The
railcar couplers or couplings listed, described, and depicted below are used worldwide on legacy and modern railways. Compatible and similar designs are frequently referred to using widely differing make, brand, regional or nick names, which can make describing standard or typical designs confusing. Dimensions and ratings noted in these articles are usually of nominal or typical components and systems, though standards and practices also vary widely with railway, region, and era. Transition between incompatible coupler types may be accomplished using
dual coupling
Different types of railroad rolling stock have different couplers depending on the purpose and type of equipment being used and its intended destination. European rolling stock tend to use buffers and chain couplers while American rolling stock use ...
s, a
coupling adapter or a
barrier wagon.
Coupler types
*
ABC coupler (Automatic Buffing Contact)
*
Albert coupler
*
bell and hook coupler
*
BSI coupler (Bergische Stahl Industrie)
*
buffers and chain coupler
Buffers and chain couplers (also known as "buffers and screw", "screw", "screwlink", and "English" couplers) are the de facto UIC standard railway stock coupling used in the EU and UK, and on some surviving former colonial railways, such as in ...
, also known as British, buffers and screw, English, EU, link and hook, UIC, or UK coupler
*
center buffer and chains coupler
*
Digital Automatic Coupler (DAC)
*
GF coupler
*
Henricot coupler
*
H2C coupler
*
Janney coupler
Janney couplers are a semi-automatic form of railway coupling that allow rail cars and locomotives to be securely linked together without rail workers having to get between the vehicles. They are also known as American, AAR, APT, ARA, MCB, knuckl ...
, also known as AAR, APT, ARA, CB, center buffer, knuckle, MCB or
tightlock coupler
Type H Tightlock couplers are a variety of Janney coupler, typically used on North American mainline passenger rail cars. They are designed with mechanical features which reduce slack in normal operation and prevent telescoping in derailments, y ...
*
Johnston link and pin coupler
*
link and pin coupler
*
Miller coupler
*
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
, also known as chopper or Jones coupler
*
pin and cup coupler (WABCO N-Type)
*
SA-3
The S-125 ''Neva/Pechora'' (russian: С-125 "Нева"/"Печора", NATO reporting name SA-3 ''Goa'') is a Soviet surface-to-air missile system that was designed by Aleksei Isaev to complement the S-25 and S-75. It has a shorter effective ra ...
, also known as SovietAuto-3, AK69e, CA-3, Russian or Willison coupler
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
, also known as Dellner, Schaku or Voith coupler
** While different Scharfenburg couplers may be mechanically compatible, they may be electrically incompatible.
*
Shibata coupler
A coupling (or a coupler) is a mechanism typically placed at each end of a railway vehicle that connects them together to form a train. A variety of coupler types have been developed over the course of railway history. Key issues in their desig ...
*
Ward coupler
*
wedgelock coupler, also known as London or Tube coupler
Africa
Algeria
* English,
Russian couplers on track
*
English couplers on gauge track
Jane's World Railways
''Jane's World Railways'' is a directory of railway activities worldwide. It is published annually by Jane's Information Group. Janes World Railways (JWR) provides details on railway systems and operators, manufacturers of equipment, technology ...
2002–2003 p5
Angola
*
AAR couplers
Botswana
*
AAR couplers
Benin
*
CBC couplers
Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire
*
English couplers
Cameroon
*
Russian couplers
Congo~Brazzaville
*
SA3 coupler
SA3 couplers (also known as СА3 or СА-3 couplers per the typical foundry stamp on top of these couplers, meaning "Советская Автосцепка, 3" in Russian or "Soviet Auto-latch 3" in English) or Willison coupler and Russia ...
s
Democratic Republic of the Congo
* AAR couplers
Egypt
*
English couplers on historic stock
*
AAR couplerLinkss on modern stock
Eritrea
* *
CBC couplers
Ethiopia
*
AAR couplers
Gabon
*
Russian couplers
Ghana
*
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on historic stock
*
AAR couplers on modern stock
Kenya
* AAR and
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on
Narrow gauge railways
* AAR
Alliance couplers on
Standard gauge railways
Liberia
*
AAR couplers
Malawi
*
AAR couplers
Mali
* like
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
Mauritania
*
AAR couplers
*
SA3 coupler
SA3 couplers (also known as СА3 or СА-3 couplers per the typical foundry stamp on top of these couplers, meaning "Советская Автосцепка, 3" in Russian or "Soviet Auto-latch 3" in English) or Willison coupler and Russia ...
s
Morocco
*
English couplers
Mozambique
*
AAR couplers
Nigeria
*
AAR couplers on modern railways
*
ABC couplers on legacy railways
*
ABC couplers on legacy
Bauchi Light Railway The Bauchi Light Railway was a narrow gauge railway built in 1914 to carry tin from Jos in Nigeria to the main line railway at Zaria.
History
The railway opened in sections 1912–1914, Jos-Bukuru () was widened to narrow gauge in 1927, while ...
Narrow gauge railways
Senegal
*
English couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on Indian Stock
South Africa
*
Buffers and chain coupler
Buffers and chain couplers (also known as "buffers and screw", "screw", "screwlink", and "English" couplers) are the de facto UIC standard railway stock coupling used in the EU and UK, and on some surviving former colonial railways, such as in ...
from 1859 to 1873.
[Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1943). ''The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter I - The Period of the 4 ft. 8½ in. Gauge''. South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, June 1943. pp. 437-440.]
*
Johnston link-and-pin from 1873 to 1927 on
Cape gauge, from 1906 on narrow gauge in Natal.
[Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1944). ''The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter III - Natal Government Railways'' (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, September 1944. p. 669.][Suid-Afrikaanse Vervoerdienste (South African Transport Services) (1983). ''Passassierswa- en Trokhandboek (Passenger Carriage and Truck Manual), Vol 1, Hoofstukke 1-15 (Chapters 1-15)''. South African Transport Services, 1983. Chapter 13.]
*
Bell-and-hook from 1902 on narrow gauge in the
Cape of Good Hope.
[Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1944). ''The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter II - The Cape Government Railways'' (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, April 1944. pp. 253-257.]
*
AAR knuckle wide use from 1927 on Cape gauge. The first application of these couplers in what is now South Africa was in 1904 by the ultra-progressive Central South African Railways (CSAR) on their rolling stock for the "Limited Expresses" between Johannesburg and Pretoria.
[South African Railways & Harbours/Suid Afrikaanse Spoorweë en Hawens (15 Aug 1941). ''Locomotive Diagram Book/Lokomotiefdiagramboek, 2'0" & 3'6" Gauge/Spoorwydte, Steam Locomotives/Stoomlokomotiewe''. SAR/SAS Mechanical Department/Werktuigkundige Dept. Drawing Office/Tekenkantoor, Pretoria. pp. 6a-7a, 25.]
*
Willison from 1973 on narrow gauge in the
Cape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope ( af, Provinsie Kaap die Goeie Hoop), commonly referred to as the Cape Province ( af, Kaapprovinsie) and colloquially as The Cape ( af, Die Kaap), was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequen ...
.
*
WABCO N-Type
A coupling (or a coupler) is a mechanism typically placed at each end of a railway vehicle that connects them together to form a train. A variety of coupler types have been developed over the course of railway history. Key issues in their desi ...
from 1984 on 6M EMU rolling stock. Also used on class 8M EMU rolling stock built from 1988.
*
Scharfenberg from 2012 on
Gautrain
Gautrain is an higher-speed express commuter rail system in Gauteng, South Africa, which links Johannesburg, Pretoria, Kempton Park and O.R. Tambo International Airport. It takes 15 minutes to travel from Sandton to O.R. Tambo Interna ...
, from 2016 on new
PRASA EM01 commuter stock.
Sudan
*
AAR couplers
Tanzania
*
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on track
*
AAR couplers on gauge track
* AAR couplers on track.
Togo
*
Center buffer and side chain couplers
*
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on Indian Stock
Tunisia
*
English couplers
Uganda
* narrow gauge :
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s
* standard gauge :
AAR couplers.
Asia
Bangladesh
*
AAR couplers on Stock
*
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on Stock
Cambodia
*
English couplers on older stock
*
AAR couplers on newer stock
China
*
AAR couplers on passenger and freight stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on high speed (CRH) and subway trains
Hong Kong
*
BSI couplers on ex-
MTR passenger units and maintenance stock
*
Tightlock coupler
Type H Tightlock couplers are a variety of Janney coupler, typically used on North American mainline passenger rail cars. They are designed with mechanical features which reduce slack in normal operation and prevent telescoping in derailments, y ...
s on ex-
KCR passenger units
*
Dellner couplers on light rail stock
*
AAR couplers on freight stock
India
*
English couplers on historic stock
*
AAR couplers on modern stock
*
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on track
*
ABC couplers on narrow gauge stock
*
Schaku Couplers in Suburban EMU and DEMU trains
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s are also used in rapid transit transports like metros
Indonesia
*
English couplers on historic stock of Nederlandsch-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij (Dutch East Indies Railway Company)
*
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on gauge historic stock of The Dutch East Indies National Railway Company and the majority of the Dutch East Indies Private Railway and Tramway Companies
*
AAR couplers and
Shibata coupler
A coupling (or a coupler) is a mechanism typically placed at each end of a railway vehicle that connects them together to form a train. A variety of coupler types have been developed over the course of railway history. Key issues in their desig ...
s on modern stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s for the future Jakarta - Bandung high speed rail and Soekarno Hatta Airport skytrain.
* Shibata couplers (based on Scharfenberg couplers) for Jakarta LRT
Iran
*
English couplers, Russian (
C-AKv)
combo couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on passenger stock
Iraq
*
English couplers on historic stock
* English, Russian (
C-AKv)
combo couplers on modern stock
Jane's World Railways
''Jane's World Railways'' is a directory of railway activities worldwide. It is published annually by Jane's Information Group. Janes World Railways (JWR) provides details on railway systems and operators, manufacturers of equipment, technology ...
1969/1970 pp 594/595
Israel
*
English couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on passenger stock
Japan
*
English couplers on historic stock
*
AAR couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Shibata coupler
A coupling (or a coupler) is a mechanism typically placed at each end of a railway vehicle that connects them together to form a train. A variety of coupler types have been developed over the course of railway history. Key issues in their desig ...
s (based on
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s) on passenger stock
North Korea
*
AAR couplers on standard gauge stock
* Reduced-size
Janney coupler
Janney couplers are a semi-automatic form of railway coupling that allow rail cars and locomotives to be securely linked together without rail workers having to get between the vehicles. They are also known as American, AAR, APT, ARA, MCB, knuckl ...
s (AAR) on
narrow gauge
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and .
Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...
stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on
Pyongyang Metro
The Pyongyang Metro () is the rapid transit system in the North Korean capital Pyongyang. It consists of two lines: the Chollima Line, which runs north from Puhŭng Station on the banks of the Taedong River to Pulgŭnbyŏl Station, and the Hyŏksi ...
stock
South Korea
*
English couplers,
link and pin couplers on historic stock
*
AAR couplers on modern stock
*
Shibata coupler
A coupling (or a coupler) is a mechanism typically placed at each end of a railway vehicle that connects them together to form a train. A variety of coupler types have been developed over the course of railway history. Key issues in their desig ...
s (based on
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s) on Subways and metro car
Malaysia
*
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on historic stock
*
AAR couplers on modern stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on ERL, LRT, MRT and Monorail.
Pakistan
*
English couplers on historic stock
*
AAR couplers on modern stock
Philippines
*
English couplers on
Manila Railway Company (MRC) rolling stock, as well as historic Manila Railroad (MRR) stock before 1932.
*
AAR couplers on MRR stock built after 1928 and on all
Philippine National Railways narrow-gauge rolling stock.
**Type E on historic stock and on the
PNR 5000 class.
**
Type F interlocking couplers on upcoming PNR narrow-gauge flatcars.
**Type H
tightlock coupling
Type H Tightlock couplers are a variety of Janney coupler, typically used on North American mainline passenger rail cars. They are designed with mechanical features which reduce slack in normal operation and prevent telescoping in derailments, ...
on most PNR rolling stock starting with the
900 class.
*
Link and pin couplers on the
Hawaiian Philippine Company of
Negros Island
Negros is the fourth largest and third most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of . Negros is one of the many islands of the Visayas, in the central part of the country. The predominant inhabitants of the island region a ...
. Older Manila Railroad stock also use link and pin alongside English couplers.
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on the
MRT Line 3.
**
Shibata coupler
A coupling (or a coupler) is a mechanism typically placed at each end of a railway vehicle that connects them together to form a train. A variety of coupler types have been developed over the course of railway history. Key issues in their desig ...
s on high-capacity
rapid transit
Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be ...
lines and on the
North–South Commuter Railway
The North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR), also known as the Clark–Calamba Railway, is a urban rail transit system under construction in the island of Luzon, Philippines. Running from New Clark City in Capas to Calamba, Laguna with 36 sta ...
.
** Type 10 on PNR 8800 class passenger trains for the
PNR South Long Haul
The PNR South Long Haul Project, also known as PNR Bicol is an proposed inter-city rail line in southern Luzon, Philippines. It is part of the larger Luzon Rail System, a network of long-distance standard-gauge lines being built by the Philippin ...
project.
Russia
* Russian
SA3 coupler
SA3 couplers (also known as СА3 or СА-3 couplers per the typical foundry stamp on top of these couplers, meaning "Советская Автосцепка, 3" in Russian or "Soviet Auto-latch 3" in English) or Willison coupler and Russia ...
s on domestic stock (with
side buffers on passenger coaches)
*
English couplers on Euro Stock (
exchanged on the border)
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on some passenger unit trains (
Velaro,
Desiro) and on all subway systems
Singapore
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s for the
Mass Rapid Transit
*
Bergische Stahl Industrie couplers for
Bukit Panjang LRT
*
Compact tight couplers by Japan Steel Works for
Sengkang
Sengkang (, ta, செங்காங்) is a planning area and residential town located in the North-East Region of Singapore. The town is the second most populous in the region, being home to 249,370 residents in 2020. Sengkang shares bo ...
and
Punggol LRT
Sri Lanka
*
Buffers and chain coupler
Buffers and chain couplers (also known as "buffers and screw", "screw", "screwlink", and "English" couplers) are the de facto UIC standard railway stock coupling used in the EU and UK, and on some surviving former colonial railways, such as in ...
s,
AAR couplers
Taiwan
*
AAR couplers for
TRA rolling stock, including multiple units
*
Shibata coupler
A coupling (or a coupler) is a mechanism typically placed at each end of a railway vehicle that connects them together to form a train. A variety of coupler types have been developed over the course of railway history. Key issues in their desig ...
x for
THSR
*
Tomlinson couplers for heavy-capacity
Taipei Metro
Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), branded as Metro Taipei, is a rapid transit system serving the areas of Taipei and New Taipei in Taiwan, operated by the government-owned Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, which also operates the Maokong Gondo ...
rolling stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s for all other urban transit systems such as
Kaohsiung MRT
Kaohsiung Metro () is a rapid transit and light rail system covering the metropolitan area of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Its rapid transit network is known as Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit or Kaohsiung MRT. Construction of the MRT started in October 200 ...
,
Taoyuan Airport MRT
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT (Mass Rapid Transit), commonly known as the Airport MRT, is a rapid transit line of Taoyuan Metro that connects the municipalities of Taipei, New Taipei, and Taoyuan with Taoyuan International Airport ...
,
Taichung Metro
The Taichung MRT (also called Taichung Mass Rail Transit or Taichung Metro) is a rapid transit system in Taichung, Taiwan. In addition to Taichung, it may serve Changhua and Nantou counties in the future. Taichung Metro's first route, the Green ...
and medium capacity Taipei Metro rolling stock
*
Link and pin couplers for
Alishan Forest Railway and
Taiwan Sugar Railways
Thailand
*
AAR couplers on all SRT rolling stock
*
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on historic stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on mass-transit trains
*
Wedgelock couplers,
Ward couplers on
London Underground
The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England.
The ...
stock
* Narrow gauge lines use a mixture of couplings.
Turkey
*
English couplers on older stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on passenger stock
*
Russian couplers (
C-AKv) on newer stock
Vietnam
*
AAR couplers on both and rolling stock
Europe
Austria
*
English couplers on standard gauge stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on passenger units
*
Bosna couplers or Scharfenberg couplers on narrow gauge stock
Belgium
*
GF coupler on most multiple units
*
Henricot semi automatic couplers on some EMU's
*
English couplers on locomotives, passenger carriages and goods waggons
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on high speed trains
Finland
*
English couplers (UIC) on passenger cars and most freight cars and on historical locomotives
* Russian
SA3 coupler
SA3 couplers (also known as СА3 or СА-3 couplers per the typical foundry stamp on top of these couplers, meaning "Советская Автосцепка, 3" in Russian or "Soviet Auto-latch 3" in English) or Willison coupler and Russia ...
s on Russian cars and some heavy-duty freight cars
* "
Unilink couplers" (SA3 clone with UIC-style screw link) or "Vapiti" (SA3 clone with movable link arm for English couplers) couplers on the majority of locomotives; compatible with SA3 and English (UIC) center hook
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s (some made by Dellner) on multiple unit passenger stock
France
*
English couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on passenger stock (
multiple units and
high speed train
High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail system that runs significantly faster than traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, lines ...
s only)
*
Russian couplers on
ore
Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals, typically containing metals, that can be mined, treated and sold at a profit.Encyclopædia Britannica. "Ore". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 7 Apr ...
unit train
A unit train, also called a block train or a trainload service, is a train in which all cars (wagons) carry the same commodity and are shipped from the same origin to the same destination, without being split up or stored en route.
They are dist ...
s
Germany
*
English couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on passenger stock
*
AK69es and
C-AKv couplers on unit ore trains
* AK69e and
SA3 coupler
SA3 couplers (also known as СА3 or СА-3 couplers per the typical foundry stamp on top of these couplers, meaning "Советская Автосцепка, 3" in Russian or "Soviet Auto-latch 3" in English) or Willison coupler and Russia ...
s mixed in trains via Mukran ferry terminal
* Scharfenberg or central buffer couplers on narrow gauge stock
Greece
*
English couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on passenger stock
*
Center buffer and side chains on narrow gauge stock
Hungary
*
English couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on multiple units (in some cases jointly with
side buffers)
*
BSI couplers with side buffers on BDVmot electric multiple units
*
Link and pin on narrow gauge stock
Ireland
Italy
*
English couplers on
standard gauge stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on some EMU/DMU and
FS Class E.464
Netherlands
*
English couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
BSI couplers,
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on passenger stock
*
Russian couplers on
ore
Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals, typically containing metals, that can be mined, treated and sold at a profit.Encyclopædia Britannica. "Ore". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 7 Apr ...
unit train
A unit train, also called a block train or a trainload service, is a train in which all cars (wagons) carry the same commodity and are shipped from the same origin to the same destination, without being split up or stored en route.
They are dist ...
s
Norway
*
English couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on historic stock, narrow gauge only
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on passenger stock (multiple units)
* Russian
SA3 coupler
SA3 couplers (also known as СА3 or СА-3 couplers per the typical foundry stamp on top of these couplers, meaning "Советская Автосцепка, 3" in Russian or "Soviet Auto-latch 3" in English) or Willison coupler and Russia ...
s on unit ore trains (
Ofoten Line
The Ofoten Line ( no, Ofotbanen) is a railway line in Narvik, Norway. It runs from the Port of Narvik to Riksgränsen on the Norway–Sweden border, where the line continues as the Ore Line via Kiruna and Gällivare to Luleå. The Ofoten Lin ...
)
Poland
*
English couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on passenger stock
*
Russian couplers on unit ore trains and Russian interchange stock
Portugal
*
English couplers on freight and loco hauled passenger stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on multiple unit passenger stock
Romania
*
English couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
on
Siemens Desiro
The Siemens Desiro (, , ) is a family of diesel or electric multiple unit passenger trains developed by Siemens Mobility, a division of the German Siemens AG conglomerate. The main variants are the Desiro Classic, Desiro ML, Desiro UK and the la ...
multiple units and some ex-German
railbus
A railbus is a lightweight passenger railcar that shares many aspects of its construction with a bus, typically having a bus (original or modified) body and four wheels on a fixed base, instead of on bogies. Originally designed and developed d ...
es
*
Link-and-pin couplers on narrow gauge stock
Russia
* Russian
SA3 coupler
SA3 couplers (also known as СА3 or СА-3 couplers per the typical foundry stamp on top of these couplers, meaning "Советская Автосцепка, 3" in Russian or "Soviet Auto-latch 3" in English) or Willison coupler and Russia ...
s on domestic stock (with
side buffers on passenger coaches)
*
English couplers on Euro Stock (
exchanged on the border)
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on some passenger unit trains (
Velaro,
Desiro) and on all subway systems
Spain
*
English couplers on freight and loco hauled passenger stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on multiple unit passenger stock
*
AAR couplers on freight stock in narrow gauge
*
BSI couplers on multiple unit passenger stock (only in
Catalonian Railways: FGC)
Sweden
*
English couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on passenger stock
*
Russian couplers on iron ore trains (
Iron Ore Line
The Iron Ore Line ( sv, Malmbanan) is a long railway line between Riksgränsen and Boden in Norrbotten County, Sweden, owned by Trafikverket (the Swedish Transport Administration). The line also contains two branches, from Kiruna to Svappavaar ...
)
* Variant of
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on historic (museum) narrow-gauge stock
Switzerland
*
English couplers on
standard gauge stock
* GFV,
Schwab,
Scharfenberg or
BSI couplers on passenger units
*
AK69e couplers within BLS EW III sets
* GF, GFV or
center buffer couplers/
Balance lever couplings on meter and narrow gauge stock
Ukraine
*
SA3 coupler
SA3 couplers (also known as СА3 or СА-3 couplers per the typical foundry stamp on top of these couplers, meaning "Советская Автосцепка, 3" in Russian or "Soviet Auto-latch 3" in English) or Willison coupler and Russia ...
s on gauge rolling stock
*
Combined SA3 coupler/
English couplers on
SUW 2000 gauge-changing coaches
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on some EMU trains
*
Central buffer and chain couplers on
narrow gauge
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and .
Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...
rolling stock
United Kingdom
*
BSI couplers on most diesel multiple unit types, but also Dellner and Scharfenberg on some more recent types
* AAR Type H "
Tightlock coupling
Type H Tightlock couplers are a variety of Janney coupler, typically used on North American mainline passenger rail cars. They are designed with mechanical features which reduce slack in normal operation and prevent telescoping in derailments, ...
" heads on 1970s to early 2000s electric multiple units
*
Scharfenberg type heads (often Dellner) on most new electric multiple units, with a variety of electrical connection systems
*
English coupler,
AAR couplers on some freight stock, most locomotive-hauled passenger stock has a rd size Janney/
Buckeye coupler
*
Wedgelock couplers,
Ward couplers on
London Underground
The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England.
The ...
stock
* Narrow gauge lines use various couplings
Isle of Man
Caribian
Cuba
*
AAR couplers
Jamaica
*
AAR couplers
Central America
Belize
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama
*
AAR couplers—
Panama Canal Railway
The Panama Canal Railway ( es, Ferrocarril de Panamá) is a railway line linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean in Central America. The route stretches across the Isthmus of Panama from Colón (Atlantic) to Balboa (Pacific, near P ...
*
Link, pin and buffer—
Panama canal mule
The Panama Canal locks ( es, Esclusas del Canal de Panamá) are a lock system that lifts ships up to the main elevation of the Panama Canal and down again. The original canal had a total of six steps (three up, three down) for a ship's passage. ...
s
North America
Canada
*
AAR couplers on traditional stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s,
Wedgelock coupler,
H2C couplers on transit stock
* size AAR couplers on the
White Pass and Yukon Route
The White Pass and Yukon Route (WP&Y, WP&YR) is a Canadian and U.S. Class III narrow-gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska, with Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon. An isolated system, it has no direct connection to any other rai ...
Mexico
*
AAR couplers on traditional stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on new passenger stock
United States
*
AAR couplers on mainline freight and passenger stock in the United States and Alaska
*
Link Pin,
Miller couplers on historic stock. Converted to AAR couplers 1893~1900 per
Safety Appliance Act
The Safety Appliance Act is a United States federal law that made air brakes and automatic couplers mandatory on all trains in the United States. It was enacted on March 2, 1893, and took effect in 1900, after a seven-year grace period. The ...
* Older city systems have unique coupler designs for transit stock, e.g.
H2C couplers on
New York City Subway rolling stock
The New York City Subway is a large rapid transit system and has a large fleet of rolling stock. , the New York City Subway has cars on the roster.
The system maintains two separate fleets of passenger cars: one for the A Division (number ...
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on newer light rail and transit systems
*
Pin Cup coupler on
multiple unit transit stock
*
Russian couplers on industrial and mining Stock
Alaska
*
AAR couplers on mainline freight and passenger stock in Alaska
* size AAR couplers on the
White Pass and Yukon Route
The White Pass and Yukon Route (WP&Y, WP&YR) is a Canadian and U.S. Class III narrow-gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska, with Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon. An isolated system, it has no direct connection to any other rai ...
Puerto Rico
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on
Tren Urbano
The ''Tren Urbano'' (English: Urban Train) is a fully-automated rapid transit system that serves the municipalities of San Juan, Guaynabo, and Bayamón, in Puerto Rico. The Tren Urbano consists of 16 stations operating on of track along a ...
Oceania
Australia
*
English couplers,
Norwegian coupler
A Norwegian coupling (or meat chopper) or claw hammer coupling or pickaxe coupling is a manual coupling consisting of a central buffer with a mechanical hook that drops into a slot in the central buffer. The system is only found on narrow gauge ra ...
s on historic stock
*
AAR couplers on freight and passenger stock
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on passenger stock
New Zealand
*
Norwegian couplers on legacy stock
*
Janney coupler
Janney couplers are a semi-automatic form of railway coupling that allow rail cars and locomotives to be securely linked together without rail workers having to get between the vehicles. They are also known as American, AAR, APT, ARA, MCB, knuckl ...
s on modern freight & locomotives
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s on modern EMUs
South America
Argentina
*
English couplers on and on
*
AAR couplers on
and some passenger (FIAT 7131 DMUs) and freight rolling stock on standard and broad gauge.
* Small
knuckle coupler
Janney couplers are a semi-automatic form of railway coupling that allow rail cars and locomotives to be securely linked together without rail workers having to get between the vehicles. They are also known as American, AAR, APT, ARA, MCB, knuck ...
with slot in knuckle for
link and pin couplers on
*
Shibata semi-automatic couplers on EMUs made by
Toshiba
, commonly known as Toshiba and stylized as TOSHIBA, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Its diversified products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure systems, ...
-
Marubeni Corp. (1956
D.F. Sarmiento Railway, 1962
General Bartolomé Mitre Railway, 1973
General Urquiza Railway
The General Urquiza Railway (FCGU) (in Spanish: Ferrocarril General Urquiza), named after the Argentine general and politician Justo José de Urquiza, is a standard gauge railway of Argentina which runs approximately northwards from Buenos Aire ...
and 1983
General Roca Railway EMUs).
* Scharfenberg-type semi-automatic couplers (
Dellner
Dellner Couplers AB is a Swedish original equipment manufacturer of train connection systems as couplers, gangway systems and dampers. The headquarter of the company is located in Vika in the Falun Municipality. Dellner is owned by the investme ...
) on modern EMUs, DMUs and some passenger rolling stock In
General San Martín Railway.
*
Bell-and-hook couplers on various narrow-gauge
tourist railway
A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...
s (
Ferrocarril Pierda Baya,
Austral Fueguino Railway and
Económico Sud Railway).
Bolivia
Brazil
*
AAR couplers
Jane's World Railways
''Jane's World Railways'' is a directory of railway activities worldwide. It is published annually by Jane's Information Group. Janes World Railways (JWR) provides details on railway systems and operators, manufacturers of equipment, technology ...
1969/1970 pp 501 thru 504[ Railway Gazette International April 2009, p61]
Chile
*
AAR couplers on
*
English couplers (UIC)in coaches and locomotives bought from Spain
*
Scharfenberg coupler
The Scharfenberg coupler (german: Scharfenbergkupplung, abbreviated ''Schaku'') is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling.
Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg, Germany (today Kaliningrad, Russia), the coupler ...
s in passenger units bought from Spain
Colombia
Ecuador
Paraguay
*
English couplers
Peru
*
AAR couplers
Suriname
Uruguay
*
English couplers
Venezuela
See also
*
Barrier vehicle
*
Jane's World Railways
''Jane's World Railways'' is a directory of railway activities worldwide. It is published annually by Jane's Information Group. Janes World Railways (JWR) provides details on railway systems and operators, manufacturers of equipment, technology ...
, lists the coupler(s) used on any railway system
*
Rail transport by country
This page provides an index of articles on rail transport by country.
International railway organisations
* International Union of Railways (UIC)
* International Union of Public Transport (UITP)
* Association of American Railways (AAR)
Afri ...
References
External links
*
{{Railway coupling
Couplers