http://www.rokuhan.com/english/news/2013/09/rokuhan-coupler-sets.html Rokuhan has produced at You Tube video showing their new coupler conversions for their cars so they can integrate with the rest of the Z scale world. first a two piece long and short version of an auto latch knuckle coupler. second a Marklin compatible fish hook in long and short versions. both of these are easy to change just pull the mini rapido coupler out and push the replacement into the pocket. The auto latch is a two piece type coupler but very easy to assemble and snap into the existing coupler pocket. Release date is October, can't wit to get my hand on some of these.
Amazing!!! How come Marklin, AZL or MTL didn't think of this! This is true out of the box thinking!! John
got to be fair about this, in the early days Micro Trains did produce fish hook couplers for their cars, and they still produce a coupler conversion set for converting fish hook to Micro Trains. Tenshodo when they introduced their Z scale engines and cars included a dummy knuckle with all their engines and cars. I have not purchased any of their recent releases so not sure if they have continued this practice or not
Containers in many parts of the globe ride on flat cars not well cars particularly on narrow gauge or cape gauge, I am not sure about Europe cause I have not been rail fanning there since containers became the way to ship internationally, So I suppose it depends on what container traffic looks like where you live, as to what you might use and behind what mower, maybe it has Marklin guts but has another cover rather than a European one. There are some who just run what enchants them so have an eclectic mix of European and North American. This coupler conversion is not just about Container cars it is about the ability of Rokuhan to provide cars that will work with any of three coupler systems used in Z scale. Then it up to the consumer to decide what will work for him and what won't, but at least he is not restricted by his choice of coupler anymore or what comes on a particular car. I think we will see North American stuff coming in the future from Rokuhan as well as European while they continue to supply Japanese prototype so now they have the coupler conversions so their cars can go anywhere they are wanted.
Garth, That is not what I was referring to, its not that they haven't provided conversion kits, it's the easy / simple snap off and snap on of the coupler that Rokuhan has developed that is the greatest innovation! So simple, so customer centric, that is what Marklin, AZL, MTL and others didn't think about. John
The snap in coupler is a great concept. But the only drawback may be the amount of stress it can take under load. Running small trains will not be an issue, but so many of us love our 50+ car trains. That is where MTL and most definitely AZL couplers shine. AZL's latest generation couplers use a loop that goes around a pin inside the coupler box. There is no chance to pull out a coupler without breaking it! It does not take much force to remove a Rokuhan snap in coupler. It would be an interesting test to see how many cars can be pulled before the snap fails. Still two thumbs up to Rokuhan for tackling the coupler conversion issue and giving us couplers for all of our equipment. Also think conversion cars and how easily these will be! Rob
These look similar to the NEM 362 European standard for coupler sockets for the larger scales, here's a link to the PDF: http://www.miba.de/morop/nem362_d.pdf Kadee does make a version of this socket coupler for the larger scales. Maybe Rokuhan is trying to set a standard in Z / Nn3 or, they're just looking to maximize they way their trains can be connected. Maybe they've seen all the issues different coupler brands and standards can cause, and want their trains to avoid the same. John Ztrains.com
The Rokuhan pocket seems to be different to that design it has a vertical pin in it which the Rapido snaps onto and it can move side to side and it can lift to go over the opposing coupler. The other two designs have side to side movement but no vertical movement. I think Rokuhan is ensuring that if you like their engines and cars you can be sure they will work with either of the three coupler systems available in Z.
Any chance the new couplers could be used to replace the front coupler on the AZL Mikado. Give more movement?
I'm willing to give them a try. The long shank might work well on my MTL SD-40-2's. I tried retrofitting AZL couplers, but they don't have enough swing.
