The shots of the Italian locomotive are nice but I can't understand the 3 minutes of watching the coupler.
I supposed something to happen, but nothing did... ;-)

 

Do you mean to tell me that watching a hook and pintal for three minutes was boring? All seriousness aside, I would agree. My take on it was watching the couplers action. I find it interesting that, their system, lighter than ours, performs just as well, if not better. It is such a simple arrangement, hook and loop, how much can go wrong with it.

 

Yeah - I expected the coupling to break or see something else "interesting" to happen as advertised.
But no such luck.

That European system isn't quite as simple as it looks - the two special buffers on either side are part of the system.
With knuckle couplers the buffers are not needed.
Also knuckle couplers can couple automatically - with the European couplers , also used in parts of Africa and Asia, all coupling has to be done manually.
But it's reliable - that's for sure.

 

I was wondering if the advantage of the American system is also that it is possible to make tighter track curves with the coupler in center and no buffers?
The European system found it's origin in the English railways, therefore you can indeed find it in Asia and Africa as well (as former parts of the British commonwealth)/

 

"modern" freight often use Knuckles even over here. And there's a new autocoupler entering service about now.

Modeling the buffers and hook setup actually is a bit tricky. The US system is much better for a model.
The buffers take compression and the hooks take the expansions. It is not uncommon for model railroads to get the buffers entangled, as one will slip under the other on S-curves and pull the wagon off when back on the straight. Especially a problem when pushing "stiff buffers".

 

I might also point out that our couplers have an incredible amount of strength. A quartet of 6-axle diesels can move a 14,000ton (american tons, 2,000lbs) coal train up the Allegheny divide., with the entire weight of the train and the pulling force of the locomotives concentrated on the fingers of the two knuckles.

Here a 1920 2-8-0 is coupled to a 1940's gondola with a more modern, read heavier-duty, coupler.


This picture was taken by my friend Nick W. while riding the Arcade & Attica Railroad... my first rail job. You can see more of his excellent work here.