I’m starting to lay track on my stub ended yard, which has very slight curves and while doing some testing, i’m having issues with coupling/uncoupling on the curves. These are not sharp curves at all, and even the short coal hopper cars won’t couple unless it’s on a complete straight peice of track. With a six-axel deisle with Kadee #5’s.
I’ve seen curved yards in alot of track plans, I thought I would be able to accomplish this, and of course my prototype has curved yards.
Anything I can do? If I straighten out the tracks, i’m gonna lose some considerable length.
My layout here: (there is an access hole on the left side of the yard, which is why I it’s curved)
The yard track only needs to be straight on the end that the switch engine works from. Double ended tracks need to have a straight section on both ends. The middle can be curved just don’t try to uncouple there.
according to the NMRA the minimum radius applied should be 5 times the length of the longest car involved, for hands off (un)coupling. So when you are switching with a 8" long engine your radius has to be 5x8 =40".
Difference in length means a different offset of couplers; hoppers are short in comparison most other cars or engines.
One of my yards in the Oklahoma City area has curved leads. the radius of the curves is 36" and the part where the mag sits is straight. I don’t have much trouble at all, but I keep a swizel stick handy to uncouple or align when coupling when needed. That is a lot cheaper than converting 1500 plus cars with Kadees over to Sargent, which I won’t do anyway.
The 9th post down has pictures of the curve in my yard. Is yours sharper?
I don’t have any trouble coupling/uncoupling. Are you using a track mounted magnet? I am using a RIX tool.
The only places that are not good for coupling work are the same as if no curve was involved, IE, when one of the cars/engine is directly on the curved portion of a switch or the reverse curve back to one of the yard tracks.
Perhaps you could amment your diagram with red X’s to indicate problem areas.
Most of my couplers are #5, but I also have McHery, ProtoMax, EzMare and AccuMate.
Did you say you were using a six axle for yard work? Is it by chance a really long unit, like SD40-2 or longer? That may be your problem. Even today, most yard engines are 4 axle, even ex-road units. Around here a GP38/39-2 is the popular choice. I use 0-6-0 steam and 4 axle switchers for yard work. They have less potential for the overhang causing the coupling to occur on a sharp curve.
I was testing with my SD50, but I just realized that I will be getting a 4 axel switcher, so I might not have problem. Hey I’m new to all this!! LOL
But, after looking at my prototype yard (Denver North Yard) with satatlite images, I noticed how they branch off from a singe track, so I made some change so my yard looks more like it.
Instead of having just 4 switches lined up after another, I designed a more branching out type from the yard throat.
In the yard on my HO module it is curved and coupling and uncoupling is done with the old skewer. On some of my older rolling stock the KD centering springs are weak and they will couple on curves while the newer centering springs will not. Most of the plastic KD clones I trim some of the centering spring whiskers down so they are weaker than new.
Sergent couplers have a friction spring that keeps them in the position they were uncoupled at. If I didn’t have 70 locos and over 200 cars I would swap the KDs for them. Where were they when I started this hobby 40 years ago?
Just an understanding? I usually will only post if I have experience with the item in question.
It is my understanding and experience that the prototype also requires manual alignment for a proper mating. However, when a car is left in a siding or in a yard, the coupler is already aligned for coupling…just like Sergent Couplers.
There is no way to couple on curves with self-centering couplers. You have to help them out.
Thanks for the insight on the Sergents. Have you had any unwanted uncouplings? Do they tend to over ride one another on uneven track? The reason I ask this is for the modular group. The joining pieces can be humpy and dippy at times.
Sergent couplers never uncouple when you dont want them to. They hold eachother tightly, just like the prototype, so variations in rail height is not an issue.
To uncouple them, you just give the couplers some slack (just like the prototype) and apply a magnet to the top of one of the knuckles (allowing you to choose which knuckle will remain open…)…then pull the cars apart. There is nothing cooler than a boxcar sitting on a siding with the knuckle open waiting for it’s mate.
Generally cars don’t like to get coupled on any curve track not saying it can’t be done but it’s generally no a preferred way of doing things. Typically when you see curved yard trackage the lead in track will be either dead straight or as close to it as possible thats where your hook ups and drop offs can be made.
The general overriding method is the use of the 0-5-0 switcher, universally accepted by model railroaders all over the world.
No. The magnet has to be applied from the top of the knuckle. There is a small ball bearing that drops in the coupler to lock the knuckle shut. Then the ball is drawn up, it releases the knuckle, allowing you to uncouple the car.
Yes, but they won’t uncouple on the Kadee magnets. Sergent couplers have a tiny steel ball in them that holds the knuckle closed by gravity – to uncouple them, you use a magnetic rod that pulls the ball upward so the knuckle will open.
And because they are truly scale sized, they are incompatible with Kadee or any other brand of knuckle couplers, which have oversized knuckles. Sergent all the way or not at all. What I did was install Sergent couplers on a string of old time reefers but left Kadee’s on one end of the string of cars so they can be coupled to a locomotive with a Kadee.
Sergent couplers are a neat idea, but there is no remote automatic uncoupling method. And as has been mentioned, they don’t automatically center better or worse on straight vs. curved track – they don’t automatically center at all.
Sergent couplers won’t solve the Original Poster’s issues. In fact, with the long reaches to parts of his layout, they will make things worse. This is because it may be necessary to align couplers by hand and open knuckles anywhere you wish to couple cars. Likewise uncoupling must be manual with Sergent.
It might be good to consider the Original Poster’s situation and experience before making suggestions rather than simply recommending something we like based on our own situation, experience, and preferences.
