Thanks for the help, Guys. However, like I said, I installed all my couplers using the proper Kadee, KD, Kaydee, Kaydee, K-D settings and they worked fine with code 100 and the stock magnets. It's the code 83 ones that seem to have some problem.
Since the layout is up and running under-track magnets would be too much trouble to install now.
Some areas are also a little too far from the fascia to have people reaching in every time something needs to be uncoupled. Damage to the railroad would be way too high. Plus the layout is rather high.
That's why I thought the c83 magnets would be useful. Obviously KD didn't get it right this time. I'll stick to experimenting with the small cylindrical magnets that were mentioned here a long time ago. They have not proven reliable so far.
Thanks,
Roger Huber
dehusman I always used the under the track magnets. Then rail code has no bearing whatsoever and there is no worry at all about clearance Works 100% of the time.
I always used the under the track magnets. Then rail code has no bearing whatsoever and there is no worry at all about clearance Works 100% of the time.
Having done some experimenting, I'm looking at under-track magnets mounted on steel hinges. When the hinge leaf is vertical, nothing happens. When it's brought up to a horizontal position, cars with slack in the couplers uncouple every time. The obvious reason is that the steel reenforces the above-the-roadbed magnetic field, while dropping the magnet prevents unwanted break-in-twos on through tracks.
Uncoupling with a skewer is fine, if you'll never, ever want to cut a locomotive off a train parked in hidden staging, inaccessible and effectively invisible during normal operations. For cars that will never be uncoupled from one another (unit coal train, or through train freight blocks) I use non-magnetic K couplers - and, boy, did I date myself with that one!
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with some couplers from 1954)
Jake1210 KD? Never heard of them.
KD? Never heard of them.
Close relative to Kaydee.
Also, similar to Atheran.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
my track is all code 100 but i would think that the .015" thinner magnet has to loose some of it's strength.
maybe kadee didn't do their homework on this one.
solutions that are probably already obvious to you are to use the thick magnet and shave the ties down to get the proper clearance or do as i do and remove the ties between the rails completely and build a platform out of styrene to stick the magnet down on. you might get lucky and find some mounting tape that is the right thickness and use that instead.
seems like everything needs a bit of tinkering to get it just right. when i tried sticking the code 100 magnets down directly on the ties years ago, i found that the gear box covers on my atlas diesels would hit the magnet.
grizlump
KD? Never heard of them. Kadee makes a great coupler and uncoupler though!
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
And in all honesty, I don't understand the hype about magnetic uncoupling, a bamboo skewer or #0 flathead jewelers screwdriver and a pair of Xuron track cutters (for cutting off those awful looking trip pins) work just fine.
Though, if you're dead set on magnetic uncoupling, Ive heard that trip pins bent too low/too high can affect uncoupling results, maybe you should try adjusting them and see if it works.
Has anyone tried the new #322 KD uncoupling magnets?
I just bought a pack and I'm not too impressed. I installed them like the directions said and I'm not getting much uncoupling from them. My track is all Walthers C83. My cars are mostly KD-5s & KD wheelsets with a few new Athearn cars with whatever they use couplers & wheels. Surprisingly the Athearn RTRs seem to uncouple and delay more often than the KD-5s.
My cars all seem to uncouple fine on my C100 test track with the KD #321 magnets. Everything was adjusted using a KD coupler height gauge. Any ideas?