CLW? red plastic couplers

[ScaleCraft]

Have a bag of these. Used. Anybody want them?
If not, trash they go!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I've seen black ones from AN, but red ones are new to me. I'd wager someone out there desperately wants them - somebody wanted my AN ones,

[ScaleCraft]

There may be a black one or two in there. Years ago I thought Woody or Garberson told me CLW, but that makes no sense. Supposed to look rusty, but the dark red isn't rust.
Look just like Kadees, "air hose" and all.

[sleepmac]

CLW did make red couplers. I still have a few, and I don't want any more!

Dan Weinhold

[J. S. Bach]

Have a bag of these. Used. Anybody want them?
If not, trash they go!

I am interested in them, I will send a PM.

[ScaleCraft]

Okay. You can throw them away....I just pitched almost all the Tennite Walthers wheelsets. There were even some with tinplate flanges. I am hoping I have a couple of power pickup ones left to send to the Maroon.
Dummy couplers, trash. KTM freight trucks...crumbled remains, trash.

I sorted the Monarchs, big bag of new ones, big bag of used ones...hanging onto those.

Surprised nobody wants the MDC ones.

I've got Walthers boxcar ends, cast, Walthers tank car end pieces for frames, some old signal kits (one is a searchlight with a moving red and green window under the bench to a lucite rod). Not sure what I'm gonna do with those.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Walthers tank car end pieces for frames

Those are something I would be interested if you are contemplating tossing them.

[ScaleCraft]

I bought these years ago. Won't ever get to using them.
Just finding a home for them.

Got your contact info still, I think.
Next week earliest.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I bought these years ago. Won't ever get to using them.
Just finding a home for them.

Got your contact info still, I think.
Next week earliest.

Let me know if you need an address.

[ScaleCraft]

k

[prrjim]

I used the CLW couplers for a short while when I first converted to 2 rail in the late 70s. The local Hobby Shop Owner, Bill Dannecker (Danny's Model Shop) was friends with Bob Smith own CLW and supported his products. I was asking him about couplers and choices and he recommended the CLWs.

As I did more with them, I learned their short comings. The biggest issue was that they relied on gravity to close; there was not spring. This worked fine out of the package. But As I painted them and they picked up bits of dirt or dust, they tended to stick open a lot. Another minor issue was the centering spring was very stiff. With most cars, it just made it non-centering unless both cars were very heavy.

After a while, I converted over to Kadees and have used them mostly since. In my opinion the CLWs did not look at all like Kadees. They had the same wire fake air hose but that was it. I think they did look more prototypical and were slightly smaller.

As an aside, after Bob Weaver came out with couplers and trucks, I was talking to Bob Smith (CLW) at a show and I mentioned that I thought the Weaver couplers looked a lot like the CLW. He issued a few expletives and said they copied his coupler. He always seemed pretty easy going, but he was angry at that, whether it was true or not, he thoguht it was.

[bob turner]

After 20 years you can copy stuff. K-Line had a coupler identical to Kadee. Patent has elapsed.

I agree - the Weaver coupler looks like CLW. No great loss to the hobby that both are not produced. Opinion.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

After 20 years you can copy stuff.

Unless it's copyrighted,

[ScaleCraft]

There seem to be two types in the bag.
All reddish plastic.

One type has metal knuckle, straight pin out the bottom. The other has same reddish plastic knuckle, curved "hose" out the bottom. Seem to be the same style of mount to draft gear.

[bob turner]

Can you copyright a coupler?