Uncoupling cars in freight yards

[foxtrackin]

Do you use magnets to uncouple your cars, if so what size of magnets? How do you place them under the track? Where do you place them in the yard? Do you use electromagnets or just regular magnets and where do you buy them? How do you hide them on the layout so they cant be seen? Sorry for so many questions. I am in HO scale with a large midwestern yard.

[Anonymous]

I had a hand magnet to try and uncouple cars, that was a bust. Kaydee makes a "Betwen Rails" magnet that you can literally couple and uncouple. If you got the electrified one then your train wont seperate unless you want it to.

At the moment 0-5-0 is my uncoupling tool. (hand)

[Anonymous]

My intrest lies in shunting (Swithing) operations. My layout is in the construction phase but on the club layout my tool of choice is an Acumate Switchman.
Benefits:
Uncouple wagons (cars) anywhere you need without finding the magnets or having to double move the train to induce slack in the couplers.
No unwanted uncoupling as the train passes over magnets at slow speed This has not occured to me often but when it has occured it can be annoying.
Liabilities:
You need to be able to reach all tracks and see to insert the tool into the couplers.
For the Scale guys, having the 12":1' uncoupling tool apear out of the sky is very Pythonesqe.

[rrinker]

haha Peter. I never thought of it quite that way, but perhaps that's why I like Monty Python so much. Or maybe I like model railroading because of Puthon, but I doubt it, as I was playing with trains long before I ever heard of Monty Python (whoever he is [:D])

More seriously, I picked up one of those Rix uncoupling tools, basically a H-shaped piece of plastic with a handle. Two magnet are glued to the legs of the H, and you set this contraption on the tracks between the cars you want to uncouple and it pulls the 'hoses' as if it were over a regular between the tracks magnet. I tend to shy away from the permenant magnets becauseo f unwanted uncouplings, if the train hesitates or the slack runs in whichever cars are over the maginet will uncouple, every single time if your couplers are correcly adjusted. Which may NOT be what you intended.

--Randy

[dehusman]

For fixed magnets (which work best in classification yards where you want to uncouple at the same place lots of times I use either Kadee or Bachmann large under the track magnets. I cut a slot under the track in the subroadbed or cork roadbed and put them directly under the ties. I also cut them in half, so they are not asl long, you have to be more precise when placing a car to uncouple it, but it reduces the number of false uncouplings. Make sure you cut it in half lengthwise and not widthwise. If you cut it the wrong way the magnet won't work. Then ballast over it just like the rest of your roadbed.

You will have to mark it so you know where the magnets are. Normally that is done by painting the ends of the ties over the magnet white, yellow or orange for visibility.

Dave H.

[csxengineer98]

dont they make under layout electro magnets for uncoupling also?
csx engineer

[Anonymous]

Kadee sell an electro maget for uncoupling. My layout is simple enough that I use the RIX uncoupling tool.

[CFournier]

There was an article some years ago in MR showing how to build a small uncoupling tool with a small dowel and a brass rod. The rod had a "Z" shape and the 3"or 4" handlewas made with a painted dowel the size of a pencil. They had them painted for their favorite roads ! Like red for CN with decals on the handle! I'm going to make some for myself.

[Jetrock]

A bamboo skewer works fine in a pinch too. I am slowly switching over to Kadee magnets because I plan on doing overhead trolley wire and I don't want to stick my hand into the layout more than is necessary. I try to place my magnets where they will be covered by street surface or other grade crossing, but sometimes there isn't much choice.

[Anonymous]

Who is selling Turn tables in Calgary Alberta for N Scale?
How much?
where in Calgary are you?

[Anonymous]

Are there any stores in clagary alberta that are sellin g good turn tables?
and for a reason able price for a teenager?

Does anyone have plans for a round house that they are willing to share will me?


Krakows

[Anonymous]

Krakows you are [#offtopic]

Create your own thread about this. Also this would go over better as cutting into another person's thread is not good manners on the net.

Thank you.

[CFournier]

Krakow,
you are off topic but here are two hobby stores in Calgary that are listed in Model Railroader Mag.:
Chinook & hobby west
Trains and such.

[orsonroy]

Hand uncoupling and manual throw switches all the way. I like the feel of more hands-on railroading, and you don't have to worry about where a uncoupling magnet is!

[cwclark]

I use the mchenry delayed action magnetic uncouplers..go to my webshot page and on page 3 is are photos and a demonstration on mounting them to the layout...chick "trains' and go to page 3 http://community.webshots.com/user/bayouman1
Chuck

[Anonymous]

I would be interested in seeing the RIX uncoupling tool or some other manufacturers' tool if anyone has a link. Uncoupling the rolling stock by hand makes the job more personal. How about examples of what you fine modellers use......sounds like a worthwhile project for the Christmas break

[jrbarney]

QUOTE: Originally posted by stephenjurkus

I would be interested in seeing the RIX uncoupling tool or some other manufacturers' tool if anyone has a link. Uncoupling the rolling stock by hand makes the job more personal. . . . .

Stephen,
Here's the link for the Rix uncoupling tool:
http://www.rixproducts.com/6280014.htm
Hope this helps.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[Anonymous]

[#oops]

SORRY

[challenger3802]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jrbarney

Here's the link for the Rix uncoupling tool:
http://www.rixproducts.com/6280014.htm
Hope this helps.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

Great product and cheap too!

Ian

[rrinker]

Once you get the hang of it, it works great! I picked up one to try it out, now I have to get more. Rick thinks of everything - even a hole to hang the thing on!
While you're checking out Rix Products, don't pass up the Rail It. It's the closest thing to automatically putting the cars on the track as you can get. And again Rick remembered to include a hole to hang it up.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

I have never liked the Rix tool as much as a plain old bamboo skewer (like for fondue and shish-kabob) The skewers are cheap and you can have dozens of them around the layout.

Dave H.

[JerryRGS]

I am heavy into operation and switching. I recommend against using magnets as they are too restrictive in where you uncouple. I use a bamboo skewer which I sand to make the tip slightly oblong to unhook Kadee couplers. Make sure you build you layout so you can reach anywhere you need to uncouple. I also cut off the trip pin off all the couplers.

[cnwtibbs]

Something that works really well for uncoupling is a long pick, like that used to do shiskabobs. You can by them by the hundreds at the grocery store for less than $5.00. If that is too small, use a dowel rod with a hole drilled into one end that is a bit larger in diameter, so it is easier to hang onto. Insert the pick and fasten with some glue. Works well. There was an article in Model RR a year ago or so with photographic instructions for making a decoupleing tool. Works very well, have both styles.

Steve Tibbetts
aka CNWTibbs

[Anonymous]

i operated a small switching layout my friend had built. he didnt have kadee ramps, so he gave me a rix uncoupling tool. it worked very well untill the time came to uncouple the caboose. it was funny when i lifted the end of he caboose off the track. scotty4

[Anonymous]

I have never used a skewer for uncoupling, but I do use the Rix and like it. You all have steered me away from under the track magnets. Will use the Kadee #307's instead. I am somewhat of an inventor, and if a tool is needed I try to come up with some thing. I have an attachment for my Dremel that is used like an Roto-Zip etc. spirl cutter. I came up with a templet that can be clamped to roadbed and useing the Dremel in a vertical position like a router. It cuts a very precise hole to mount the magnet, quickly too. Charley [e-mail]

[rrinker]

I have that same Dremel attachment and that has to be the best thing I ever bought for it. That's how I cut out the openings to top-mount my Tortoises. Great for magnets and other things that need a depression int he table top, and smaller and easier to handle than the router attachment.
If you only need shallow depth (for the Tortoise mounts I need to go down the thickness of a piece of Radio Shack perforated board, about 1/16") and a large area raltive to the size of the spiral cutting buts, you CAN use a router bit with it. I picked up the biggest straight router bit (1/4" I think) and with the depth stop all the way up ont he cutter attachment, was able to have the router bit securely held in the collet yet projecting the required 1/16", and it made the last two Tortoise installs I did go MUCH faster.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

At the Cochise & Western Model Railroad Club in Sierra Vista, Arizona, they make their own kadee-type coupler decoupling tools... the epitome of simplicity.

Take about a 4 inch lenght of good stiff solid wire, stick one end of it into a couple inch piece of plastic rigid tubing an inch of so (the handle), then hammer flat the exposed end of the wire to flatten it sort of like the spade on an electrical connector.

Then you simply hold the thing vertcally so that the flattened end engages where the two couplers meet, give it a slight twist and, viola.... the cars are decoupled.

Sorry I cannot give you the exact gage of the wire thus nor the i'd. of the tubing.... if cacole happens upon this thread I'm sure he'll be able to.

[Anonymous]

Question: Could the Rix uncoupling tool be scrach built using magnets or magnet tape

[Alantrains]

Hi Guys,
I have already laid the track on my layout and would like to put in a few magnetic uncouplers. I have tried some of the little very strong rod magnets (neodium I think they are made of) because they fit between or in place of sleepers, but they are too strong and pull the couplers down and you have to be spot on with your positioning of the train. They even stop my 0-6-0 shunter as it has a magnetic cover plate over the axels. Looks a bit funny spinning its wheels with no cars behind it! I was thinking of putting the rod magnet under the baseboard with some pole pieces at the ends sticking up through the roadbed. Has anyone tried this? My thought is you can move the magent away from the pole pieces to eliminate the accidental uncoupling we all find a pain. MR did an article on a drop away magnet a few years ago but it was installed prior to the track being laid.
Alan Jones

[rrinker]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Trub

Question: Could the Rix uncoupling tool be scrach built using magnets or magnet tape

Yes, but probably not for the $2 I paid for mine (list price is $2.99).

--Randy