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 couplings, a coupling adapter or a barrier wagon.
Coupler types
ABC coupler (Automatic Buffing Contact)ABC couplers Albert coupler Bell-and-hook coupler BSI coupler (Bergische Stahl Industrie) Buffers and chain coupler, also known as British, buffers and screw, English, EU, link and hook, UIC, or UK coupler Center-buffer-and-chain coupler Digital automatic coupling (DAC)DAC GF coupler Henricot coupler H2C coupler Janney coupler, also known as AAR, APT, ARA, CB, center buffer, knuckle, MCB or tightlock coupler Johnston link and pin coupler Link and pin coupler Miller coupler Norwegian coupler, also known as chopper or Jones coupler Pin and cup coupler (WABCO N-Type) SA-3, also known as SovietAuto-3, AK69e, CA-3, Russian or Willison coupler Scharfenberg coupler, also known as Dellner, Schaku or Voith coupler While different Scharfenburg couplers may be mechanically compatible, they may be electrically incompatible. Shibata coupler Ward coupler Wedglock coupler, also known as London or Tube coupler
Africa
Algeria
English, Russian couplers on track English couplers on gauge trackJane's World Railways 2002–2003 p5
Angola
AAR couplers
Botswana
AAR couplers
Benin
CBC couplers
Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire
English couplers
Cameroon
Russian couplers (SA3)
Congo~Brazzaville
SA3 couplers
Democratic Republic of the Congo
AAR couplers
Egypt
English couplers on historic stock AAR coupler Links on modern stock
Eritrea
CBC couplers
Ethiopia
AAR couplers
Gabon
Russian couplers
Ghana
Norwegian couplers on historic stock AAR couplers on modern stock
Kenya AAR and Norwegian couplers on Narrow gauge railways AAR Alliance couplers on Standard gauge railways
Liberia
AAR couplers
Malawi
AAR couplers
Mali
like Senegal
Mauritania
AAR couplers SA3 couplers
Morocco
English couplers
Mozambique
AAR couplers
Nigeria
AAR couplers on modern railways ABC couplers on legacy railways ABC couplers on legacy Bauchi Light Railway Narrow gauge railways
Senegal
English couplers on freight and passenger stock Norwegian couplers on Indian Stock
South Africa
Buffers and chain coupler 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.At least some versions of the automatic couplers used in South Africa follows the Henricot coupler patent and not the AAR version.
The following note is given on drawing CME10719-478/68 "Automatic Coupler, type MS (127 mm x 140 mm)", also referred to as SASKOP (Suid-Afrikaanse Spoorweë Koppelaar - South African Railways Coupler):
"The copyright in this drawing vests in "Société Anonyme Usines Emile Henricot of Court-Saint-Étienne", Belgium. The said company is also the owner of the patent in respect of the automatic coupler covered by this drawing." Willison from 1973 on narrow gauge in the Cape Province. WABCO N-Type from 1984 on 6M EMU rolling stock. Also used on class 8M EMU rolling stock built from 1988. Scharfenberg from 2012 on Gautrain, from 2016 on new PRASA EM01 commuter stock.
Sudan
AAR couplersLocopage
Tanzania
Norwegian couplers on track AAR couplers on gauge track AAR couplers on track.
Togo
Center buffer and side chain couplers Norwegian couplers on Indian Stock
Tunisia
English couplers
Uganda narrow gauge : Norwegian couplers standard gauge : AAR couplers.
Asia
Bangladesh
AAR couplers on Stock Norwegian couplers on Stock
Cambodia
English couplers on older stock AAR couplers on newer stock
China
AAR couplers on most passenger and freight stock A variation of Shibata couplers between 25T passenger coaches (AAR couplers between Bombardier-built coaches) Scharfenberg couplers on high speed (CRH) and subway trains
Hong Kong
BSI couplers on ex-MTR passenger units and maintenance stock Tightlock couplers 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 couplers on track ABC couplers on narrow gauge stock Scharfenberg couplers in Suburban EMU and DEMU trains and rapid transit rolling stocks
Indonesia
English couplers on historic stock of Nederlandsch-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij (Dutch East Indies Railway Company) Norwegian couplers 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 couplers on modern stock Scharfenberg couplers for the Jakarta - Bandung high speed rail and Soekarno Hatta Airport skytrain. Shibata couplers (based on Scharfenberg couplers) for Jakarta LRT Dellner coupler for Greater Jakarta LRT
Iran
English couplers, Russian (C-AKv) combo couplers on freight and passenger stock Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock
Iraq
English couplers on historic stock English, Russian (C-AKv) combo couplers on modern stockJane's World Railways 1969/1970 pp 594/595
Israel
English couplers on freight and passenger stock Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock
Japan
English couplers on historic stock AAR couplers on locomotives, freight and passenger stock Shibata couplers (based on Scharfenberg couplers) on passenger stock
North Korea
AAR couplers on standard gauge stock Reduced-size Janney couplers (AAR) on narrow gauge stock Scharfenberg couplers on Pyongyang Metro stock
South Korea
English couplers, link and pin couplers on historic stock AAR couplers on modern stockRailway Gazette International Aug 2008 p517 Shibata couplers (based on Scharfenberg couplers) on Subways and metro car Scharfenberg couplers on KTX and imported light metro car
Malaysia
Norwegian couplers on historic stock AAR couplers on modern stock Scharfenberg couplers 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 on most PNR rolling stock starting with the 900 class. Link and pin couplers on the Hawaiian Philippine Company of Negros Island. Older Manila Railroad stock also use link and pin alongside English couplers. Scharfenberg couplers on the MRT Line 3. Shibata couplers on high-capacity rapid transit lines and on the North–South Commuter Railway. Type 10 on PNR 8800 class passenger trains for the PNR South Long Haul project.
Russia
Russian SA3 couplers on domestic stock (with side buffers on passenger coaches) English couplers on Euro Stock (exchanged on the border) Scharfenberg couplers on some passenger unit trains (Velaro, Desiro) and on all subway systems
Singapore
Scharfenberg couplers for the Mass Rapid Transit Bergische Stahl Industrie couplers for Bukit Panjang LRT Compact tight couplers by Japan Steel Works for Sengkang and Punggol LRT
Sri Lanka
Buffers and chain couplers, AAR couplers
Taiwan
AAR couplers for TRA rolling stock, including multiple units Shibata couplers for THSR Tomlinson couplers for heavy-capacity Taipei Metro rolling stock Scharfenberg couplers for all other urban transit systems such as Kaohsiung Metro, Taoyuan Airport MRT, Taichung MRT 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 couplers on historic stock Scharfenberg couplers on mass-transit trains Wedglock couplers, Ward couplers on London Underground stock Narrow gauge lines use a mixture of couplings.
Turkey
English couplers on older stock Scharfenberg couplers 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 couplers 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 couplers on high speed trains
Finland
English couplers (UIC) on passenger cars and most freight cars and on historical locomotives Russian SA3 couplers 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 couplers (some made by Dellner) on multiple unit passenger stock
France
English couplers on freight and passenger stock Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock (multiple units and high speed trains only) Russian couplers on ore unit trains
Germany
English couplers on freight and passenger stock Scharfenberg couplers on passenger stock AK69es and C-AKv couplers on unit ore trains AK69e and SA3 couplers 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 couplers on passenger stock Center buffer and side chains on narrow gauge stock
Hungary
English couplers on freight and passenger stock Scharfenberg couplers on multiple units (in some cases jointly with side buffers)