Skewers used for uncoupling?

[pdlethbridge]

Ah, the 0-5-0

[Jim Banner]

I understand MTH has a process by which one can uncouple cars, anywhere on the layout, remotely via their DCS system...now that would be cool...too bad that doesn't work with DCC.

According to MTH, their H0 Remotely Controlled Couplers do work with both DCS and DCC.  Unfortunately, they are available only on the ends of locomotives.  This means you can drop a whole train or nothing at all.  Not too useful when you want to uncouple a section of your train to drop off a car in the middle, then pick up the rest of your train again.  I suppose an enterprising individual could convert all the couplers on his trains to remote control ones, but the problems of addressing the proper coupler when it is required would be far more difficult than learning to use skewers or to adjust Kadees.

What I would like to see is a system using electrically tripped couplers, triggered either by a light beam (think photocells and a penlight to shine on the ends of the cars you want to uncouple) or triggered by a magnetic wand (think Rapido Easy-Peasy lighting.)