I’ve got a couple of places that are going to be a real pill to get between cars to uncouple them. A friend gave me a Kadee delayed action above track magnet to play around with and so far I really like it. One thing for sure, it’ll make you have all your couplers not sagging low. Like I said it’s the sit on the ties type so it’s very visible and I’m wondering how well the under the track version works.
What’s everyones thoughts on using magnets?
Jarrell
I prefer to use an uncoupling tool either home made or store bought as it it closing to the prototype. I have found that uncoupling maganets do serve their purpose in spots that are just not feesable to reach. If i do use the one track versions I try to hide them with paint or ballast or even a simulated crossing using strip wood. I have used the kadee electromagnets and if mounted according to the instructions they work great. The other advantage to them is if you need to stop your train over your magnet to check your paper work you won’t come uncoupled.
Be Wise Beware Be Safe
“Mountain Goat” Greg
I’ve had several of the ‘between the rails’ Kadee uncoupling magnets in the past. They were the type that you had to remove the ties and set them into the hole so they rested between the rails.
On my current layout I’m using three under track magnets made by Bachmann. They work very well and I have no complaints about them.
I’ve got several between-the-rails magnets, and one electromagnet. They work just fine. I found I had to grind the ties down a bit, even with Atlas Code 100 flex track. The height which Kadee recommends is too high. Yes, you can adjust all your couplers so they clear it, but some engines (notably the P2K S-1’s) ride very low and will “run aground” at the recommended magnet height, which is basically where it sits on Code 100 Atlas track. Putting the magnet a bit lower doesn’t seem to hurt performance.
I found an appropriately-rated wall wart to power the electromagnet, by the way. When you hit the button, it puts a big hit on the power supply. So, it’s best to use a separate supply so the citizens don’t complain that the lights go dim every time those dang railroad guys need to uncouple a car.
Oh, and if you do go with an electromagnet, install it before you glue down the track. I did it the other way. I guess that’s why they invented arthroscopic surgery. What a discomfort in the buttocks.
I use the McHenry delayed action uncoupling magnets on my sidings. They work very well because they are larger and stronger than the Kadee type magnets. They are a bit more labor intensive mounting them under the track, but once they are in, they cannot be seen and they work great. I don’t put them on mainlines and on occasion I still have to use a shish-k-bob skewer for uncoupling because by using magnets, you don’t have precision car spotting unless you put a magnet at each and every spot where you want to uncouple. Two magnets close together can also cause problems. When uncoupling a car over one magnet the cars can uncouple where you don’t want them too if the train is long enough to cross over the other magnet because the cars will also uncouple there.
For my HO layout I use a bamboo skewer that I place in between the couplers and twist it. Seems to work well.
I use a bamboo skewer, my home made tool
and Kadee magnets. Now I use less magnets. The magnets are glued under the classification tracks and some spurs. But I’ve a few movable magnets.
I’ve learned, it’s a mistake to have two magnets in one track. [:)]
Both should be movable !
Wolfgang
I have at least a dozen magnets strategically placed around the layout, rarely have any accidental un-couplings. have them all marked to be seen with whistle posts or signs of some kind so I can see their location without getting off my b**t. Works for me.
I have been using the KD 308 under track magnets since the 70’s, without any problems. Ballast over them and you don’t even know that they are there.
Never had them. Never used them. Never want them.
Mark
I’ve been playing around with these with some pretty good results. They’re cheap and you can hide them just about anywhere.(D-24, D-26)
http://www.kjmagnetics.com/products.asp?cat=13
I have several Kadee under-the-tie magnets to serve a small mine area that is not convenient to reach. They work well, but I found they attract steel axles enough to cause slack and therefore uncoupling. I switched all my hopper cars to metal wheelsets which have non-ferrous axles, and found that the magnets would attract the steel weights in the hoppers! (mostly Athearns). So, instead of using the steel plate that Kadee ships with the magnet to strengthen the field, I cut thinner plates from sheet metal - actually old Altoid Mints containers. This was a good compromise of the right strenght for uncoupling and not attracting anything steel in the cars.
George V.
I’ve been using 3/8" x 3/16" disks (P/N D-63) from K&J Magnetics. One under each rail. Works like a champ and @ 51 cents per, cost effective.
I believe that’s the ones Loathar has been experimenting with. How did you mount yours under each rail? Carve a little hole out for them?
Thanks,
Jarrell
I use the kind mentioned in the original post. Love it! Here’s a 4 minute vid showing them in use.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1378894974668497607&hl=en
I also use the 308’s. Mounted them in about 6 spots so far. They’re just far enough (1 1/2) car length from the end of the track that to conect I do have to back the car up some and then pull forward after coupling. Thay are on out of the way places and allows me to stay away from reaching over to uncouple a car.
When I was looking for them I bought some from the LHS, e-bay and then at a swap meet where some one had them for fifty cents each. Spent less for 20 of them there then at either the other places.[:O]
I like them. They work well for me. You need to set the height correct, on both your couplers and the magnets but that is just attention to detail.
I use the electromagnet type on the mains where access is limited. The magnets are used on spurs and use a rix tool on the mains where access is good.
Jim
Yep. I drill a small hole with my 3/8’’ Forstner bit.
Love it! Thanks for the link, Kyle.
Jarrell