I am having trouble uncoupling HO
freight cars using magnets. Most times doesn't work. Is there a better uncoupling way other than magnets placed under the track?
Very much appreciate replies.
Al T
Bow, NH
What brand of coupler are you using?
Only Kadee provide magnetic uncoupling.
If you're not using Kadee, then you're out of luck with the magnetic uncoupling.
Th magnets work very well when the magnets are properly set and the couplers adjusted properly. The real issue using the magnets is the required movements are not prototypical if you count rivets.
Our club uses a skewer or small flat jewelers screwdriver. There are a couple tools sold for this also. Micro Mark sells one. Micro Mark should be at the top of you trains list, especially for tools and they do sell some Bachmann products at a good price.
Rich
Kadee has a handy little video on there site showing you how its done, http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/videos.htm I have used there delayed magnet for 30 years with no problems, and love it.
Bachmann EZ Mate couplers are magnetic.....
I use only EZ magnets. The real trick is to make sure you do not have forward tension on the coupler as NO magnet will release a tight coupler. There must be slack or no tension on the coupler for any magnet to work properly. Take the time to do it right as most people try to rush every thing these days.
Enjoy,
Barry
I use the wooden skewers simple and I can uncouple anywhere
Quote from: Joe323 on March 08, 2013, 07:34:11 PM
I use the wooden skewers simple and I can uncouple anywhere
Ditto. AFAIC, the best and only method to uncouple. Like the prototype, you can uncouple anywhere you like, not where magnets tell you to uncouple. :)
Just 1 more "Helpful Hint" Coupling and un-coupling is best done on a straight piece of track, not on a curve.
Enjoy,
Barry
Quote from: BIG BEAR on March 08, 2013, 11:58:04 PM
Just 1 more "Helpful Hint" Coupling and un-coupling is best done on a straight piece of track, not on a curve.
Enjoy,
Barry
Generally true Barry but it does depend on the curve radius.
For train set curves, 18 and 22 inch radius yes but for broader curves, say 30 inches and up, less so.
There are a couple of alternatives to using the Kadee or Bachmann uncoupling magnets. I have had mixed results with the Kadee product over the years and have yet to visit a layout where they worked as advertised (yes,I know I haven't been to yours...but I'll bet the same results will occur if I did).
I have had mostly good experiences with the Rix uncoupler (available from Walthers and others); but they are rather large and tempermental (everything must be adjusted correctly and the uncoupling tool held just so). Skewers, on the other hand, work extremely well and are cheap. I bought my bag of shish-kebab skewers some years ago (probably from Walmart) and have enough to last me several lifetimes. I recommend purchasing the longer skewer - then cutting it to a length you like.
The secret with skewers is that you need to employ a clockwise 'twist' when uncoupling. Simply insert the skewer's point between the opposing coupler faces (you may have to put a little slack in the couplers) and twist clockwise. The couplers uncouple virtually 100% of the time.
Another secret: You can uncouple the cars as I have said above...then, using the pointed end of the skewer offset one of the couplers. Push the cars together such that the couplers are now misaligned. At this point you can push (only) the cars anywhere you wish with the locomotive. All the benefits of magnetic coupler action...without the expense and hassle.
A final thought just came to me. If you are wearing long sleeves whilst railroading, how 'droopy' are the sleeves? One can do a lot of damage with sleeves (brushing off brake wheels, tipping over cars or damaging structures/scenery)...we have all been there. If I am wearing ANYTHING with long sleeves, I use a piece of double-sided Velcro to hold any excess sleeve lightly against my arm (if you fingernails turn bluish, the train room is too cold - or the Velcro is too tight).
Enjoy,
Ray
Quote from: BIG BEAR on March 08, 2013, 11:58:04 PM
Just 1 more "Helpful Hint" Coupling and un-coupling is best done on a straight piece of track, not on a curve.
Big Bear-
You are so right. I believe most modelers don't appreciate what a challenge it is to have couplers
which couple and uncouple reliably on curves.
Model Railroader tested various brands of knuckle
couplers a couple of years ago and found that couplers of the same brand perform best with one another
(not a surprise) and that this is especially true for coupling on curves. The moral of the story is to stay
with one manufacturer's couplers (I prefer Kadees) and don't expect reliale service on curves even when
using just one brand of coupler.
-- D
Wouldn't it be better if this was in the HO Discussion section?
...and I have luck with EZ Mate Mark IIs knuckle couplers uncoupling on a track mounted magnet. The air hose (trip pin) "sticks" to the magnet as long as it is full length and not trimmed.
I never heard of 18" and 22" radius curves demeaned as "train set curves" before...
Quote from: jbrock27 on March 09, 2013, 04:52:46 PM
I never heard of 18" and 22" radius curves demeaned as "train set curves" before...
jb-
I don't think that any negativity is intended. Train sets
do have 18" and 22" radius curves, curves which are not typically the first choice when we build our layouts for rolling stock which doesn't run reliably on tight curves, and we are trying to minimize the toy-like appearance of very tight curves.
I would bet that, even if we eliminated all of the 18" curved track that ships with train sets, 18" radius would still be the most commonly used non-flextrack curve in HO railroading. That's because so many people build layouts on 4'x8' sheets of plywood, or similar, and 18" curves are the only ones which will fit inside of a "full-width" loop like we can get with 22" radius. Throw in the space and clearance issues with which just about all model rails must cope and 18" curves get nailed down an awful lot.
-- D
Quote from: jbrock27 on March 09, 2013, 04:52:46 PM
I never heard of 18" and 22" radius curves demeaned as "train set curves" before...
My apologies, no disrespect meant. poor choice of words on my part. :(
I hear you Doc and Roger.
I have two SD45s that run great on the 18" radius I have but have always read how running 6 axle locos on 18" should be avoided ;). I just made sure I gauged all the wheels and they run great. I will be incorporating some 22" on my new layout. I never used flex track for fear of making a radius too tight.
Speaking of tight radius, I came across a guy on EBAY who was selling 12" radius Atlas snap track. At first I did not believe it, thinking 15" radius was the tightest they made, but a picture of the underside of the track proved the advertising. What the heck runs on 12" radius.
Roger, saw the video of your layout-looks great! What happened with your turntable issue? Get a new one?
Quote from: jbrock27 on March 10, 2013, 09:20:39 AM
Roger, saw the video of your layout-looks great! What happened with your turntable issue? Get a new one?
Ended up buying a new one but I'm not 100% satisfied with it.
It's more difficult to program than the original and version.
The programming and how they've numbered the stopping places is not intuitive and doesn't make sense from a model railroad point of view.
It's supposed to be DCC but half was around the circle the audio cuts out as they've wired the pick ups for the bridge with a split ring to accommodate DC users.
The instructions are crap and contain at least one major error.
But once you've got it set up and understand the strange programming it operates really well and looks good.
Quote from: jbrock27 on March 10, 2013, 09:20:39 AM
I have two SD45s that run great on the 18" radius I have but have always read how running 6 axle locos on 18" should be avoided ;). I just made sure I gauged all the wheels and they run great.
I never used flex track for fear of making a radius too tight.
What the heck runs on 12" radius.
jb-
No six-axle locomotives on 18" radius curves is just one of many rules in model railroading that prove to have exceptions. That's because more factors than simply the number of axles influence what can make it around a given curve. As you discovered, ensuring that things are in gauge makes a difference. The length of the loco and the wheelbase of the trucks themselves also make a difference.
Use a nail and string or a nail and yardstick to draw your curves and you won't make flextrack too tightly curved. There are also templates which you can purchase or make, or you can use a couple of lengths of sectional track as a guide.
Twelve-inch radius? Not a lot runs on this other than small industrial locomotives, very short rolling stock and streetcar/trolley kinds of vehicles.
-- D
Thank you for that suggestion Doc.