Placement/Operation of magnetic uncouplers

[Anonymous]

Forgive me if this is a dumb question...My layout is under construction and I am still using horn hook couplers. I cna see that I will be converting most cars to Kadee or McHenries soon and I want to add uncoupling magnets before I ballast.
What type is recommended - permanent or electric? Any make/model recommendations?

And where exactly do they go? Right after the switch for a spur/siding where you will want to leave/pickup cars? Or a boxcar or two distance from the dead end of the spur?

How do you pick up cars at the same location...do the couplers stay coupled if you just pull the cars over the magnet? Do you have to stop and give it some slack to uncouple over the magnet?

Please help a pathetic newbie.
Tom

[BR60103]

Tom:
last question first. The couplers will uncouple if you give some slack when they are over the uncoupler; you don't have to stop, just slow down. You may find uncoupling happening if you have steel axles in one of the cars.
Where to put uncouplers? depends on how you want to do it. Look at some of Kadee's ads or check their website. Because of the delayed uncoupling feature, you can switch a whole fan of sidings with one magnet. If you put the magnet a whole number of car lengths from the end of a siding, you end up pushing the cars in but you can't pull them out. You want an extra half a length in there. (this gats ruined when you mix 40, 50 and 60 foot cars!)
If you can handle it, restrict permanent magnets to sidings and use electromagnets on main lines. There are techniques for dropping a permanent magnet away from the track.
You might want to experiment with the uncouplers a bit before you ballast. The between-the-tracks style can be held in place with spikes while you try different locations. Then you can change to the undertrack type (if you want) or fix the others permanantly. You can add the between magnets after ballasting if your ballast is below the ties. (exception: if you have code 70 rails.)
You can also use various hand tools (a bent wire is cheapest) to pull the wire under the coupling; this gives you much flexibility.
--David