Gargraves uncoupler

[stuartmit]

I have been able to make my own uncoupler units for gargraves track by stealing the magnets out of beat up Lionel 027 units. I prefer this to buying the Commercial units i create about a half inch gap in the center rail and remove one tie.

Is there another source of a flat magnet which operates in the right voltage range.  The scavenged magnets have very very small leads And need to be handled carefully. Very carefully. 

[stuartmit]

I have found, from Olsen's, that what i am looking for is part 6019-6.  I see them on a website that Icannot load--Bonanza.com.  Any further help?  any partsguys have them?

[TrainLarry]

I don't believe just the electromagnet is availabe seperately, but complete tracks are available that you can scavenge.

 

Larry

[Curmudgeon]

GarGraves makes adaptor pins for 027 to GarGraves track. I have a setup for testing, complete uncoupler section on a board (shimmed) between two sections of GarGraves.

I would think, cut the entire section with magnet out (what, three or four inches?), retain base and rails, and screw connections, plug it in, run the wires through the benchwork, shim the section, a little scenery over screw connections and balast around the rails.

 

If you need an operating section (for slide shoes) use the entire section.

#802, 027 mating pins, package of 12 (price removed to keep heads from exploding), #801 is for 0 track.

This keeps from breaking those small wires.

[stuartmit]

Thanks to trainlarry re buying the whole sections. I have done that. The wires are very small and I was hoping at least if bought as a replacement part 6019-6, some of the vulrnability of the leads would be avoided. I also know that you can use Super O uncouplers with a little modification to Gargraves track pins so thew will fit in the running rails of the Super O unit. There is a guy who advertises Super O stuff  in CTT whom i may  contact.

[stuartmit]

I have a super O uncoupling unit that looks  like overheated. is it likely dead? Not sure if the power clip gets  "ground" from pushbutton or "pwer", so may be testing incorrectly. If it is working it would save me a week of waiting on current siding installation. I thought I had a bunch of these from the guy I mentioned above from 3-4 years ago , but I cant find them, and may have installed them.  

[Curmudgeon]

Use an ohmmeter to check continuity. Only way really to go bad is if the actuating button stuck. Usually quite robust.

 

However, why are you messing with these and pulling apart uncoupling sections to salvage magnets?

Why not use a GarGraves uncoupler section"

http://www.gargraves.com/files/Web-107.gif

 

Yeah, fifty plus, but no loose wires to break, neat, clean.

Personally, on my railroad (fairly large, I guess, well over 50 switches, double tracked, branchline and all) I have none installed. i made sure I was able to reach all spots to manually uncoupler...I don't know, sort of like brakemen do.

I may when the mine goes in, but I will use standard 027 remote sections with adaptor pins (have a drawer full of them).

My controls are walk around, tethered, memory, so I can be where the action is.

[stuartmit]

i like the super o unit because it is short. My layout is small-5 x 11- and I am always fighting for space. I find that these help me achive that by "cheating on the fromt end of a curve where the coiuplers are pretty much still on centerline of track. I have learned to grind the gragraves pins with a dremel so they fit into two empty super o openings. I also have found because they are so short, that a loco's rollers are spaced so far apart that locomotive always has juice.  i dont have to worry about power for the train so i just leave the unit unpowered, other than of course the magnet power by push button.

 

AS regards manual uncoupling, I prefer the remote control; same for switches. And I do have several switches and uncouplers right in from of my panel, so it would be easy for me, but....