Editing Railway coupling (section)

==Albert coupler==
[[File:Strassenbahn Albertkupplung.jpeg|thumb|Albert coupler on a European tram]]
To avoid safety issues, Karl Albert, then director at the [[Trams in Krefeld|Krefeld Tramway]], developed the '''Albert coupler''' during 1921. The Albert coupler was created as a key and slot coupler with two pins. Vehicles to be coupled were pushed together, both couplings moving to the same side. One pin was inserted, then the vehicles were pulled to straighten the coupling and the other pin inserted. This operation required less exact shunting. Due to the single-piece design, only minimal slack was possible. The system became quite popular with tram systems and narrow gauge lines.

During the 1960s most cities replaced them with automatic couplers. But even in modern vehicles, Albert couplers get installed as emergency couplers for towing a faulty vehicle.