Message | As for having suggested the guestbook/testamonials section, I feel I should give my opinion too. I ran across Sergent Engineering's couplers about a year ago, maybe just a little more, while researching P:87. I ended up semi-permently canceling plans to make my layout P:87 due to the need for a slightly higher level of reliablity & ease, BUT I did test the EC87. After running a short test train on my previous layout, I decided that EC87's were the way to go and I'd b giving up Kadee #5's & #58's forever. I even demonstrated the EC87's to my father, who also agreed that they were the best he's ever seen, a long shot from the good 'ole days of NMRA X2F (hook horn) couplers, and he loves the fact that they STAY coupled! Although there may be a drawback, if say you have a medium-large layout thats switching orientated, the Sergent couplers aren't as easly automated as a "normal" knuckle that can be magneticaly uncoupled from the bottom, they do offer ALOT of realism, and relibility! Like for example, how many OTHER couplers do you have to make sure are open, to couple? But yet on the Prototype they have to make sure they're open! They close tightly enough on each other, thus eliminating accidental uncoupling. They also help to hold a train togeather during a minor derailment. All very realisticly at the same time! The lack of a centering spring may concern some, but once again, its very prototypical, you have to set the coupler... Well I ran outta room! |