msowsun said:
It looks like it is alright but, is it possible that your Kadee height gauge has not been assembled properly?
Msowsun
You beat me to it. I finally realized that the question involved numerous cars all coming in at the same distance low on his gauge.
Possible problems with the gauge:
- Studying the picture, I can't tell whether the coupler gauge is using an offset coupler or not. The Kadee gauge uses a coupler with a center-mounted on the shank.
- I've never seen a Kadee gauge that needed a washer under a screw to hold the coupler in position. That suggests to me that the gauge in question is not using the standard parts.
- The coupler on the gauge does appear to be a little high in the picture. The trip pin on the gauge coupler also appears to be high from the distance it is above the measuring plate. Normally, the coupler sits flush in the gauge (my older version has a cover over the #5 coupler), and the trip pin kisses the plate.
- Can't tell for sure from the picture, but both sides of the gauge need to be sitting on the rail head properly. It appears to be some very old fiber tie track being used, so it's possible the tabs on the far side of the gauge are sitting on the railhead instead of straddling.
Sorry I didn't pick up on this earlier.