Bowser/Full Throttle trucks/couplers

For those interested in Bowser (Full Throttle) trucks and couplers, I've received notice that they will be going on sale shortly. Estimated price is $6.50 per pair.





Images courtesy of Andrew Shaw.

I saw them yesterday on ebay. As your photo credit, Andy is selling them. He'll bundle up to 5 or 6 for the same ~$3.50 shipping. But $6.50 a pair is almost 50% or 100+ higher than AZL's (when pairing out their 4 or 6 pk) and MTLs. A bulk package like your photo would be a better deal.

I need someone to bump couple test them with both AZL versions and MTL's. While I don't do much switching, it's still a lot easier when setting up cars at the shows than having to lift-couple, like the early AZL's.

Jeff
SF Bay Area Z

SJ-BAZ-man wrote:

I need someone to bump couple test them with both AZL versions and MTL's. While I don't do much switching, it's still a lot easier when setting up cars at the shows than having to lift-couple, like the early AZL's.

They couple very nicely, and mate with AZL and M-T. Coupling is not quite as easily as M-Ts, but far easier than the AZL Auto-Latch. Will had intended for them to be fully automatic with magnetic uncoupling, but they had a number of technical problems. So Bowser clipped off the trip pins, which is how they're shipping now.

Bowser trucks now available through Zscale Monster.

www.zscalemonster.com/full_throttle/100/



4 pairs $26 ($6.50 pair)
24 pairs $144 ($6.00 pair)
48 pairs $264 ($5.50 pair)
96 pairs $499 ($5.20 pair)

ANOTHER COUPLER SET!! here we go again!! this happened in 1955 when over 11 different sets of ho couplers were out there. it took a company to buy up all the patents, then build a coupler everyone was happy with. then again in the n scale market. you had to know what coupler was on the car before buying it!!! and now its z scales turn. i m going to stay using marklin style couplers on everything i own, til this one gets figured out. they dont look like anything authentic,, but they are great couplers!!! you have to have a coupler that looks authentic, has a very easy coupling, AND CAN BE UNCOUPLED JUST AS EASYILY!!!! canada mike

Agree 200% with Mike, even when Märklin-Slapping
seems to become second sport after Z.
I DONT NEED couplers that first promised to have EVERYTHING,
and than..... are just the next couplers...................
No magnetic uncoupling is a big disappointement and I think
that you should just bring a product to the market when it
is working.

I use no AZL because of this and blame MTL for not beeing able:

1. to have an open market politic (we are in 21century !)
2. to not be able to make trucks with metallic wheels.

I stopped for this to go further in my truck modifications and
stay also with Märklin, tell it no prototype-like, but tell me
please also, when truck-Skulduggery will stop in the States.

This thread sure has me scratching my head. Micro-Trains has been offering automatic coupling and uncoupling since the day they entered the Z scale market in the 1980s. Their design is very stable and reliable, and has not changed in all this time, so it's not like M-T has "issues." And if you really want metal wheels in M-T trucks, you can now simply order Fox Valley replacements.

I can understand avoiding AZL and Full Throttle if you must have magnetic uncoupling; in that case, there is, and always has been, M-T as the alternative. But even with M-T's change in OEM policy, why forfeit magnetic uncoupling by using Marklin? What does the Marklin coupler offer? It looks horrible, and it can only be uncoupled on special, expensive uncoupling ramps. And their OEM policy, as strange as it is, does not prevent the modeler from replacing them.

Anyway, even though it seems like the market is becoming cluttered with a bunch of different standards, the bright side is that the two new entries, AZL and Full Throttle, both mate with M-T couplers with no problems. As long as you're not interested in magnetic uncoupling, it doesn't matter which brand you use--they all couple together. And again, if you want magnetic uncoupling, then the option is obvious: Micro-Trains.

There are good options for modelers of all interests in Z scale, despite appearances. So I am confused by the view that Marklin is the only viable option. It is not, unless you have some image of perfection--and that will never be met! So, choosing Marklin, and getting an awful-looking product that won't uncouple magnetically, seems backwards. But then, maybe it's me who has it backwards?

Fox Valley is for me interesting information,
but you find nothing about the wheelsets on their homepage,
N scale yes, even blackened?
I am asking if they are still available in Z ...

Märklin do uncouple magnetic, a lot of people use it here over

www.system-joerger.de/html/entkupplung.html

The first batch of FVM metal wheels in Z for MTL trucks has come and gone in a flash and we hear that a second run is in the works but no delivery date has been set. I like them the cars roll better and my engines can pull more of the cars with metal wheels than they can with delrin wheels.

The Marklin couplers and automatic uncoupling have never been popular here in North America.

The Bowser Buckler and the AZL coupler have come about because MTL will not sell to OEM their trucks and couplers. Bowser has tried to create a coupler that could magnetically uncouple but the engineering problem is creating the spring in the plastic molding process that has the right tension for magnetic uncoupling. I did not get to try the prototype but the result was they pulled the pins or cut them off of the couplers and they do couple nicely as do the AZL variety I am told.

When it comes to running there is no question not having the uncoupling wire under the coupler knuckle makes it easier to rerail cars that have come off the track. My own experience with the Bowser Buckler is that I think we will be able to run even longer trains using this coupler and it is more rigid in the box with very little tendency to either climb or dive below the coupler it is connected too. I think it is in part due to a cleaner face inside the jaw of the coupler and a more robust shank. I would like to see a body mount version that could be retro fitted to MTL engines and cars. In long trains the MTL coupler tends to either climb above the coupler it is coupled too or the dive below it unless you have hand tweaked each and every inside face of the coupler knuckle. I do not know about the AZL coupler but at least the Bowser Buckler seems to stay centered vertically in the knuckle when coupled to-gether.

While many may feel this is like the days of the Unimat in N it has lead to some pretty good compatible couplers in N like the McHenry and I think it will in Z as well. The other thing about the Bowser Buckler is the truck is a scale version of the Bettendorf while the MTL is not it's overall length is too long between the axles. Probably a result of larger flanges on the early wheels and the need to clear the bolster. Now with metal wheels and smaller flanges a scale version is possible.

One thing I found with my first string of 25 MTL cars with metal wheel sets and body mounted couplers was that their COG (center of gravity) is lowered and they track much better and with body mount couplers are almost as good as MTL N-scale cars with body mount couplers when being shoved into a siding in long strings something which does not work very well with talgo style trucks even if they are Bowser Bucklers.

How long before we get another design that will auto uncouple in Z to compete with MTL I can't predict but with the growth the scale is experiencing it is not impossible. The growth of Japanese Z has come at a time when the possibility of using the MTL coupler was already gone so they have developed a Z scale version of the old Arnold Rapido style coupler while not pretty it works and as this is the most popular coupler in N-scale in Japan so this might not change. However N-scale in Japan has developed several varieties of couplers for their EMU/DMU (electric/diesel multi unit trains) that mimic the real thing.

Although I have a feeling it was not DKS' original intent in posting the announcement of the release of the new Bowser Bucklers... I some how knew this would (once again) turn in to a 'this coupler is better than another' coupler thread.

Let's try to limit our comments to constructive observations.

DKS has published very detailed and informative information about his experiances with testing the different couplers available. As always, I enjoy reading DKS' postings on his web-site.

My fleet has a mix of MTL, AZL, and soon Bowser Bucklers. I will probably retro-fit a good portion of my fleet with the Bowser Buckler. The MTL trucks will get the FVM metal wheel sets. Any thing that comes with AZL trucks/couplers will stay that way.

It is a little bit disappointing that Uncle Will was not able to release the Bowser Bucklers with the magnetic uncoupling, as originally planned... but, I understand the limitations and difficulties that were involved.

TechRep wrote:

Although I have a feeling it was not DKS' original intent in posting the announcement of the release of the new Bowser Bucklers... I some how knew this would (once again) turn in to a 'this coupler is better than another' coupler thread.

That's exactly right; I simply posted it as a general alert for those who are interested in, or curious about, this exciting new product.

TechRep wrote:

DKS has published very detailed and informative information about his experiances with testing the different couplers available. As always, I enjoy reading DKS' postings on his web-site.

Regarding this document, with the release of the Bowser trucks/couplers and the introduction of the Fox Valley replacement wheels, I will be revising this document. I have quite a lot of information to digest, as well as new data to post (I will be presenting enlargements of all wheel flange cross-sections for comparison), so it will be a week or two before I am ready to publish the revised version.

I was one of the people who tested these units when they were first developed, and Uncle Will had several others test them before releasing them. They were tested on both on Marklin and MTL track. They were also coupled with all brands of cars, both with AZL and MTL couplers, truck mounted and body mounted units.

The original runs had minor problems and were never sent to the public, Uncle Will and Bowser stressed sending out a good product and did not want any hiccups so to speak in the units, that is why there a delay in their release.

I had them running through S curves, switches, sharp radii, etc. for an hour at a time without derailments to check for problems.

I am eager to hear responses or any problems that may develop, if so, so I can correct future testing issues.

JD