I am in the late planning stage of my new HO layout and I am wondering about magnetic couplers. I caught a blurb from someone who said they do not work and is ripping them out. I have never tried magnetic couplers but i like the idea for automation as I am trying to build a highly automated layout (single operator for now). Is Kadee the only magnetic coupler manufacturer? Does McHenry make magnetic couplers? If I don’t go magnetic, how do some of you manually operate uncoupling? Seems like it would be very cumbersome depending on your layout. All thoughts welcome.
All of the Kadee ‘clones’ are magnetic, although in my experience none of them works as well as real Kadees. McHenry is probably the closest.
Even so, I tend not to use magnets to uncouple. A tiny screwdriver, or better yet, a simple bamboo skewer (lifetime supply, a buck or two at the grocery store) works as a tool you can stick between the knuckles and open the couplers. That way you can put a car anywhere you want any time you want. Of course this only works if you can walk along with your train, on a large table layout you wouldn’t be able to reach all tracks (but that’s another issue on desig and planning…)
–Randy
I use both. I have some magnets strategicly placed but some times I need to uncouple in a place and can’t use the delayed action. ie on my main line.
The cheapest thing I have found is to go to McDonalds and order a cup of coffee. Even if you like in black and no sugar (or sweetner), get one of their stiring sticks. Take it home and trim the “paddle” to a point. It works well, if you have trimmed to the correct angle. They are also good for other things, but I’ve not yet worked those ideas out.
Walter in Columbia, TN
I’ve found they work pretty well. Not 100%, but high 90’s in my experience.
Even though I think they work “good enough”, I generally prefer to use the skewer method myself. No matter how much I think I’m “planning” thoroughly, I always find myself needing one where I didn’t put one, not using one I did put, etc… The limiting factor, for me, is that you have to deal with fixed locations.
So for me, the low-tech solution is better because I can uncouple anywhere, any time.
Now the day they get effective “remote uncoupling couplers” going, I’ll be the first to start converting all my locos and rolling stock. I’d love being able to grab my throttle, select car number ____ and the punch “uncouple rear”, for example.
DCC uncoupling! Now that’s a great idea! In the meantime, I really appreciate all your input. I get the feeling that the work required, planning, etc, probably just isn’t worth it in the end. It seems pretty simple to just use the bamboo skewer method and perhaps a couple of strategically placed magnets (there may be a spot or two on my new layout tough to reach). That’s the plan.
Somebody does make a DCC-controlled engine with a coupler that can be uncoupled using a function code. I read somewhere here that they don’t use the “knuckle” opening, but rather tilt the whole coupler up until it disengages. As I recall, this was a rather large engine, a road diesel rather than a switcher.
I’ve got several between-the-rails Kadee magnets installed now, and I’ll put more in as things progress. I just bought an electromagnet uncoupler to use on the main line where I don’t want to uncouple just because the train happened to stop there. It may be a few weeks before I get around to installing that one.
I’m guessing you are really asking about uncoupling since coupling usually is not an issue. Magnetic uncouplers work well but unfortunately, sometimes they work too well. They uncouple a car when you don’t want it too, like when a long train is passing over the uncoupler and hesitates ever so slightly, creating just enough slack to uncouple the car. Theoretically this shouldn’t happen but unless your couplers are set exactly right, they will either uncouple when you don’t want or won’t uncouple when you do. Kadee’s under-the-track uncoupler uses an intensifier plate, a sheet of metal under the magnet. If you leave it on, the uncoupler is too strong resulting in unwanted uncoupling. If you leave it off, the uncoupler is too weak and won’t get the job done. Kadee announced several months ago that they were coming out with an under the track uncoupler that will operate electroncially. I haven’t seen it yet. I have decided not to use the old style uncouplers on mainline tracks. I use the uncouplers in yards and industrial spurs only. For mainline uncoupling, I got a Kadee uncoupling wand. It is just a plastic stick with a pointed end. You slip it between the couplers and give it a little twist and the cars uncouple. It took me a while to get the hang of it and uncouple without derailing the cars, but now I’ve got it down so it is pretty reliable. I’ve heard of people using bamboo skewers the same way. Rix also makes a hand held. It looks like a tuning fork with magnets on either side. You put it between the cars with the magnets surrounding the couplers and it works just like the uncoupling ramps.
what about in n scale? how well do the micro trains magnematics work?
I bought 20 of the under track magnets from MicroMark. They are easiest put in as you lay the track but once in and the track down you can ballast over them so they don’t show. I have them in my yards and am very happy with them. I like to run trains sitting down and these magnets allow that to happen.
Terry[8D]
I am satisfied with the magnets. If you go this route, plan where you want to place the magnets so the uncoupling if normal in operation and not a frustration requiring manual override. Then when you ballast over, use whatever technique makes sense to you to mark them. You cannot uncouple automatically if you don’t know where the magnet was buried.
Whether you go for manual or magnetic uncoupling, it’s a good idea to learn the ‘skewer’ method, for those occasions when something has to be uncoupled where there are no magnets present. Using the 0-5-0 for uncoupling can have bad effects on weathered cars and nearby structures. Putting a skewer in a little holder at each fixed control station (or at each modeled station if you’re all-handheld) will assure that one will be available when needed.
Do the magnetic couplers of Atlas and Kato locos work in the same manner as the micro-trains? Why are there coupler conversion kits for some of these manufacturer’s locos?
See “Workin’ on the Railroad” article by Lionel Strang in the
October 1998 issue of MR. Lionel shows how to make a tool
for uncoupling. The tool pulls the coupler apart by the “Air hoses”
[the steel trip pins]. TOMAS in Durango
I have Atlas and Micro Trains Magnetic Couplers, as well as Rapidos, all N scale, the magnetics are touchy if you do not set the height at the top of the rails with the between the rails versions I purchased, but if done right, I’ve had no problems. I use rix pix for the rapidos, sorry, just couldn’t bring myself to using bamboo skewers on my prize trains.
Thanks
Below is a link for a DCC coupler car
http://dccuncoupling.com/
Interesting…way to go broke, that is LOL. If you check *** Bronson’s web site http://www.rr-cirkits.com he has one that fits entirely inside a switcher loco. I saw it in operation at the Timonium show last year, pretty neat. Unless you fit something like this to every car you’ll still have limitations though. maybe someday - too expensive to retrofit every car right now. Maybe someday there will be an actuator small enough to look exactly like a brake cylinder - then the entire brake system could be made to function similar to the prototype.
–Randy
Another possibility: the new Sergent couplers. See:
http://user.icx.net/~sergent/EC87.htm
MUCH more proto-looking, and operating - with a working knuckle.
I have not seen or used them myself, but I do want to try them.
No doubt somebody will develop a DCC uncoupling mechanism for this too.
Best…
Chris Stirling
DCC Development Group has a kit to give a SW switcher decoder controlled couplers ----up and down movement. Here it is at Tony’s … http://www.tonystrains.com/products/ddc.htm
I use magnetic KD’s on my little layout, as I like the hands off approach. Just like trackwork, etc … mount the magnets and the couplers perfectly, and you will be happy. I am.
Greg Ross
I’ve use a round toothpick for over 30 years. Paint’em flat black, glue a half-inch length of 1/8 inch plastic tube upright at each end of your siding, and stick the toothpick in.
it looks like a pole, but easially pulls out and allows you to “twirl” between finger and
thump, with the end inserted in the couplers. works every time!