caveat emptor

Following Kevin's (Passed Driver) post on Kadee #17's not fitting Dapol NEM pockets, I had a look at 3 undecorated Dapol wagons (5 and 7 plank) in the getaroundtoit box. The solution is well known (file a bit off the end of the box) but how much needs to be taken off?

NEM 362 "Boîtier pour tête d'attelage interchangeable", Edition 2004 gives the dimensions for the pocket in French and German, in HO and S scales (which use identical standards). The UK is not a member of MOPAC, so no real need to have an English translation (although MOPAC would welcome anybody who volunteers to do some translation). The length of the pocket is given as 7.1mm (-0.1mm), which means an NEM pocket has to be between 7.0 and 7.1mm long. The 6 boxes I measured ranged from 7.12 to 7.45mm, average 7.235. They are definitely not NEM pockets. Dapol's shank on it's tension lock "NEM" coupler is between 7.34-7.35, a length clearlry designed to fit their take on the NEM coupler. Contrast that with a Kadee 317, which has a shank length of 7.17mm. no wonder they will not fit some Dapol pockets. A Bachmann 362 pocket is 7.08mm long, and of course works fine.

So around 0.1-0.2mm should be removed from either the front or back of the NEM pocket. Unless you have a micrometer this is a "file until the fit is correct" exercise.

There is another thing that is a visual problem. The way UK manufacturers have implemented NEM pockets is to have them low, presumably to allow tension lock couplers to be uncoupled using ramps (does anybody still do this?). Which consequently means that Kadee only supply #'s 17-20 as underset couplers in order to get them up to NEM standards, otherwise the magnetic pin on a a centerset coupler would foul the rails/sleepers.  And to my eyes the low position of the coupler makes freight and passenger stock look rather clumsy.

More later on some conversions.

Nigel

Mounting Socket for Interchangeable Couplers on OO Stock
(Commonly called "NEM Pockets")

from http://www.doubleogauge.com/standards/couplings.htm


DOGA went this way as 00 is between H0 & S which use the same standards in Europe.

One issue I have with Dapol NEM boxes is the amount of 'slop' in them. Their pockets tend to hang low at the front and often does not meet at a comfortable height to marry with the offerings from Hornby and Bachmann This is another area where a standard should be made, ie, coupler box height above top of rail.

Cheers, Gary.

[user=606]Sol[/user] wrote:

Mounting Socket for Interchangeable Couplers on OO Stock
(Commonly called "NEM Pockets")

from http://www.doubleogauge.com/standards/couplings.htm


DOGA went this way as 00 is between H0 & S which use the same standards in Europe.

Hi Ron,
Does anybody do a coupler with a fishtail that goes directly into the socket? Bachmann still use a 362 box that attaches to the mount.
Nigel

Gary wrote:

One issue I have with Dapol NEM boxes is the amount of 'slop' in them. Their pockets tend to hang low at the front and often does not meet at a comfortable height to marry with the offerings from Hornby and Bachmann This is another area where a standard should be made, ie, coupler box height above top of rail.

Cheers, Gary.

Hi Gary,
NEM 362/363 cover the height above the rail, so an NEM coupler should have the same height irrespective of the manufacturer. Dapol's effort is intrinsically sloppy. It works fine with tension locks, not when Kadee's are used.
Nigel

[user=1632]BCDR[/user] wrote:

Hi Ron,
Does anybody do a coupler with a fishtail that goes directly into the socket? Bachmann still use a 362 box that attaches to the mount.
Nigel

Nigel, that I do not know - my plug in Kadees are used only on some locos & I tend to replace commercial NEM methods with Kadee boxes anyway.

Hi Ron,

Same here - until I found some from Roco (intended for close coupling) and Fleishmann (who actually sell the dovetail as well). These allow vertical height adjustment (intended for mechanical ramp uncoupling).

I pulled out my 4mm scale freight stock (all EM gauge now, so I hesitate to say OO), all those commercial NEM coupler pockets will be going, and replaced by Kadee draft boxes on the underside of the floor and fine scale whisker couplers. Even those that I put Parkside Dundas NEM 363 (dovetail) units on. Not a big job, I only have about 12 freight wagons and vans to do. Should be neater looking with a centershank coupler.

I suspect Bachmann and Hornby, because of their international activities, comply to NEM.

Nigel