Brick-built couplers?

[Rustie86]

Has anybody attempted to build or seen somewhere a design for a Lego train coupler built from regular parts? Even if it's not an attempt at a working knuckle coupler or any other real life system. I had the thought a couple weeks back and while I've been tossing possible mechanisms around in my imagination, I haven't yet tried assembling anything yet. (I'd imagine Technic would be a large percentage of any such design.) I am curious if anybody else has attempted such a thing though. 

[davidzq]

Many people will use this hand as a non-functional coupler, as it looks pretty realistic, especially in reddish brown. Https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=11092

 

Otherwise people will simply use a 3 or 4 long liftarm and a couple axles/pins.

[zephyr1934]

14 hours ago, davidzq said:

Many people will use this hand as a non-functional coupler, as it looks pretty realistic, especially in reddish brown. Https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=11092

Now that's a real knuckle coupler...

Then there's the forthcoming BMR couplers

[dr_spock]

Technic suspension/steering link for semi-permament coupling.   There are also various 3D printable train couplers on Thingiverse that could be modified to work with LEGO. 

 

[SteamSewnEmpire]

On 9/7/2020 at 6:55 AM, zephyr1934 said:

Now that's a real knuckle coupler...

Then there's the forthcoming BMR couplers

O-scale knuckles mated to a 3D printed receiver? Heh. 

I think - and this is just for me - that's a bit much. 

[coaster]

The BMR/Brickforge ones are actually molded.

[SteamSewnEmpire]

I think my problem with it is that it doesn't look toy-like enough - at least for the locomotives I am building. When I use 3d printed parts - such as @zephyr1934 's rods - they still look as if Lego could have produced them; that they were a part. These couplers are so real-world/serious scale model-inspired that I can't wrap my mind around them 'being' Lego.

This is absolutely no commentary on the quality - which looks excellent - nor does it have application for anyone other than me.

[coaster]

4 minutes ago, SteamSewnEmpire said:

I think my problem with it is that it doesn't look toy-like enough - at least for the locomotives I am building. When I use 3d printed parts - such as @zephyr1934 's rods - they still look as if Lego could have produced them; that they were a part. These couplers are so real-world/serious scale model-inspired that I can't wrap my mind around them 'being' Lego.

This is absolutely no commentary on the quality - which looks excellent - nor does it have application for anyone other than me.

I agree wholly.  I like that they're doing this and I can appreciate the appeal of the couplers, but they're not my cup of tea.  I am all in on the new magnet couplers Lifelites is doing though.

[SteamSewnEmpire]

4 hours ago, coaster said:

I agree wholly.  I like that they're doing this and I can appreciate the appeal of the couplers, but they're not my cup of tea.  I am all in on the new magnet couplers Lifelites is doing though.

That sounds nifty. Any photos available?

[coaster]

I don't, but they're neodymium magnets in a plastic housing and are perfect replacements for the standard (and ungodly expensive) LEGO ones.  They have a replica coupler piece as well to go with it.

[Ts__]

At the exhibition "Bricking Bavaria 2019" in Fürth / Germany, Dirk showed a train with built couplings. I asked Dirk and am allowed to show this here:

 

 

More pictures are available on Dirk's Flickr account, just click on the picture ...

Thomas

 

 

[Amoreternum]

Now these are interesting - would love to know how they are connected to the loco and cars, and how stable the connections are. 

[moparacker]

On 9/11/2020 at 1:11 PM, Amoreternum said:

Now these are interesting - would love to know how they are connected to the loco and cars, and how stable the connections are. 

I found a picture in the linked gallery that shows the underside of the coupler and was able to recreate it in Meca: https://www.mecabricks.com/en/models/oK2wkNEz29k

 

[Amoreternum]

11 hours ago, moparacker said:

I found a picture in the linked gallery that shows the underside of the coupler and was able to recreate it in Meca: https://www.mecabricks.com/en/models/oK2wkNEz29k

Ah, saw that too but that must have slipped my mind. Thanks alot, especially for the render! Will definitely try that one out.