whats the difference

[Anonymous]

Although they cost more, the newer dump cars using shoes are worth it...very smooth operation...plus, they "right" themselves. Just bought a MTH one, and love it. Joe

[fwright]

Again, I don't have a reference for exactly what the model numbers are, but the following rules apply in every situation I know of:

- If the underside of the operating car has a plunger (iron or steel disk) in the center of the bottom, it will operate over any electromagnet. An uncoupling track or a remote control track - either will work, as long as it has the center electromagnet. When the electromagnet is on and the plunger is over top of the electromagnet, it is pulled downed to the magnet, causing the operation to take place.

- If the operating car's trucks have an offset sliding contact between the wheels (not set for center rail), then it requires a remote control track or some kind of track with the extra "operating rails" between the center and outer rails. On some operating cars, one sliding shoe serves as a ground and the other is hot. On other cars, both sliding shoes are connected to the hot side, and the car is grounded through the outside rail. In either case, when the car is over a set of operating rails, pushing the "unload" button causes the current to flow through the sliding shoe(s) to the operating car mechanism.

- The last category of operating cars doesn't need any special track. They pick up power via a center rail roller or are geared to the wheels. These cars "operate" all the time if there is power to the track or the car is moving, respectively.

Operating coal cars were made with both sliding shoe and plunger mechanisms. The sliding shoe cars were generally earlier post war designs (and some modern reproductions). The plunger mechanisms were cheaper to manufacture, and so were substituted for sliding shoes and solenoids in the late '50s and '60s where practical. Most modern production also uses plungers.

yours in accessorizing
Fred W

[cheech]

can the 6-65149 uncoupling track unload an operating coal car or do i need a 6-12746 remote control track ....from the description on the packages, i can't tell