1. SergentEngineering@groups.io
   Date   
Re: HOn3 Sharon coupler box w/centering spring action

Mike Conder
 

Thanks, Dale, that's what I was remembering.  I forgot that the Sharons fixed this.

Wonder if a new coupler box with better looking end (striker casting or buffer or whatever it's called) would be useful?  Maybe ione for D&RGW, one for C&S that had a different casting ...

Mike Conder
Re: The ball will not drop!

Ken Anderson
 

Graphite in coupler pocket

I didn't think it was ok to use graphite in ballpocket but it sounds good, is that ok ??
Re: The ball will not drop!

Darren Boes
 

I suspect that's the reason for the ball failing to drop in this case. If I recall the instructions emphasize burnishing the ball socket with a toothpick, and keeping the socket absolutely free of anything else to allow free movement of the ball.

As this is my first message, I'll note that I switched to Sergents to get away from the excess slack action of Kadees. I'm planning a model railroad based on highlights of CP in southern Alberta and BC, and trying to account for the use of Sergents in the design of the switching areas.

Darren Boes 

On Sun, 18 Feb 2018 at 16:50, Ken Anderson
<cprrn1@...> wrote:
Graphite in coupler pocket

I didn't think it was ok to use graphite in ballpocket but it sounds good, is that ok ??
Re: HOn3 Sharon coupler box w/centering spring action

Dale Buxton
 

Maybe. I was kind of thinking the same thing. Question is, do you make it to scale with a scale size buffer casting opening or do you make it to a 714 clone width opening? Hmmmmmm...

Dale Buxton




On Sunday, February 18, 2018, 13:52, Mike Conder <vulturenest1@...> wrote:

Thanks, Dale, that's what I was remembering.  I forgot that the Sharons fixed this.

Wonder if a new coupler box with better looking end (striker casting or buffer or whatever it's called) would be useful?  Maybe ione for D&RGW, one for C&S that had a different casting ...

Mike Conder
Re: HOn3 Sharon coupler box w/centering spring action

Mike Conder
 

Probably the latter if you're trying to retrofit existing cars, the former If you're scratchbuilding a new car.

Mike Conder 


On Sun, Feb 18, 2018 at 6:25 PM Dale Buxton via Groups.Io <the_one_tuatha_ddana=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:
Maybe. I was kind of thinking the same thing. Question is, do you make it to scale with a scale size buffer casting opening or do you make it to a 714 clone width opening? Hmmmmmm...

Dale Buxton





On Sunday, February 18, 2018, 13:52, Mike Conder <vulturenest1@...> wrote:

Thanks, Dale, that's what I was remembering.  I forgot that the Sharons fixed this.

Wonder if a new coupler box with better looking end (striker casting or buffer or whatever it's called) would be useful?  Maybe ione for D&RGW, one for C&S that had a different casting ...

Mike Conder
Contact with Sergent Engineering

Bob Stuff
 

I've sent several email to the address on the website and got no replay in over a month.  Does anybody have a working email address for Sergent, or am I missing something?

B
Becoming a member of Sergent Engineer IO Group

Bob Stuff
 

Hi

 

I’ve recently learned of Sergent’s existence and have been trying to reach the company for more details.  Lacking an email reply to the website address I used, I began to look around to see if there was any online info/chatter, and found this website.  I’ve been modeling in HO for a number of years, and have now built most of my layout.   One items of interest has been a rotary dumper, hence the interest in rotary couplers which is what lead me to Sergent and now this group site.  Hopefully I can learn and then share some of my experiences.

 

 

B

 

 

 
Re: Contact with Sergent Engineering

Mark Lewis
 

Bob:

The only email address I have for Frank is:     Sales@...  
This is directly off a packing list I received with an order.

Mark Lewis
Stony Point, NC
Re: Becoming a member of Sergent Engineer IO Group

Ed Tibbetts <tippytib@...>
 

I sent an email to    info   at   sergentIengeniering   dot   com and got a timely and informative reply from Frank Sergent the next day.
Re: Becoming a member of Sergent Engineer IO Group

Ed Tibbetts <tippytib@...>
 

Bob, see entry 1477 on this list. It's a comment on the rotary couplers. He may have answers to your ?????
Detailed coupler boxes from Smoky Mtn Model Works (reminder)

Jim King <jimking3@...>
 

SMMW’s recently-released coupler boxes have been well-received so I thought a quick reminder is appropriate to reach those who may not know about ‘em.  Visit my web page for more info, then contact me off-list to place an order.  All coupler styles and colors are in-stock.  I do not have a “shopping cart” option … just send a short email with the part numbers you want, I’ll reply with an invoice and you send payment.  Pretty simple.

 

http://www.smokymountainmodelworks.com/HO_draft_gear+cplrs.html

 

Jim King

www.smokymountainmodelworks.com

 


--
Jim King
www.smokymountainmodelworks.com
Re: Contact with Sergent Engineering

Frank Sergent
 

Hi all,
 
A few years back, some nice person sent out a few million spam emails spoofing an email address from the sergentengineering.com domain. Those emails didn’t really come from me or even my email server, so there was nothing I could really do to prevent it. Unfortunately as a result, the sergentengineering.com domain was marked by some internet service providers as bad. The nice person that started this eventually quit, but the damage was done. As a result, even now some of my inquiry replies never make it back to their destination. This is not to say that I am always as prompt as I should be in responding (because I’m not), but I generally do respond. I do monitor this list, so if you haven’t received a response from me in a reasonable period of time and you don’t mind sharing your inquiry with the world, you can post it here.
 
I’ll answer the question about rotary couplers in a separate post.
 
Frank
 

From: Mark Lewis
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2018 10:28 PM
Subject: Re: [Sergent Engineering] Contact with Sergent Engineering
 
Bob:

The only email address I have for Frank is:     Sales@...  
This is directly off a packing list I received with an order.

Mark Lewis
Stony Point, NC
Re: Rotary couplers

Frank Sergent
 

Hi all,
 
Unfortunately, Frank Glatlz no longer makes the rotary couplers that we sold for a few years. Volume was pretty low on those and continuing to offer those just can’t be financially justified. His dummy couplers will be gone when I run out as well, but I still have a decent stock level of the dummy couplers.
 
Frank
 

Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2018 10:38 PM
Subject: Re: [Sergent Engineering] Becoming a member of Sergent Engineer IO Group
 
Bob, see entry 1477 on this list. It's a comment on the rotary couplers. He may have answers to your ?????

Re: The ball will not drop!

David
 

Graphite in the ball pocket will definitely cause the ball to stick in the pocket. Ask me how I know...

Whether there is any apparent flash or not, burnishing the ball pocket with a toothpick is part of my normal assembly routine.

I rub the inside face of the coupler and the face of the knuckle with an HB pencil lead. I don't use any powdered graphite products as they all seemed to reduce the reliability of the coupler operation.

Like Darren I'm accounting for the use of Sergents in my layout design.

David
Re: Rotary couplers

Nathan Rich
 

The dummy couplers are great for say between A and B units of a permanent set. I have a set of Alco FA's with an FB and it is very happy with dummy couplers between them. Also keeps people from breaking the set.

Nathan Rich 

On Feb 24, 2018 12:18, "Frank Sergent" <fsergent@...> wrote:
Hi all,
 
Unfortunately, Frank Glatlz no longer makes the rotary couplers that we sold for a few years. Volume was pretty low on those and continuing to offer those just can’t be financially justified. His dummy couplers will be gone when I run out as well, but I still have a decent stock level of the dummy couplers.
 
Frank
 
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2018 10:38 PM
Subject: Re: [Sergent Engineering] Becoming a member of Sergent Engineer IO Group
 
Bob, see entry 1477 on this list. It's a comment on the rotary couplers. He may have answers to your ?????

Re: Rotary couplers

Ryan Harris
 

I'm sorry to hear the dummy couplers will be going away. I like to use them on my unit trains. I still need a few dozen of them. Hopefully they will be available long enough for me to get them.

I used to use Walthers dummy couplers but they cannot couple to Sergent couplers without modification. 
Re: Rotary couplers

Jim King <jimking3@...>
 

Frank … can these be cast in urethane?

 

Jim King

www.smokymountainmodelworks.com

 


--
Jim King
www.smokymountainmodelworks.com
Re: Rotary couplers

Frank Sergent
 

Maybe. You are welcome to try...
 

From: Jim King
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2018 10:56 AM
Subject: Re: [Sergent Engineering] Rotary couplers
 

Frank … can these be cast in urethane?

 

Jim King

www.smokymountainmodelworks.com

 


--
Jim King
www.smokymountainmodelworks.com

critters

Robert Margerum
 

has anyone had experience with or used a powered truck called a critter.they are from japan from a company called flying zoo. I picked up a couple of nos ones for ho at a train show.
Casting problem?

Ryan Harris
 

I am assembling some packages of couplers today - EC87P100K, EC87M040K and SEC87K - and all of them seem to have the same problem. There is a hole in the back of the coupler horn leading to the void for the locking ball. I am afraid that unless the hole is plugged, paint or glue could end up getting through the hole to the locking ball rendering the coupler inoperable. 

I don't believe this hole has always been there. I usually clean and assemble the couplers using magnification and lots of light, so I think I'd have seen light passing through the coupler during the assembly before if this was common to my previous orders. Or maybe I just missed it.

Has anyone else noticed the hole in their couplers? Has it presented a problem allowing paint or glue to get inside the coupler?

I'm posting this here since both of my emails from two different accounts to Sergent have gone unanswered. I understand there's a past issue with spam filtering, but I can't get through to Sergent any other way.
--
Ryan Harris
Fort Worth TX