I am avoiding fixed magnets at all costs. No matter how wellt he couplers are adjusted, if there is any kind of slack run-in, they WILL uncouple over a fixed magnet. For my use, I’m having good luck now that I aquired a suppy of bamboo skewers. I’ve pretty much got the technique down so I can do it with my left hand (I’m right-handed) first time, every time.
My father in law though, has concerns about his eyesight and trying to maneuver the small pick between the small couplers. He wants to use electromagnets in certain areas. So we picked up a Kadee 307 electromagnet. I also searched the magazine index and found about 8 articles on the subject, and in my MR collection I happen to have about 5 of these. The one that looks like it would work the best requires cutting fairly heavy steel bar stock.
What I’d like to do is have this work from below the ties, rather than through the ties. Cutting the ties doesn’t work so well on Atlas Code 83 flex track, atleast not on the scrap piece I tried it on. Under the track, there’s not enough magnet power stock to operate the couplers. It could be my power supply, the biggest DC pack I have is only rated at 2amps. EVen so, the coil was getting quite warm even with only momentary actuations.
Does anyone have any suggesttions or alternatives? Wind my own coils? Try to rig up some sort of moveable permanent magnet thing? The ideal solution would be capable of being added after the fact - after the roadbed and track are laid. My layout is 2" foam with WS foam roadbed on top. No plywood under the foam. HO scale, and all non-Kadee couplers are being changed out for Kadee.
Randy:
Is there any way you can cut a hole in the foam before laying roadbed and track? The hole only needs to be as large as the magnet. If the magnet needs to be under already laid track, is there a way to cut from the side of the roadbed and then fill in the missing piece with foam or excess ballast? I should have looked at your pics before posting. If you cut before laying track will you need to find a way to hold the magnet up below the roadbed? Just some thoughts from someone you have helped in the past.
Archie
PS: After reading your question again, would a motor tool do the job of cutting through the ties? Maybe very sharp snips of some kind or even sidecutters if they are small enough? I’m sorry if none of this helps, but I can’t think of anything else. Electrical matters of this sort are beyond me.
Yeah, I can work it in for places I haven;t laid the track yet. It’s the refitting. I tested on my test track that already has a hole cut in the foam - I took the Tortoise out to use ont he real layout. Having the Kadee electromagnet right up against the ties under the track, it doesn;t have enough power in stock form to open the couplers. The whole thing is quite messy looking, too.
There is an article in the Jan. 2000 issue of MR by Billy Moore that tells how to built your on ultimate hidden electromagnetic uncoupler. He uses shelf channel cut in 2" lengths 2pieces placed back to back and wraps enameled magnet wire 28awg about 50’ in length around it. He uses a 15vdc power supply and a momentary switch to control the uncoupler.
Figures, that’s the one I’m missing. How I do not know, as I had a subscription that year.
And yes, I have a Rix tool. Woks great - EXCEPT on hopper cars - the weights are right there in the slope sheets and the cars get sucked into the magnet. And wouldn’t you know it, I model a coal hauling railroad, so LOTS of hoppers.
The best bet may be to convince my father in law that he CAN work with the skewers. I made him try some tonight, seemed pretty easy. Maybe if he gets used to it he’ll start liking it. Sort of like the DCC - initially he wanted dual power so we could switch to DC. Now he’s gradually buying decoders for all his locos.
Randy, there was a post in a similar topic thread from Andy Sperandeo, in which he highy recommended using the strengthened / modified electro-magnetic approach for main line magnetic uncoupling, as described in that article. May be you should consider downloading it (I think it is a ridiculous $13 including S&H to buy the mag copy).
I’ll look for it at the train show this weekend - I haven’t paid more than a buck for an issue so far and I’ve pretty much filled in my collection of old MR’s going back to the 50’s.