Fully Sick Uncoupling System Mate!!!!!

[GDRMCo]

In the October 2003 Model Railroader there is the review of the Tony's Train Exchange DCC Contolled Couplers. Well I read through the article with my thinking cap on and thought, "Well with this system the whole drawbar with the coupler is lowered until the coupler disengages from the cars coupler. This only works on the powered locomotives not the cars which is a problem seeing as though you can't break up the consist which is more common than uncoupling the locomotive from the consist. So why not use the static uncoupling levers on the cars and locomotives to uncouple cars from each other. All this would require on the rolling stock would be a pair of small motors with mounts on the spinning parts to connect to a bar that connects to the now useable uncoupling levers that are connected to the coupler to open the coupler to uncouple. Equipe with a DCC decoder and pick ups for the power and eureka. A car that can be uncoupled in a more prototypical way and be able to break up the consist. A similar design could work on locomotives." Well that idea will become reality on my layout. Any questions?

[cacole]

Question: What would be the cost of this? Around $200 per car?

No thanks, I'll continue using my uncoupling pick. It was practically free, since it's just a piece of brass tubing flattened on the end and jammed into a piece of small diameter piastic pipe for a handle.

[GDRMCo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cacole

Question: What would be the cost of this? Around $200 per car?

Nope. Whatever you are willing to pay.

[sparkingbolt]

Put real Kadees on your cars with great care to see that they operate freely. (Don't get paint in the boxes when you paint or weather your equipment) Put electric uncouplers or even mechanically operated moving magnets under the roadbed in strategic locations, and "Eureka" you'll have it clinched like a million other guys.
I use a raised magnet under the track system. It works. cacole above uses the other commonly successful approach. It works $200/car? Ouch! Dan

[cmrproducts]

The funny thing is that the 12 inch to the foot guys don't use remote uncoupling. Are we not trying to emulate the real thing in the model?

Using the uncoulping tool is as close as we can come. Even using the uncoupling magnets is not like the real railroads use!

BOB H Clarion, PA

[retsignalmtr]

the twelve inch to the foot guys are already using remote control for locomotives so why not use it to eliminate another job. they might have gotten the idea of walk around control from modelers so if someone can come up with a system for uncoupling sell it to them and make them pay a royalty forever to you.

[Anonymous]

Yes!!! Lets sell it to Union Pacific! Maybe we can earn back the royalties we are paying for the use of the logo. COOL!!