Hello, this is my first post. I am somewhat new to the hobby. I have what is probably a dumb question. I have several lionel prewar operating cars with automatic couplers. The question I have is beings that both the couplers and the operation of the car feed off the same pickup (slide shoe), is there a way to uncouple the cars without operating the car or operating without uncoupling. Any information or explanation would be great. Thanks ahead of time.
I think you need an operating track section, with 5 rails and a magnet in the center? Not the 3 rail one with only the magnet "eye" in the center.
Becky
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
To expand upon Becky's answer:Most prewar operating cars are wired so the mechanism gets it's power and "ground" from the sliding shoes. When you press the "uncouple" button on the control track, both shoes get power, so both couples open, but the mechanism cannot operate.When you press the "unload" button on the control track, one shoe gets power, and the other shoe gets connected to "gound", so the mechanism operates. Unfortunately, one couple will operate too, but that is how they work. Just back up a bit to relatch the couple.
It seems to me that a more sensible arrangement would have been to open both couplers with one shoe and to operate the car with the other shoe. I don't have any shoe-operated couplers; but, if I did, I would be tempted to rewire the cars and track that way.
Bob Nelson
I indeed have a five rail operating track. When I place one of these cars on the track, if I place the car centered on the track and hit uncouple or unload buttons, the couplers pop up and the car operates. If I place the car on one end of the track, the coupler over the extra rail pops up and the car operates but at a lower voltage it seems. My operating gondola, coal, and log car all operate the same. I just don't feel like I am doing something right. They all appear to be original wiring. Thanks for all of your help so far.
What is the number of the car?
lionelsoni It seems to me that a more sensible arrangement would have been to open both couplers with one shoe and to operate the car with the other shoe. I don't have any shoe-operated couplers; but, if I did, I would be tempted to rewire the cars and track that way.
It would have been more complicated and cost more to build the cars that way.
The only number I can remember off hand (I am at work) is the 3651 log dump car (prewar).
To open both couplers with one shoe and to operate the car with the other shoe requires one extra wire to one truck, which would cost a little. But the controller would have been much simpler, with just two SPST pushbuttons and a 3-wire cable. They could even have used a turnout controller. In fact, the lamps in an 022C would indicate when the car was in position for each function.
Yes, but even if you separated the shoes as you all have mentioned it would not gain you anything. Because beings that they are prewar couplers and not postwar both extra rails would still have to be energized because the couplers of both cars have to be opened in order for the cars to come apart.
cwburfle To expand upon Becky's answer:Most prewar operating cars are wired so the mechanism gets it's power and "ground" from the sliding shoes. When you press the "uncouple" button on the control track, both shoes get power, so both couples open, but the mechanism cannot operate.When you press the "unload" button on the control track, one shoe gets power, and the other shoe gets connected to "gound", so the mechanism operates. Unfortunately, one couple will operate too, but that is how they work. Just back up a bit to relatch the couple.
I wondered just how they work since I've never taken one apart to where the wires go. What about the early versions that don't have the "eye" in the middle?
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