*without Gearboxes*

The #119 coupler will work anywhere a NO.5®, #28, #38, #58, #118, #119, #148 & #158 Coupler will work.

The #119 "SE" Kadee® Magne-Matic® WHISKER® Coupler features a All Metal Coupler, Metal WHISKER® Centering Spring. The #119 "SE" Coupler may be mounted in Manufacturers cast-on coupler pockets or any of our HO-Scale draft gear boxes (except #233 30-series gear box).


Package Includes:
(25) Pair SE Metal Shelf Whisker® Magne-Matic® Coupler - Medium Centerset Shank
(Extra) #625 Knuckle Springs


#119 Whisker® Metal Coupler Features:
Material - Metal
Shank Length - Medium (9/32") (center hole to back of coupler head)
Coupler Offset - Centerset
Knuckle Spring - #625
Centering System - Whisker®
Head - SE Metal Shelf Head
Works In Place of - NO.5®, #58, #28, #38 (#148 in a #252 box), #118, #119, #158, & medium centerset "clone" couplers
Works With - #213, #232, #234, #242, #252, #262, & most manufacturer cast-on coupler pockets* (molded-on gearbox).

*Note: Some manufacturers now produce models with non-industry standard coupler pockets (molded-on gearbox). These shallower coupler pockets may require slight modification to the gearbox or coupler to function properly. If the model has a shallow molded-on gearbox, the top of the #119 Whisker® coupler shank may be filed thinner to fit the shallower cast-on coupler pockets.

Mounting Specifications:
Mounting Height - 29/64"
Centerline - 25/64"
Trip Pin Height - 1/32"



HISTORY: (Taken from excerpts of the 1980 "The Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia" Section 9.): Recognizing the distinct safety features of the Tightlock Type "H" coupler for passenger service (adopted as alternate standard in 1937 and standardized in 1947), the Association of American Railroads (AAR) asked the Standard Coupler Manufacturers to develop a similar, but less sophisticated, design coupler for freight equipment. This was accomplished in 1943 with the development of the Type "F" Interlocking coupler. Service trials were completed in 1947 and the Type F coupling system was made available for general freight service. It was then adopted as an alternate standard by the AAR in 1954. Due to the safety aspects of the F interlocking features in keeping cars coupled during train derailments, and preventing car overturn or telescoping, In 1970 the DOT/FRA mandated that hazardous material tank cars were to be equipped with F Interlocking couplers. As an adjunct to the above DOT/FRA action, the coupler manufacturers, the AAR, and the tank car owners entered into a concerted cooperative effort to devise a shelf interlocking system for all AAR coupler design types that might be used on hazardous material cars. These efforts resulted in the development of top and bottom shelf retention features for the Type "E" and "E/F" couplers. Also, F couplers were provided with a top hood (shelf). These were service tested for two years. The AAR adopted the top and bottom shelf couplers as Standards for tank cars in 1975. These tank car couplers were identified by the letter "S" prefix to their catalog numbers. In 1968 the Type E couplers with a bottom retention shelf were made available and are noted as the Type "SBE" coupler. The top and bottom shelf Type "E" coupler is the "SE" coupler. The Type "F" coupler with a top hood is the Type "SF" coupler. Historically: The Type "D" coupler (predecessor to the Type "E") was used from 1916, the Type "E" coupler was standard in 1932 to present, the Type "H" Tightlock passenger coupler was alternate standard in 1937 and standard in 1947, the Type "F" was an alternate standard for freight cars in 1954 and standard for hazardous material tank cars in 1970. The bottom shelf Type "SBE" was available in 1968, the top and bottom shelf Type "SE" and "SF" couplers were standard for tank cars in 1975. #119 Type "SE" coupler: The Kadee® #119 coupler represents the prototypical Type "SE" coupler which is a standard Type "E" coupler with a top and bottom shelf (also called hoods). The #119 SE coupler has the patented Kadee® "Whisker®" centering spring intergraded into the shank and is now a once piece drop in coupler. The top shelf can be removed and the coupler will then represent the bottom shelf Type "SBE" coupler. There would be no reason to remove the bottom shelf since our #58 and #158 already represent the standard Type "E" coupler with a medium shank and our short shank #153 and long shank #156 also are "scale head" couplers. The Type SE and SBE couplers were standardized in 1975 for tank cars and can be used prototypically on models from 1975 onwards. The #119 is an all metal, scale head, medium length, centerset coupler with the same basic mounting dimensions as our #5, #148, #58 and #158 couplers. It has been designed and tested to function with all of Kadee's® HO and HOn3 couplers, standard and scale head. Note that the top hood protrudes quite a bit and may interfere with bodywork on certain models. So there will be certain mounting limitations with the height of the top hood. The #118 and #119 are "fully functional" shelf couplers. When two #119 couplers or a #119 and a #118 (SF) shelf couplers are coupled together the bottom shelves will keep the knuckles from sliding up or down out of each other. With these shelf couplers you can no longer simply pick up a car and expect the couplers to slip apart. You need to slightly twist the cars for the couplers to disengage or you'll end up lifting the whole string of cars. Of course you can use the operational methods of Kadee's® Magne-Matic® Delayed Action uncoupling® or use a manual uncoupling tool such as our #241 Dual Tool. Please note, that because the shelves keep the couplers from slipping apart modelers may desire to use them to keep their cars from unwanted uncoupling over rough or uneven trackage, regardless of the prototypical application of a shelf coupler. However note, there are certain limitations to shelf couplers that will cause derailments. "Couplers are not designed to compensate for rough trackage". Although they may help in certain areas, do not expect them to alleviate the problems with poor modular connections, dips, bumps, gaps, sharp grade changes, or any other rough track work. Manual uncoupling Tool: There are many modelers that wish to manual uncouple with a small tool and Kadee offers the #241 "Dual Tool" manual uncoupler and spring pick combination. For manual uncoupling the #119 "SE" shelf coupler the #241 has a "pointed" end to fit around the top shelf. The other "blade" end of the #241 is for standard couplers, also, the blade end has nubs so it can double as a spring pick for inserting small coil springs. To manual uncouple the #119 coupler with the pointed end of the #241 "Dual Tool", first push the cars together where the coupler knuckles compress against each other, insert the pointed end against the "outside" of the hooked tip of the knuckle as illustrated (the knuckle is the moving part of the coupler head). As the point slips into the coupler it will push the knuckle past the hook of the opposing knuckle. To assist the uncoupling you can push the knuckle tip outward with the point, when the knuckle tips are past each other you can now separate the uncoupled cars. Modifying the #119 "SE" into a Type "E" Bottom Shelf Coupler or "E" coupler: The #119 is a Type "SE" shelf coupler and was used in the early 1970's (see the included historical data). If you wish to modify the #119 into a Type "E" bottom shelf coupler to be used from 1954 onward you can simply trim off the top shelf. Carefully snip off the thin top shelf area down to the level surface of the coupler head then file the area smooth and touch it up with black paint or appropriate weathering. Care should be taken not to get paint in the hinge of the coupler head. Also, by removing the bottom shelf as well as the top, the #119 can represent the Type "E" coupler.