Newbie Question - How do I know if rolling stock has a NEM socket?

[NedFlanders]

Hi all,

I'm in the planning/purchasing stage for a shunting layout as my first foray into N-Guage and I'd like to use the Dapol Easi-Shunt couplings but the thought occurred to me - "how do I know if any stock i'm buying has the compatible socket.

I was looking at buying a selection of Graham Farish wagons but I could find nothing on the Hattons or Graham Farish website to say that they had the NEM socket.

Do all new Graham Farish stock ( locos, wagons, etc.) have the NEM sockets?

What about any of the other manufacturers?

Thanks

Jason

[Bigmet]

I would look up the Bachmann Europe site and have a good read of the Graham Farish section. If there aren't direct answers available, then fill in a query form on the site.

The others, Peco and commissioning operations like the N Gauge Society and RevolutioN, look for their website information in the same way. There are dedicated N gauge shows ('TINGS') which might be handy for information too, but couldn't tell you when and where they are to occur, again, run a search would be my best suggestion.

[Bramshot]

Do you mean the magnetic couplings? In my experience, somewhat perversely, Dapol do not fit NEM sockets, certainly on their coaches. All Graham Farish coaches that I have are fitted with them. Peco goods waggons appear not to be. Some Bachmann / GF goods wagons are, some aren't.
This is an area where the info given could certainly be improved.
However, Dapol do supply a conversion kit. You have to cut off the non NEM arrangement and glue on a replacement socket, if you dare!
I use the magnetic couplings. They do work, but are sometimes a fiddle. You would not want to equip every piece of rolling stock as they are ridiculously expensive. I just put them on the loco and each end of a rake of stock that is always kept together. Also, trying to shunt individual wagons would be difficult as they are so light that you might not get the coupling to engage. I also often have to reposition (raise) the metal actuating pins so that that do not catch rails on points. Finally, be prepared to lose a lot of springs out of these couplings. Although they are available as spares, they are almost impossible to replace. I have only managed to do about 3, use non magnetic tools, I.e. Cocktail sticks. I always glue the springs in with a small drop of superglue at one end, you could use black paint.

[NedFlanders]

Thank you both,

I had wondered was it a bit of "pot Luck" as I couldn't see any info anywhere on the NEM sockets but I thought I might just be missing something obvious.

Yes, it is the magnetic coupling that I am interested in. Its one of the recent developments that are pulling me back in to the hobby. 20+ years ago I found the standard 00 tension coupling and lack of sound as some of the biggest turn offs for me. Now DCC ( I'm an IT geek), magnetic delayed action coupling, code 55 track, absence of "pizza cutter" wheels, sound, etc. etc. makes n gauge a much more appealing prospect.

Cheerio,

Ned.

[Bigmet]

... it is the magnetic coupling that I am interested in. Its one of the recent developments that are pulling me back in to the hobby. 20+ years ago I found the standard 00 tension coupling and lack of sound as some of the biggest turn offs for me. Now DCC ( I'm an IT geek), magnetic delayed action coupling, code 55 track, absence of "pizza cutter" wheels, sound, etc. etc. makes n gauge a much more appealing prospect...

The equivalents to these developments occurred much earlier and are far more universal in current OO. So unless the smaller scale is essential for your modelling interest - or quite simply more appealing to you - in which case ignore what follows; it might be worthwhile quickly reviewing progress in OO since you last looked 20+ years ago? (Bear in mind that until 2000, I didn't look at OO RTR as it was simply not good enough: my return to railway modelling was going to be HO, for the considerably more sophisticated product on offer of mainland European or North American prototype.)

The Kadee #17 - 20 range are NEM coupler pocket fitting magnetically actuated knuckle couplers of peerless efficiency and reliability.
(The 'Microtrains' equivalent for N might be worth a look, very well proven, no idea about the mounting, don't know about NEM pocket options.)
The NEM coupler pocket has been fitted on practically all the OO introduced in the last dozen years, and much that was introduced from 2000.
(Even the tension lock coupler is improved, and the miniature type by Bachmann takes the cheap DIY 'Brian Kirby' mod. for magnetic uncoupling.)
A DCC decoder socket has been fitted on all the RTR OO locos introduced in the last dozen years, and many that were introduced earlier.
Provision for a loudspeaker has become general on new loco introductions over the past ten years, with many having sound equipped options.
Code 75 FB track is available, proportionally finer than code 55 for N, and a RTR code 75 bullhead track range is now emerging from Peco.
The wheel standard is what used to be called 'finescale'. (EM modellers can often regauge current RTR OO wheels for their 18mm gauge layouts.)
Mechanism technique well proven in HO is now used, the running refinement available is good on DC, and excellent combined with DCC.

Then there's OO's killer advantage, a large and steadily expanding choice of product with four well established RTR manufacturers, and quite a number of manufacturers and commissioners entering the market in recent years. If the product was of mediocre quality that wouldn't be much to write home about, but from a good start when OO production moved to China the products from the four well established outfits have all in various ways steadily 'raised the bar'. Starting with Bachmann, closely followed by Hornby and Heljan - these three still dominate my OO RTR purchases - here were RTR models of a standard previously only available by DIY kit or scratch building. So OO it was then, since UK prototype remains my first love in railways. I can now buy RTR models of subjects I never hoped to see: Bachmann's Cravens DMU, Hornby's Thompson L1 tank, Heljan's 'Baby Deltic'; and similar unexpected choices exist for other UK locations.

The newer entrants to OO now number about a dozen, and with a few products excepted (notably Hattons' 'Garratt' commission, Olivia's class 76 and 77 commissions) have been competitive. Two of them are really 'aiming high' and succeeding on the present evidence: 'Rapido' a Canadian business with a well-earned reputation for quality in HO; and 'SLW', one model release so far, but it is rather good. I see these as very favourable developments, and this activity in OO should be compared to Dapol's recent announcement to defer previously announced product introductions in N; and that two of the newer outfits offering OO were purposed by their owners at offering N gauge - RevolutioN and DJM.

[NedFlanders]

Thanks for the info on the 00 side of the house.

There is a 6X4 Hornby Trackmat based layout in the playroom which I have converted to DCC and have used it as a test bed for Hornby railmaster/Elink/old PCs ( I work in IT support so I have a plentiful supply of those), however the Company Directors of the Trakmat layout would have different expectations of railway operations to mine.....

Its still great fun to sit down and play/build with them but I would like to do a bit more scenic modelling than would stand up to the rigours of the playtime there.

To that end I have four things I would like to test / build on a small scale ( pun not intended) as the other available space in the house is the box room so I think an n guage layout would suit my current interests best there. I'd like to test automation/block detection, the various new scenic skills that are now prevalent , hands off decoupling and the ultra light baseboards made out of ply/insulation board.

In my Minds eye I have an inglenook layout based on the Tees Wagon repair depot, over a roundy layout consisting of an Island platform station and three storage loops at the rear ( for the Block/detection test).

Extensions to this at a later stage could include an MPD/repair shop ( modelled on the Leeds Freightliner operations) built at the same level as the Wagon repair depot. These would then feed down onto the lower level. The lower level might then have a Quay side operation - from a plan in the "Modelling the British Rail Era" book or something similar inspired from the PECO n gauge Settrack plan book.

Thus, I'm intending building the Inglenook with the decouplers as a first step and see how it goes from there. If that works out I will then build the Roundy for underneath it. ( then again the directors of the Trakmat may request some civil engineering works before I get there......)

J

[Bigmet]

Interesting. Quite a range of project elements to try there. Both insulating foams and paper faced foamboard work very well to make lightweight baseboards and scenic options, with ply pads glued on for stable and robust engagement points for supports and board to board joints.

Here's a curve ball, have you seen the 'Nelevator' product? As a potential component in a two or more levels layout, that has my imagination working.

[Bramshot]

Getting back to the original question, I have just found that Dapol teak Gresley do have NEM sockets, at least the first class one does.