couplers

[BikerPaul]

I am a beginner trying to educate myself.  I gather there are truck-mounted couplers and car-mounted couplers.  I get the difference, but not why one is more desirable than the other.  Or is it that  each more is appropriate for a certain application?

Let me just add that I truly appreciate you experienced guys that seem to monitor this forum. You, and my LHS, are making this diversion from model aircraft a lot of fun!

[James in FL]

The debate over body mount vs. truck mount continues.
Really, it's what better suits your needs.
Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Most of my body mounts are on locos, tenders, or cabooses.
Everything else is mostly truck mount MT's.

[Desertdweller]

My model railroad is in the same situation as James's.  Virtually all truck-mount knuckle types (mostly MT).

Most of my equipment has problems backing through switches.  However, not all does, especially Kato equipment.  So I am continually trying to tweak the other brands to operate more like them.  Pulling any type of equipment is no problem.
My equipment is mostly passenger, but with some shorter than standard cars, and some cars that are basically freight cars used in head-end service (express box cars and express refrigerator cars).

It doesn't seem to make a difference with locomotives if the couplers are body mounted or truck mounted.  Also, short passenger cars (65' or less) seem unaffected by where the coupler is mounted.

What causes problems is when a full-length passenger car with body-mounted couplers is mated to another full-length car with truck-mounted couplers.  These will derail even when pulled around curves.

Some people have written on the forums about the superior performance of body-mounted couplers when backing up.  That may be, but I hesitate to modify enough cars to body-mounted couplers to test this theory.

Les

[BikerPaul]

Thanks for the responses.  I am heading out to my first train show (RIT, Rochester, NY) this weekend, and it will be nice to at least know what to ask about