The 1016's are Reverse Draft Angle couplers which should be used on diesels only with narrow radius curves. The 1016's make a wider swing than the 1015's.

For body mounts you could try the MT #1023 or MT #1025 .

 

I've got about 90% of my fleet body mounted.

I recommend no less than a 15" radius curve if you do this.

As far as the comments about coupler selection goes, All of MTL's body mounted couplers have applications on some freight cars I use mostly 1025s, 1015s, and 1027s, but I do have some cars that have other MTL couplers on them.

Paul

 

Paul:

What freight cars do use with the MT #1015's?

 

MTL 100 Ton 3 bay Hopper cars
Atlas Pulpwood Flats
Newer Atlas boxcars (the ones with the mixed metal/plastic underframes).

There's probably something else I'm forgetting.

Paul

 

Paul :

Thanks for the info.. I appreciate it.

 

I, more or less, agree with all this. I do not body mount couplers because of the time and effort required. I hope that body mounted coupler pockets will become the standard.

I have a train engineer friend here (UP) who says that company policy is to not couple or uncouple on curves for safety reasons. Don't have to align couplers manually, no side forces on the cars and a possible derail, etc. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but they make an effort to do all the coupling and uncoupling at some place where the track is straight. Probably not practical on a model RR.

 

Interesting discussion! I have tried body mounting couplers on some of my cars, but I've yet to test backing a complete train. Some cars, like hoppers, covered hoppers and tank cars, I would probably never get around to switching over. I prefer the appearance of body mounted couplers, and along with switching to low-pro wheels, gives you the option to lower cars. Most RTR cars are noticeably too high; body mounting and shallow flanges make lowering cars very feasible, and the difference adds up to increased realism. And headache. A good rule of thumb: don't go there unless you care to, it's certainly not for everybody!

 

Good thread! I've debated on whether or not I would body mount couplers on my rolling stock.
Do all who have body mounted couplers agree that 15 inch radius curves are the absolute minimum?

 

IMO if you run basically 40 foot cars you can get away with smaller radii, 10"-12".

Hemi, more weight in those autoracks will probably solve the backing problem, although the ConCors sit awfully high and wobble somewhat to start with.