Jeremy (an eight month member of the online model train club) sent in this piece of advice:

Many folk in the hobby don’t particularly like horn-hook couplers and often can’t wait to replace them with knuckle couplers. The view of many is that knuckle couplers are more realistic and they work really well with magnetic uncouplers.

Converting to knuckle couplers takes time and some effort and patience. If you are going to do this it is best to convert your rolling stock one at a time. Some mix them in consists until they are all eventually converted.

Regardless of what train couplers you use, they need to be mounted at the right height for them to work correctly.

If a coupler is sitting too high, then you can lower the coupler by inserting a shim between the bottom (of the car floor) and the coupler pocket. If, on the other hand, the coupler is too low, then you can add a washer (or two) between the truck and the car base.

You might have to replace the truck assembly (or the wheels), if the coupler is mounted on the truck, particularly so when a coupler is too low. My last tip is to buy a coupler height gauge – very handy!

John is a great contributor to the hobby and likes to share his ideas to help others. Here is John’s latest suggestion:

We accumulate a lot of parts of various items as we build our layouts, and the smaller the part is, the more underfoot it is until it’s needed, then it seems to disappear as if by magic. One way around this is to put all small parts in a box, and the low-cost alternative is to use an empty MILKBONE Brand dog biscuits box, the 10-lb. Value Pack. Like most MILKBONE products, the box is very sturdily built, and measures 11-3/4 inches high, 10-1/2 inches across the top, and 8 inches deep, and can hold a lot of small parts such as track pieces, building air conditioners, terminal joiners, figures, model train wheels, weights for freight cars, detailing items, etc.

At very least, you’ll know where the part is if you put it in the box, though the exact part you absolutely need is probably near the bottom.

But a word of caution – make sure the box is empty before you use it for your small parts, as it contains very precious cargo. Just ask any dog!

If you have experience in the hobby and would like to help or guide others, submit your ideas using the Ask A Question link at the bottom of the page.

Liter has a question for anyone with Z scale experience:

“My current Z scale engines and rolling stock all have Marklin type couplers. Unless you purchase Marklin equipment, these couplers seem to be unavailable from other suppliers. For example, Micro Trains and AZL seem to have there own types of couplers. My question is: How many kinds of couplers are there and how can I be sure the new pieces of non-Marklin equipment I might buy have compatible couplers?”

Comment below.