If i was to install magnetic uncouplers in a fiddle yard or sidings is there a particular position that the uncoupler should be placed. Does it go at the beginning of a ladder arrangement or halfway down the individual track or does it not matter ?? Any info would be good .Thanks
There are some diagrams I think in the kadee packaging. And it depends if you use a delayed action or regular magnet. It also depends on how you want to operate
Richard
Graynomad
Be aware that many new cars (and those that have been converted) with Metal Wheels roll too freely.
While most never give this any thought
I recently was operating on a Layout that uses Perm Magnets for uncoupling and he had just converted a large part of his Rolling Stock over to Metal Wheels!
We were the first Group to run the layout since the Major Wheel change.
We had a real bad time with the Magnets uncoupling the cars trying to pull out of the Yard as the Magnets were strong enough to pull the cars together and the Couplers would swing out and uncouple EVERY Car as we passed over the Magnets.
What a pain in the butt that was.
I had to hold the cars to stretch the couplers to keep the train together long enough to get it out of the Yeard!
We called the Layout Owner over to watch the Uncoupling taking place - he was amaized to see the 2 bay Coal Hopper pull together and then magically uncouple.
I would never have believed it - had I not experienced it first hand!
Just an FYI !
While it may seem cool to use a Magnet to uncouple - Using a stick is almost foolproof!
YMMV
BOB H - Clarion, PA
LION does not have a fiddle yard. Him has no piano yard either.
Well, LIONS are different, them use drawbars insstead of couplers, but him has insights into YOUR fiddle yard.
If you fiddle under bower from the locomotive with a throttle, ONE magnet at the top of the throat is sufficient.
If you are using the 0-5-0 switcher, then 1 magnet and 1 re-railer on each track is good, but with NO magnet on the throat. YOU DO NOT WANT TWO MAGNETS IN SERIES on the same train. You will have unpredicatble results.
If you use locomotive, is no problem. If you use 050, then LION would put them near the switch end of each track. With switches aligned for the track you are working on, you can move the train its full length either way to uncouple the car that you wish to remove, move the train, and re-rail it where you want it to be.
Of course if yoiu use the 0-5-0, it is hardly necessary to use an uncoupler since you could just lift the car out of the consist and then put it where you want it.
ROAR
I have been a supporter of uncouplers between or under the tracks for a long time. I even have a bunch of old uncouplers for horn-hooks. I’ve installed a number of Kadee magnets in my current layout.
But, after using them for a while, I went to the supermarket and bought a package of bamboo skewers. I, too, have been upgrading my fleet to smooth-running metal wheelsets, so my cars roll freely. This creates a real problem with uncouplers, as the cars won’t stay where I set them.
The best argument for uncouplers is using the “delayed uncoupling” feature of Kadees. This lets you actually uncouple at one point, like a yard throat, and then push and spot the cars further down the line. Doing this successfully requires level track so the cars won’t roll. Also, you have to be aware that the magnets will pull metal axles of free-rolling cars, so you may have cars that will re-position themselves even on level track.
I do have some awkward sidings where I like to spot cars, and magnets work great there. But, for most car-spotting, I find the skewers really work much better.
Great Model Railroads 2015, which just came out, has an article by Chuck Davis about his Lehigh Valley layout, with a sidebar on his dual magnet uncoupling – an alternative to using the between the rails or under the track Kadee uncoupling magnets He uses two small (1/8") cylindrical magnets that fit between the ties in HO (perhaps with a bit of shoving or scraping away on the tie) close to the rails. He says they can be installed on finished track which is a big plus if you are uncertain where to place your uncoupling magnets. He claims he eliminated 75% of manual uncoupling on his layout and installed 60 uncoupling locations on his layout.
The picture in the article certainly suggests that visually this double magnet idea is less obtrusive looking that the usual wide Kadee magnet for delayed action.
There is a new video on this website that shows how well his uncoupling works. It does not show the installation - for that you either need the brief article and photo in GMR 2015, or need to read his full article on the idea which was in November 2008 RMC.
If delayed actions works right – meaning you take care about the Kadee pins and have the couplers installed so they are very free to move in the coupler pocket – it can certainly open up some operation possibilities. Not all situations are suited either to the bamboo skewer method of uncoupling (and the various plastic stick equivalents) or the “pick the car up by the trucks” method which a surprising number of well known model railroaders use.
Dave Nelson
Greynomad,
How Kadee delayed magnetic uncoupling works…animated, along with diagrams on where to put the magnets:
http://www.kadee.com/animation/c1.htm
Take Care!
Frank
I devised a way to make permament magnet uncouplers that mechanically lift up under the track to uncouple cars. They don’t show at the track level and work very well, and never cause unwanted uncouplings. PM me if you want to see them. Dan
Thanks for the info , would be real interested to see what you’ve devised !!
It’s basically a mechanically lifted magnet that lifts up to under the ties when you want to uncouple, it drops down when you don’t. No unwanted uncoupling, and if you give it a gentle thump after the cars are uncoupled, the couplers open wider for “delayed uncoupling”.
These ceramic magnets are available at hardware stores. You can use them whole, (recommended) but I figured out a way to break them in half years ago. Do you think I can remember how now?! The magnets are parallel to the track, as centered as possible. Mount the magnets on edge, as they are polarized that way. I use a jigsaw to cut these in before track is laid, or remove a stretch of track to do so.
Up:
Down
The idea is to cut a slot in your roadbed and subroadbed just wider than the magnet to allow free movement.
There has to be enough room in the mechanism and subroadbed, and roadbed, for the magnet to lower to about 3/8- 1/2 inch below the ties when not in use to eliminate any problems. I glue a piece of card under the ties, and ballast as usual. You can
Great idea Dan, thanks for sharing your info Cheers
I also acquired a package of skewers and used them for a couple of years, but I’ve gone back to the uncoupler I used to use: A 5-6" length of Code 70 rail, filed like a switch point, but from both sides of the rail. I wrapped some masking tape around the back end. Then just slip the “blade” in between the joined knuckles and roll the taped end between your index finger and thumb. I think it’s more reliable than the skewers.
Free rolling metal wheelsets make a good point for Sergent couplers.