uncoupling question

[Anonymous]

I am a bit confused and hoped to get some help if possible. I have been manually uncoupling cars in my yard and would like to give the undertrack magnets a shot. I understand the idea behind delayed and non delayed, but do not understand the difference in magnets. Does the delayed magnet pull the couplers farther apart than the non delayed allowing you to spot the car without recoupling. Or can you still do this with non delayed magnets? I really like this feature and would like to know before I make a purchase. Any help would be appreciated, Mike.

[Anonymous]

There isn't such a difference as delayed and undelayed magnets. The two basic kinds of magnets are "permanent" and "non-permanent". The "permanent" are always on, while you activate the "non-permanent" with a button or some other method. The under-track magnets (like the Kadee #308) are "permanent".

The difference between delayed and non-delayed is in your couplers.

---jps

[Eriediamond]

jps is right. I dislike the permanent type magnets as they will uncouple if there is any slack in the train. I prefer to uncouple manually and as funds become available will probabley install electro-magnets. Nothing worse then backing a loco into the yard and make that perfect "kiss" couple and then pull slowely out onto the main line and leave half the train in the yard !!! [banghead][(-D][(-D]

[Don Gibson]

BEFORE you cut holes through your plywood, BUY some of KD's permanent magnents and lay them between the rails. You get to see if you like 'automated uncoupling

[Anonymous]

I uncouple my cars manually[:D], the same way prototype RR's do.[:D]

[Anonymous]

I use the between the rails delayed Kadee magnets - I tried some under-board magnets by McHenry but they were a disaster - far too powerful (everything uncoupled, whether I wanted it to or not!). I'll stick with the Kadees in future as they just sit on the ties with code 100 track and work very well.

[mondotrains]

Mike,
Good question! I was really stubborn on my first layout and thought it was prototypical to never reach into the layout to manually uncouple cars. I therefore installed Kadee permanent magnets all over the place, including my yard. Well, on my second, and much improved layout, I am using an uncoupling stick (there are also magnetic uncoupling tools you can insert between the cars) to manually uncouple cars everywhere that can be reached easily. For spots that cannot be reached, like in some of my industrial sidings, I will use uncoupling magnets. Like another responder mentioned, if you place magnets in yards and on the mainline, you will have cars uncouple when you don't want them to.

Hope this helps.
Mondo

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the responses. From what you guys are saying, I think I may stay with manual uncoupling. Luckily all my sidings are able to be reached by hand with the exception of two. I may try the electromagnets from kadee there. Thanks again for the responses. Mike

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mondotrains

Mike,
Good question! I was really stubborn on my first layout and thought it was prototypical to never reach into the layout to manually uncouple cars. I therefore installed Kadee permanent magnets all over the place, including my yard. Well, on my second, and much improved layout, I am using an uncoupling stick (there are also magnetic uncoupling tools you can insert between the cars) to manually uncouple cars everywhere that can be reached easily. For spots that cannot be reached, like in some of my industrial sidings, I will use uncoupling magnets. Like another responder mentioned, if you place magnets in yards and on the mainline, you will have cars uncouple when you don't want them to.

Hope this helps.
Mondo

I too used to be hooked on the permanent magnets..until I became unhooked too many times. I use an uncoupling stick now also. As far as prototypical...the train stops and a guy uncouples it by hand. So it's not too far out there.

[SROC99]

To: mikemore,
It seams that a couple of your questions were answered incorrectly and incompletely.
"Delayed" and "nondelayed" uncoupling is based on the width of the magnets and not the actual couplers (as "jsp" has incorrectly stated), all Kadee couplers will operate with delayed or nondelayed uncouplers. A magnet that pulls the couplers open enough to uncouple and wide enough to pu***he opposing couplers back together over the magnet and not have them hook up or couple again is called a "Delayed Action" uncoupler. An uncoupling magnet that only opens the couplers just enough to uncouple them and no farther is called a "Nondelayed" uncoupler. Kadees HO #312 uncoupler is our only nondelayed uncoupler and the only difference is that it is narrower than the other magnets.
As far as using permanent or electric uncouplers it is a matter of how you operate your own personal layout and what you want to accomplish as far as enjoyment of this hobby. Many modelers, where possible, will use the electric uncouplers on thier main line and permanent magnets on the sidings and in yards. Permanent uncoupling magnets are not as bad as some of the previous posters make them out to be, but that is their prerogative and certainly based on "their" experience and particular layouts.
Using permanent magnets takes a bit of operational learning. The problems most modelers have with them is when they have unwanted slack over the magnets. But if you are willing to find the causes and correct them, then you certainly can use permanent magnetic uncouplers on your mainline as well as anywhere else. Kadee first marketed this system in the late 1950s and thousands of modelers use it without any problems at all.
There are many modelers using hand held uncoupling tools to enjoy the full operational experiences of railroading and certainly there is nothing wrong with that. But this hobby has so many variables and levels of enjoyment that the industry has provided so many choices that if you desire to use hand held tools and actually be the "brakeman" you can or if you wi***o operate your layout in a complete hands off manner you can do that too. But whatever you choose to do remember that this hobby is for "enjoyment" so what ever it takes to accompli***hat, go for it!!
Also remember if you have a question about Kadee products don't be afraid to ask Kadee about them.
Contact me offline if you have any more questions at Attn: Sam [e-mail].

Sam Clarke
Kadee Quality Products

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SROC99

..."Delayed" and "nondelayed" uncoupling is based on the width of the magnets and not the actual couplers (as "jsp" has incorrectly stated), all Kadee couplers will operate with delayed or nondelayed uncouplers. A magnet that pulls the couplers open enough to uncouple and wide enough to pu***he opposing couplers back together over the magnet and not have them hook up or couple again is called a "Delayed Action" uncoupler. An uncoupling magnet that only opens the couplers just enough to uncouple them and no farther is called a "Nondelayed" uncoupler. Kadees HO #312 uncoupler is our only nondelayed uncoupler and the only difference is that it is narrower than the other magnets...

I did not realize that there were magnets that were capable of uncoupling, but not delayed uncoupling. I stand corrected on that point. In my defense, there are "coupler clones" (at least in N-scale) that can uncouple over magnets, but don't really do delayed uncoupling, which is why I said that.

QUOTE: ...Using permanent magnets takes a bit of operational learning. The problems most modelers have with them is when they have unwanted slack over the magnets. But if you are willing to find the causes and correct them, then you certainly can use permanent magnetic uncouplers on your mainline as well as anywhere else. Kadee first marketed this system in the late 1950s and thousands of modelers use it without any problems at all...

I have Kadee underground magnets in my N-scale layout, all but one on the mainline, and they work just fine. I use restraining springs on all cars and make sure they roll smoothly (I don't like an accordion effect, so I'd be fixing that anyway). And as far as underground magnets being "too strong", the magnet strength level was just right once I installed ballast.

You do have to strategically place your permanent magnets, though, because if it is in a location where you are constantly reversing direction when you don't want couplers to uncouple, then you will get frustrated.

---jps

[darth9x9]

Hey Mike,

I would recommend using a manual method such as bamboo skewer or other such instrument or a non-permanent magnet as described above. I have operated on a rather-famous-model-railroader-who-has-been-published-in-MR-a-few-times (who will remain nameless) layout and he has permanent magnets all over the place. It is such a pain when you have any slack in the train over one of these magnets as the train uncouples. This also happens when an engine might stutter for just a split second on a frog of a switch and causes slack, the couplers that are over a permanent magnet uncouple. Lastly, if you have to bring your train to a stop for a signal or a meet and a pair of couplers in your train are over the magnet, they will uncouple. We do lots of 0-5-0ing to bring the train back together again.[2c]

[robengland]

I have two favourite photos I kept from MR. One is of two HO guys watching in bemusement as a giant bamboo skewer descends from the sky to uncouple the train. the other is an extreme close-up of a VERY famous model railroad that is all but indistinguishable from the real thing except for this enormous iron thing protruding from the front of a boxcar.

personally I prefer the unrealism of the 0-5-0 to the unrealism of something that looks NOTHING like an airhose to me and couplers that magically fling themselves apart thanks to the Uncoupling Fairy [:D][:D][:D]

so not only do i use the ol bamboo, but I cut the "glad-hands" off. If I could afford it, I would also convert all my Kadee #5s to their scale sized couplers too.

[Anonymous]

Problems with cars becoming uncoupled when you don't want them to with KD couplers can be adjusted by bending the little magnet line below the coupler, not too far or they will not work at all, but far enough so unwanted uncoupling does not occur. In HO scale, much time is spent adjusting manufacturers products to make them operate correctly, regardless of what brand you buy of anything.