I just got the benchwork installed on the PRR layout and boy I have to tell you it feels good to have a layout again even if it is just four legs a frame and painted foam. Right now it is in the space that the Rock Ridge and Train City II will go, but it will leave as soon as I make some shelving that will make up the RR&TC bench work.
Man it feels good. Did I say that already?
Next step is to lay it out and start building turnouts and hopefully figure out where to get the cash for the track and switches.
But I already have about 8 between the track magnets, about 50-50 delayed and fixed. So the question is do I go stick them in and if I do where. Right now I’m only working on the section without the traverser. Most of the track will be in the street so the magnets won’t be seen.
For this small a layout it hardly seems worth it. Everything is easily reachable, so just break out the skewers.
But if you really want to go magnetic. Switch to Sargent’s couplers and use the magnet from the top.
OK, so you really really want to use Kadee’s and in track magnets. One in each of the tracks across Philidelphia street should cover all that trailing point stuff to the left (looks like that is about 90% of the need). A set through each of the other N/S streets where they cross RR street should do it (five). I guess on the lower left track (Church & Railroad) it should be moved closer to the frog. Ditto for the upper right one (Gometts Ave & Railroad), put it right in front of the first building marked “4”. Maybe, maybe, one other on the center track just on the other side of the turnout from church street.
Correct. I was thinking the premanent magnets that fit either between the rails #321 or the ones that go totally under the ties #308. I’ve never used the non-delayed type #312.
If your talking about the electromagnets #309… That will require a little more thought. A moving electromagnet would be great for the staging area. One magnet could probably work for all!
On my layout I place the magnetic uncouplers right past the diverging side and another one on the straight side of a turnout and it also must be placed under a relatively straight section of track. I’ll usually uncouple just past the turnout and then push the cars back for spotting where i want them to go once the coupler is magnetically disconnected. i’ve had real good luck with the mchenry uncouplers…their pretty strong magnets…chuck
I don’t get it… I could be missing something, but it seems to me the photo link you posted doesn’t jive with the topic. Did you mean to post something else instead?
OK, I have to ask a question now… I asked this once on this forum a while back, but I don’t remember the answer…
What is the difference between a delayed and non-delayed uncoupler. I understand the concept of delayed uncoupling, but I don’t understand how the magnet is classified as “delayed” or “non-delayed.” It seems to me that delayed uncoupling is achieved by moving the cars couplers around the fixed magnet, the magnet really doesn’t do anything more than pull the “glad hands” apart.
Non delayed means the couplers come apart instantly the moment you get onto that magnet.
Delayed means you stop over the magnet, run in the slack and it should move the couplers to the offset position for spotting. The uncoupler I show in the edited video is the delayed version.
Electromagnets… well… ZAP! yer unhooked.
As a further twist I understand there are now DCC Uncouplers that can go into rolling stock and assigned an address. Im looking for it now.
The delayed are wider and thus pull the couplers further apart. The concept is the first movement (non-delayed) will only open the knuckle to allow uncoupling. The delayed pull much further and the entire coupler shank swings over. That way the two “thumbs” will touch, and block the knuckles from re-engaging, until slacking the cars allows the springs to move the shanks into the normal position again
The layout is based on a real-world location. Switches in the street are rare but not unknown: typically the switch equipment is hidden under a metal plate that can be lifted by a brakeman, or accessed by sticking a bar into a hole and operating the switch through the hole. There are several ways to model this–the easiest is probably using the Walthers Street System plastic inserts, or making your own out of .020" plastic. All it needs is enough clearance to allow the points to shift, and some way to operate the switch manually if one is not using remote switch machines.
