Digital coupler compatible with Tillig and Kuehn coupler

[Dibbedabb]

Hey guys,

In case you don't know yet, since around a year SD-Modell offers a digital coupler: http://www.sd-modell.de/produkte/tt-digitalkupplung
It is 100% compatible with Tillig or Kuehn coupler, though not to itself (you can't couple two locos equipped with this coupler). The plastic part is injection molded, NOT 3D print. It fits into the standard coupler slot and comes with a shaft with 2 settings, so it is able to provide a shorter and a longer distance to the coupler it is coupled to, therefor also working with locos without close coupler mechanism.
With the short setting (the slot end of the coupler is cut off at a defined line) the buffer distance between loco and car is roughly a millimeter more compared to a loco with a standard coupler - if any.

It works really great, but you need to be able to solder it onto the loco's board or the decoder - depending on the loco you want to equip and the decoder interface it offers. I have it in 2 Pikos V90, and although I'm all thumbs, when it comes to soldering, I got it done...

It's not that cheap (20 Euros per piece, 40 Euros the pair), but definitely worth the money. I don't know, if SD-Modell ships outside Germany, but some of the larger German online shops also have it listed, like elriwa or MBS in Sebnitz.

[ConducTTor]

I've been contemplating buying a few but wanted to hear others' experiences first. Is it reliable? Is it durable?

[Dibbedabb]

Both yes. I guess it's more durable than the one Krois sells, because their's is made of 3D print, and no one knows, how 3D print reacts when it's aging.
Although it's sold as a shunting coupler (meaning it is aimed at locos in a yard or so), I would consider it mainline save. I think it's like any coupler: If your tracks look like >> this <<, it might become difficult

[ConducTTor]

Cool I'll have to try them out. Thanks!

[CN-TT]

I like the SD coupler very much. I have 2 on my Piko BR290. When they are installed correctly (parallel to the tracks) they work without any problems. I probably will buy more in the future.

PS: Ingo and I came up with the same idea of the coupler at nearly the same time but on different continents.

[ConducTTor]

I'd been thinking about doing something like this but never actually got around to doing it lol

[mpinta]

http://lokopin.wz.cz/body.php/digital/sprahlo.htm