i have been wondering this, can u couple and uncouple HO comand engines from a handheld cab like u can do with most of the O scale CC engines???
Not ordinarily, although Tony’s offers “digital direct coupling” that does add this feature, and I’ve seen on a few web pages how to DIY using muscle wire or small motors used normally for the vibrating alert in cell phones. AFAIK, so far this is only in HO. Might be tough to fit in a powered N loco. Sounds intriguing, but how often is the car you need to uncouple the one right at the loco?
–Randy
^^^ my first layout im building is going to be more of a christmas layout, with the tree in the middle of the benchwork(which is really just on the ground)
planning on running 2 o scale around the ouside, and then 2 HO’s in a slightly more to scale interior of the layout…
I dont plan on doing any bigtime switching on the layout, but it would be cool just to be able to drop the load and switch out some engines, kids love that kind of stuff.
as for automative uncoupling in a more advanced layout that i hope to build one day, i head the unders and above track magnes can be very tricky to get working correctly, and it tends to sound like something that might frustrate me a bit … lol
Tony’s uncoupling system is good, but I personally wouldn’t get it as most of my uncoupling is car to car, not engine to car.
Matthew
Lenz and Roco both offer switchers fitted with DCC function-controlled uncoupling, both are European locos though with the standard loop couplers. The problem with knuckles seems to be that the whole coupler pocket needs to move up and down to couple/uncouple, at least one the models I’ve seen. The Euro locos either have just the “hook” which is lowered to uncouple (Lenz) or a set of jaws that form the “loop” when closed (Roco).
The Roco switcher is actually very prototypical, the DB (German railways) have had some yard switchers fitted with auto-uncoupling in real life now, they have a yellow tubelike structure that covers the coupling hook on the car and presumably has a small metal bar inside to lock onto the hook. The whole switching job only needs one person, often driving the loco from one end walkway using a radio handset.
As trainboyH16-44 pointed out, all the remote uncouplers are on locos, which doesn’t help with the bulk of uncoupling which is between cars. Nice gimmick, not practical.
Now when someone invents a Kadee compatible coupler with a remote-controlled knuckle spring, then we are onto something. My idea is for a coupler that opens when you shine a specific frequency of laser on it, or wave a RF wand near it, something so that both couplers open but not those on adjoining tracks or the other end of the car.
I doubt they will ever be really remotely controlled, (eg by DCC or JMRI), just because of the sheer number of couplers on the average layout. “Lemme see now, what are the addresses of those two couplers? …”
I just use ESP and my thoughts focus on the knuckle to open…works every time!!!
The prototype still doesnt have powered uncoupling…
You think this hobby could teach the prototype something…
Uncoupling is usually location specific, just having an uncoupling spot like the Kadee ramps then delay uncouple. Else use an uncoupling tool.
Tony’s will add that for a small fee (okay so its not really small, but it sounds better that way doesn’t it?)
Greg