E-Z mate couplers vs. McHenry, Kadee, etc.

[Rashputin]

     I have quite a few older cars and engines I need to install couplers on so that everything can work with the Kadee and McHenry couplers I have on my newer cars.  Pretty much everything comes with a Kadee compatible coupler these days, which is a big step forward IMHO, but it means I have to buy about 100 pair of couplers.   Looking at the couplers I'd like to buy (Kadee semi-scale whisker style) and E-Z mate or others, I'd like to know if anyone has much experience with E-Z Mate on longer trains and on how well they work with the other brands.   To date I haven't had any problems with the E-Z Mate couplers that came on my Bachmann engines, but I haven't pulled many 25 or 30 car freights with them, either.  Some people have told me that all couplers other than Kadee have separation problems on trains much longer that fifteen or so cars, although I personally haven't had any problems with McHenry couplers on the 16 - 18 car freights I have managed to run on other folks layouts and on my test setups.

   Anyone who has a comment about the limitations or the lack of limitations with E-Z mate couplers please let me know your thoughts.  It's, for me, a good slice out of my model RR budget to purchase the Kadees even at the discounts that are available on the web.  McHenry is about half the price of Kadee, and E-Z mate can be found for less still.  If they're as good as the others, I might give up my desire to go to the "semi scale" ones.  After all, I was happy as a little clam with Kadee compatible until semi-scale ones were released.  (The semi-scale ones do look very nice, though)

    Thanks in advance,

  Regards

[jayl1]

Personally I would go with all Kadees.  They may cost more initially but in the long run last much longer.  If, due to cost, you must use McHenry/Bachmann couplers be sure you buy the ones with a spring to open/close the coupler.  The cheapie ones have a small plastic tab that is very weak and may uncouple under the tension of a long train.  I have had a few Kadees pop the spring but that is easy to replace with their"pic".  When EZmates/McHenrys break I replace them with Kadees.  Hope this helps.

[RAM]

Jay I think 99 out of 100 modelers are with you.  Buy the best and you will not be sorry.

[ajp3751]

I don't have much money in my train account either. Even though I can't afford alot of them, I buy Kadee couplers. Kadee is a metal coupler unlike Ezmate or Mchenry. They are stronger and will hold up longer. The new wisker couplers are excellent. I typically use the #5 spring loaded ones. they look nice and the only problems ive had is running out of them. I have had a probelm with breaking on all of the Ezmates that came on bachmann stuff. I have not had problems with Ezmate coupling a kadee. I have had a problem with ezmates uncoupling. the springs on the kadees prevent that. I have not replaced the ezmates on my new spectrum 2-8-0. The newer ones are better, but If you can, go with kadee.

[SteamGene]

You can save a bunch of coupler money buying the Kadee bulk pack.  No coupler boxes, but for replacing horn hook with knuckle, they are rarely needed.  
Go with Kadee if at all possible.  Or replace a few at a time.  
Gene

[Yampa Bob]

My cars are Bachmann with Mark II, or Athearn/Roundhouse with McHenry.  I only had one problem where the Mark II broke, but that was due to my clumsiness.  I have had no problems with McHenry, but I rarely pull more than 20 cars.

I run whatever comes on the car, but at the first sign of problem, on go the Kadees. I buy the #148 in bulk, but also buy the bulk pack of snap together boxes.  I don't like the cast on boxes such as Athearn, so if I'm replacing with Kadee, I sometimes chop off the factory box if there is any binding. 

I prefer the #148 used with the box, as I can assemble it literally blindfolded, and the assembled unit is easier to position and install. 

In all cases, proper coupler height and a smooth no slop box is very important regardless of type used. 

[rogertra]

There is only one brand of coupler worth buy and using.

KADEE.

Nuff said.

[grumpy]

No matter what the rest of the people on this forum say I use McHenry's. They are much cheaper than Kadee's and I find the quality up  to my needs . In the situation of converting from horn hook to knuckle couplers the McHenrys are much simpler.
Don

[trainmanchris]

basicly i use what comes with each car as long as there combatible.........if not then i grab a pare of cuplers that will work.............i'm not picky......................but being my first layout i would use Kadee but its to complicated..........all the deferent kinds..........thats why most of my cars have Bachmann E-Z mates .........but i'm not sure for the trains that will be on the layout

[Woody Elmore]

I have Kadee couplers on cars that are at least 50 years old - they are the original "k" series that used a mechanical uncoupling ramp.

There is no comparison - Kadee was first and best. When their patent expired they were copied and imitated.

Sometimes it seems silly to have couplers on a car that cost more than the car did - that is an individual choice.

[Frisco]

Go Kadee #58 or #158 (#158 sometimes has trouble with Bachmann coupler boxes so for those use #58). At least to me the scale look is enough reason to pay for Kadee's. Also Kadee's are the only ones that are not plastic, and if it maters to you Kadee's are made in the USA. The Bachmann's work okay but look really bad and the Mchenry ones tend to break on long trains (over 20 cars).

[rbryce1]

I am converting my Bachmann couplers to Kadee.  The E-Z Mate copulers have plastic shanks that bend and warp easily,  They are extremely difficult to maintain coupler alignment.

[Doneldon]

Rasputin-

Kadees are the gold standard with which all of the rest are compared, and none of the rest show themselves to be better. Kadees have the history and the engineering to stand up for the long run. I've never heard a singe complaint about how Kadees work but I've certainly heard complaints about all of the others. I'm not so sure that I agree with one of the posts which suggested Kadees are harder to install but I guess a given car could present a challenge. Of course, it's almost certain that such a situation would mean any knuckle coupler could be a challenge. The only caution I would make is that you have to be careful when mounting metal Kadees to metal cars because you can set up a possible short circuit. There are few metal cars around any longer so this might be something you'd never encounter.

I suggest that you start by converting the cars you use most often and any cars which already have coupler problems to Kadees and then set up a plan to convert all new rolling stock to Kadees as well as a certain number of your existing cars per month. That will spread out the cost and time, making the conversion to Kadees a little less painful in the wallet and a little less disruptive to your running trains time.
                                                                                                                      -- D

[rogertra]

What Doneldon said, in spades.  Kadees are the gold standard and nothing else beats them.

Cheers.

Roger T.

[Bucksco]

Having a really hard time keeping my delete finger in check on this thread. Everyone has their own preference. I personally think Bachmann couplers are superior to Kadee for obvious reasons but I am not going to go to the Kadee website and post it there......