n gauge switches

[bshs7086]

I have two N gauge switches one left one right   one turns the power of  the other one does not any suggestions.

Also are the couplings inter changable . I am new to the hobby   and the  couplings on the  locos and some rolling stock are quite different    although  they all Bachmann

[Country Joe]

By switches I assume you mean switch tracks rather than electrical switches. The one that shuts power off to the track it's not set for is a power routing switch. The other one is non power routing. You can use them together.

The couplers are another matter. There are two basic types of couplers. The Rapido coupler was the standard for a very long time. It looks nothing like a real coupler. It's a box with 90 degree corners. The other type of coupler is the knuckle coupler. These look like real couplers. They have become the standard with just about every manufacturer using some type of knuckle coupler. All knuckle couplers will work together, but none of them will work with the Rapido coupler.

What type of couplers do your engines have. If you have one with Rapido and one with a knuckle coupler you can run all your cars with the engine with the matching coupler. You can also make a transition car that has a Rapido coupler on one end and a knuckle coupler on the other. Eventually you will want to change all your cars to knuckle couplers, but this can wait until you have more experience. The couplers on engines can be changed as well.

[bshs7086]

thanks joe that is much clearer    looking at the other posts re switches i have one l/h that looks entirely
different from the other r/hand i spoke to my local hobby shop man and his answer was that the one switch that does route the power is older stock, same part  number .