LGB 10560 Uncoupler With USA Trains

[EMH]

Has anyone had experience running USA Trains with factory hook & loop couplers on LGB track? I bought a LGB 10560 uncoupler and it does not uncouple the cars. I am running a USA Trains GP-9 and USA Trains freight cars. I have it correctly hooked to a LGB 51750 switch and the activator on the 10560 is working. I tried reversing the direction of the 10560 and I tried removing the hook on the car and just using 1 hook on the engine. It still will not uncouple. I ran the engine slowly back & forth over the uncoupler and I can see the hook raising up and down as it passes over. 

This seems to be a height issue. I do not think the bar on the uncoupler is raising the hook high enough to disengage from the loop.

Any suggestions (besides buying all new LGB trains)? 

[piercedan]

Do you have single or double hooks?

The LGB uncoupler is for single hooks, for double hooks I had to use the stationary uncoupler with my 1056 EPL unit and this does work.

[ttrigg]

Had the same (or nearly same) problem myself. The electric uncoupler would not work on Bachmann to Bachman connections. I glued a SMALL strip of styerene to the lower extension of each hook so that it was just under 1/4 inch longer. Works well, even with double hook in play. When the engine is pulling disconnect is just fine, even works on a not so tall "hump yard". Why it would work fine on LGB to Bachmann, but not on Bachmann to Bachmann, is far beyond me.

[EMH]

I am using double hooks but I tried 1 car with single hooks and it still would not work.

I'll try adding a stationary uncoupler as you suggested and see if that works.

Thanks for the tip.

[EMH]

Tom,

Thanks for the tip.

Your suggestion gave me an idea. I may try increasing the height of the ramp on the uncoupler by siliconing on a piece plastic. I may have to experiment some to get the correct height with a single hook set up. 

Another member told me he had similar issues and added a stationary uncoupler. He said it even works with double hook set up.

I'll post again when I get this engineered.

Eric Hall

[ttrigg]

Exercise extreme caution when adding height to the LGB electric uncoupler. When in the down position the ramp has only about 1/8 inch clearance with some of the older LGB equipment. I had a few cars un-hook when I did not want them to do so. I cannot speak about the USA equipment, but the Bachmann equipment worked on the "up-ramp" side of the uncoupler, but not on the "down-ramp"side.