Trains.com

Raised the white flag

1094 views
6 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2006
  • 8,050 posts
Posted by fifedog on Sunday, May 11, 2014 11:53 AM

servo - In that case, using a band with a half twist, would "tether" two couplers together...just don't forget you did it before lifting one off the layout.

...............don't ask me how I knew that...........

  • Member since
    October 2011
  • 969 posts
Posted by TrainLarry on Sunday, May 11, 2014 10:02 AM

If the couplers were being opened electrically, then disconnecting the wires to the coupler coils would have solved the problem. If it was a problem with the spring or coupler knuckle, replacement or modification would have solved the problem.

Larry

  • Member since
    July 2009
  • 951 posts
Posted by servoguy on Sunday, May 11, 2014 7:40 AM

The rubber bands don't work with electro couplers.  Only magnetic couplers.  Electro couplers are operated by a coil, not a plate that is pulled down to open the couplers.

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • 8,050 posts
Posted by fifedog on Sunday, May 11, 2014 7:34 AM

My youngest daughter showed me how to "fix" this.  Recently, there is a fad of making things out of these small elastic loops.  You can get them at any craft store, and they come in all colors...and black.  They are super strong and will keep any stubborn coupler closed.

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • 77 posts
Posted by Rob412 on Sunday, May 11, 2014 6:48 AM

YesThey were the Dash-9's from the lionel 2013 catalogue but I've also had the same issue with my Alaska GP-38-2 from a few years back.  Other engines on my roster have never done it so I chalk it up to a weak spring in the coupler.  I'm mostly a loop runner so that feature, as nice as it is, is not used much on my layout. BTW nice you tube videos. 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Vicksburg, Michigan
  • 2,303 posts
Posted by Andrew Falconer on Sunday, May 11, 2014 12:06 AM

Which locomotive model made in what year?

Andrew

Watch my videos on-line at https://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewNeilFalconer

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • 77 posts
Raised the white flag
Posted by Rob412 on Saturday, May 10, 2014 8:02 PM

No not the last lap at Daytona NASCAR fans. I am referring to those wonderful electro couplers that seem to open whenever and wherever they want to. I must have read every post on every forum there is on this and tried almost every solution. So after the last running session with friends over and, you guessed it, having to stop the trains to recouple I was done. I figured before I killed one of my engine crews by having them slam into the back of their own train I glued those couplers shut.  I wish I did this a year ago!  It's nice not to be on high alert all the time and take your eyes off the trains for more than 30 seconds. I had the trains run for an hour with no issues at all.  The piece of mind from knowing that when the trains run they run well without glitches is worth not having functional couplers. Okay I'm done.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month