Are there any magnets made for EZ track. I would love to be able to uncouple cars without reaching across my layout to the yard in the center.
no, you would have to cut in some magnets
Try the Kadee between the tracks magnets. I believe there is enough clearance in the EZ-Track to glue them on top of the ties liek any other track. At worst case you would need to sand down the area where the magnet fastens to obtain proper mounting height. If you have a Kadee coupler height gauge - there’s al ittle round dowel in a hole in it - that is to measure the magnet height! If the magnet is the correct height, when you put the gauge on top of it, the little dowel should be flush with the top of the gauge.
–Randy
I can handle the cutting in, Any suggestion on what to get?
How far below the track should it be? What about ballast?
Can the magnet be painted?
It’s the Kadee #321 between the rails permanent magnet. The instructions say how high it should stick up - it’s just SLIGHTLY above the railhead. Too high and the couplers will snag. Too low and it might not be strong enough to operate the couplers. They were designed for Code 100 track though, so it should work fine with the EZ. To use them on my Code 83 I definitely have to sand down the ties. These sit on TOP of the ballast. They are black, but you can paint them.
Under the track magnets will be very difficult to do with the plastic base of the EZ Track. The Kadee under track magnet is designed to sit directly under the ties, and is too wide to fit under the EZ Track plastic. Cutting down the magnet to fit would not work, it will have to be too narrow to fit under the track base and won’t work. The idea with that unit is to leave a little gap in the roadbed, put the magnet in there, and lay the track over top.
I would recommend the full length Kadee magnets where possible though - the operating area is larger that way. I’ve been working with little round magnets from Radio Shack, and while they work well, they also ONLY work in a very precise area. That might be ok for you, but your kids will get quickly frustrated if they can’t et the cars to uncouple.
–Randy
Sorry Randy,
We were posting at the same time and I didn’t see your suggestion before the last post.
I have the Kaydee gauge, but it is still in the package. I have not even thought about operations yet on the small layout.
Chip… Bachmann makes magnets that fit under e-z track. If your local LHS doen’t stock them you can get them on line from just about anyone. They come packaged with a flag man so you can place the figure on the layoout to tell you where the magnet is. I have 5 or 6 of these. They work pretty good.
Bill
I’m pretty sure they have magnets, because I have one myself, of course that was about 5 yeasr ago and I don’t use the track, but it does work. It could have been from another manufacturer too.
Matt