has anyone managed to fit NEM pockets on the Kato 103/109 powered chassis ?
Would you need to?
I'd have thought that one could fit 009 couplings to the pockets on the ends of the chassis that hold the N gauge ones. They may not be NEM pockets but there are 009 couplings available that do not need the pocket.
If I remember correctly the 'original' Peco couplings (GR-101) fit into the 'hole' left by the N-gauge 'Elsie" type coupling, so that may be an easier alternative than cutting away the 'Elsie pocket' to replace it with an NEM pocket. Equally is should be possible to fit something like an 'ordinary' Greenwich coupling into the 'Elsie pocket', though the back of the coupling may need a little bit of work with a file to reduce its width to slot in.
cheers for that, i would like to use dapol knuckle couplings
You may be one of the first to use these in 009 then! :D
To be honest the Dapol knuckle couplings are a new one on me (possibly being blinkered after 40 years in the 009 game does not help when it comes to what the standard gauge guys are doing!). I'm sure you have your reasons for the choice, but I would suspect that you're going to have issues should you run your stock on anyone else's layout, unless by a slim chance they too use the same type. If the Dapol jobs are compatible with the Kaydee / Microtrains couplers that might help... but probably not by much as again those are a bit rare in the 009 world too!
That being said I recall that the earlier Kato 'tram' chassis (11-103 & 104] were made from a styrene-type plastic so it may be possible to fit the pockets (also a similar plastic iirc) direct to the plastic chassis. I'm less sure about the more modern 11-108 & 109 types but I would not be surprised if they used the same material.
Once you have worked out how to stick the pockets in place (I'd try one of the solvent welding adhesives to start with, but used sparingly as you can always add more, but it's hard to remove too much of the stuff without melting the surrounding plastic!) you're then going to have to work out where best to place them to get the height 'correct' both for the operation of the coupling and compatibility with any other stock you have.
In that respect it may be an idea to look at any stock you have already fitted the Dapol couplings too and use that as a master to fit these couplings to the Kato chassis. It may also be an idea to make a jig from that bit of stock so that all subsequent couplings are set to the same height, rather than trying to remember which wagon it was that is the 'master'.
However, to quote an Irishman who gave me some directions 'If I wanted to go there I wouldn't start from here'. When it comes to couplings the 'central buffer and lifting loop' is very widely used in the 009 world. Peco make a ready to use one (that will also fit into NEM pockets), and if you wanted something a little less 'chunky' there's one of the Greenwich versions that also fits into the pockets. Equally the 'standard' 009 couplings (like the basic Greenwhich ones) can be fitted direct to stock, saving the cost of buying the pockets in the first place.
In addition the standard coupling height has been well established with an etched sheet gauge available from Greenwich and a very easy to use resin block gauge from RT Models (one that I widely recommend as it is so easy to use) that can be used on any of the central buffer and lifting loop couplings.
I hope that helps.
As with any 009 couplings the height is critical and needs to be the same on all locos and vehicles. Sadly this not the case even with ready to run items as many need to be adjusted to be the same height.
A few years ago now I measured the height of the 009/H0e couplings from the rail head to the coupling loop.
This is what I found:
Roco:
Small four wheel wagons: 5.8mm (This is what I use as a guide as they can not be changed)
Larger bogie wagons: 5.8mm
Egger-bahn:
Four wheel trucks: 5.8mm (1963 onwards, first to use these couplings)
Four wheel vans: 5.8mm
Four wheel bogie coaches and wagons: 5.8mm
Tram coaches: (Bogies mae by Lima) 5.8mm
Locos: 5.8mm (No loop fitted.)
Jouef:
Decauville V Skip: 4.4mm
Decauville toastrack coach and log wagon: 5mm
Bemo: 5.8mm. (Others will need to confirm this as I do not have many Bemo items with the original couplings.)
Liliput:
5.8mm (Note the couplings tend to start to sag over time in the pivot and even more in the later NEM sockets used by Liliput.)
Tillig: 6.3mm. (Measured on the locos that do not have a loop.)
New Minitrains:
Wagons and coaches: 5.8mm
Locos: Most are higher than 6mm, but as I have altered all my ones to 5.8mm I can not measure them now.
Perhaps others could add the Peco 009 items as I have none to measure!
So going by the above it would appear that most RTR H0e manufactures use 5.8mm coupling height.
Just to add my 2p worth...
I am planning to use Microtrains couplers on my own layout. (However, my contribution to the ScOONs modular project is set up for standard 009 couplers for compatibility.)
I have used Microtrains couplers on N gauge and 2FS for many years and am very happy with them (despite the cost). I did a comparison between Microtrains and Dapol a few months back. In the photos attached, the brown Peco van has been fitted with Dapol couplers. The grey open wagon is one of my N gauge stock, which is why it looks a little undernourished by comparison.
The two coupler types work in broadly the same way in that the trip pins of the couplers are pulled apart horizontally by a magnet on or under the track. (You need a magnet with the poles at the sides of the magnet, not the straight down pull that (eg) Greenwich requires.)
You can couple the two types together, as shown, but they won't uncouple. The knuckles hinge open in different places and are differently shaped so although they swing away from each other over the magnet, they won't quite let go.
Hope that's useful
Ian
Getting way off topic for the Kato chassis question...
Here's Microtrains couplings applied to a Peco hopper wagon. It requires a certain amount of surgery to fit them, and I really must disguise that bolt a bit better. The other change is to fit smaller diameter wheels, to lower the coupler a bit. The coupler is still a bit higher than it should be but works compatibly with other stock with Microtrains couplers set at the correct height.
Ian
cheers for all the advice,might have rethink . thanks again
Might be worth searching the forum for the term "couplings" in the topics box (that brought up 25 threads when I did it) as it is a perennial issue for 009ers (especially those starting out).
Tramfabriek have available a Peco compatible coupling that fits into the socket on the Kato 11-109 and 11-110 chassis on their website. Barry