Uncoupling magnets, worth the effort?

[CSXFan]

  You can find rolls of magnetic wire at most Radio Shack stores.

 

Happy Shopping

 

Thanks for the info, I'll be heading there soon to pick some up. 

[railjockey]

  You can find rolls of magnetic wire at most Radio Shack stores.

 

Happy Shopping

 

[TomOnHudson]

  I use code 100 HO track.  With magnets laid on top of the ties,  all my Atlas S2 clear but my

  Poto 2000 SW9 rounds aground.  How do you make the level with the railhead ?

  Thanks

Joecomet, what magnets are you using?

I've been playing with the Kadee delayed uncoupling magnets, using Atlas code 100 track, with the magnet sitting directly on the ties. When positioned correctly, all of my cars and locos pass over the magnets without a problem. The delayed uncoupling works great.

However, I have noticed that, unless positioned properly and glued down, that one end (lengthwise) of the magnet tends to ride up slightly on the tie. When this happens, one of my locos bottoms out on the magnet.

-tom 

[Medina1128]

To lower your manet (to make it level with the railheads), is remove enough of the ties to set the magnet into place. If I need to lower it further, I use a wood chisel and shave the subroadbed. If you need to 'shave' some roadbed (cork in my case), I use a wire wheel in my Dremel.

[joecomet]

  I use code 100 HO track.  With magnets laid on top of the ties,  all my Atlas S2 clear but my

  Poto 2000 SW9 rounds aground.  How do you make the level with the railhead ?

  Thanks

[tomikawaTT]

First,   all you new Forum posters!  Always room for more!

Second, my on the uncoupling issue.

Of the various methods described, the only one I haven't tried is the drop-down under-track magnet (which I WILL try when I find a suitable location.)  The only one I really object to is the ham-hook method (don't open the knuckles, just lift the car!)

At this point (very early) in construction of my 'ultimate' (I hope!) layout, I have one uncoupler, a Kadee electromagnet.  Located in what will be hidden track, it does what I need it to do in a location inaccessible to skewers and screwdrivers.

On my 26 year old module, I use a variant of the John Armstrong method.  Thin plates of tin can steel under the ties hold a removable between the ties magnet.  Unfortunately, this doesn't keep the ham hook out of the scenery, since the magnets still have to be placed and removed.  In addition, I have a depressed center flat that will lift the magnet and carry it off!  Something will have to be done in the future - exactly what is yet to be determined.  (The module will be incorporated into the new layout.  That is non-negotiable.)

IMHO, as I progress to building scenery close to and over the tracks, reaching into the airspace over the layout will become less and less acceptable, even as the need to uncouple will be increasing.  Once properly installed and adjusted, magnetic uncouplers will uncouple magnetically just as reliably as they couple.  I intend to make full use of that fact.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with magnetic knuckle couplers)

[Anonymous]

I use Micro Trains uncouplers on my N-Scale RR. They work almost flawlessly and are very easy to install. Installing them and getting the uncoupler pins to the right height above the track is simple if you use their coupler tool.

But I can also understand those who like to manually uncouple since it is one of the most realistic methods. It's just not my thing to be reaching across the scenery using my 0-5-0 switcher, knocking things over, if I don't have to.

Ken

[Josta]

I'm still experimenting with magnet under-layout (as opposed to under-track) uncouplers as I didn't have enough foresight to put the under-track uncouplers in earlier.  I purchased a small, powerful magnet from Edmund Scientific and an electrical magnet as well.  The non-electric one is about the size of a small matchbox and is powerful enough to cause a reaction to the "gladhands" on my Kadees; through the 1/2" plywood layout base and the cork roadbed; the gladhand on one coupler pulls to the side and will uncouple if the cars are pushed together then pulled (by the locomotive).

 I haven't yet figured out how to best make it work, but the idea of a swing "trap door" with the magnet on it is intriguing.  I use under-layout automotive choke cables to control my turnouts; the cable handles are mounted on the fascia of the layout.  I just might use the same principle to control the "trap door" uncouplers.

JOHN

[Anonymous]

I'm modeling the PRR Elmira branch in HO and use KD 308 under track magnets. I'm pleased with them after making a few adjustments. I use Atlas code 83 flex and mount the uncouplers under the ties by removing the first layer of plywood to recess the uncoupler, allowing it to fit under the ties. I use Woodland  scenics foam roadbed which I cut out to fit the magnet.  With this completed, I lay the track. I use a cow magnet (available @ farm stores) on the track to hold the KD magnet in position, super glue the KD to the bottom of the ties and ballast right over it.  Be sure to mark where the magnet is as it becomes invisable.  I had trouble at first with unwanted uncouplings but cured that by changing to Branchline wheelsets and attaching a small retaining spring on 1 caboose truck axle. The Branchline wheelsets are all metal with brass axles. They roll very free and aren't pulled by the magnet and the retaining spring creates just enough drag to keep the train strung out. No problems, and I don't have to reach into the layout with the chance of damaging scenery.

John 

[MisterBeasley]

Welcome aboard, Hugo and Blueridge1.  Good to have you with us.

My two warnings on installing uncouplers:

First, for the between-the-rails Kadees, do NOT mount them according to the Kadee gauge.  That leaves them a bit above the rail head.  For most equipment it's OK, but a few engines, specifically the P2K S1 switcher, will "run aground" on the magnets.  Mount them dead even with the rail heads and they'll still work just fine.

Second, if you're going to install a Kadee electromagnet, do it before you glue down the track.  That's not the way I did it, and I discovered that doing it later is a mistake.  Still works great once it's in, though.

[Anonymous]

Eriediamond,

 Very interested in details on your method.  Type of magnets and where you got them?  Do you think they are powerful enough to work through 2-4"s of foam?

 I also like the John Armstrong method which may be the easiest.

 Thanks, BlueRidge1

 BTW, where in Western NC?

[Hugo the Dane]

Hi,

I am building a PRR/(NYC) 18' x 21' 2-rail 0-scale layout here in Reims, France. Min. Radius mainline 72", branch 50" - 60" ?? Track code 148 !

I was visiting John Armstrong, 8 years ago, he used a very smart method, a couple of painted thin iron strips glued on the ties, between the rails, at the proper height, so when he put a Kadee magnet on top, it worked perfect! When not needed he left it on a small ironplate mounted on the front of the tabel ! No problems with unwanted uncouplings and allways looking good !!I do not know if it will work in the smaller scales ?

I will be using this and all the other methods, one good thing, John's method,can easily be put in at any time of the layoutbuilding !

Regards and happy 2007,

HUGO the Dane

PS.: In the #41 December 2006 issue of "The Keystone Modeller" on the National part of www.prrths.com , there are some informations and pictures of what will be part of the PRR Harbor in the future !

[CSXFan]

Thanks for the input everyone,

I think I will go with electro magnets on all spurs and sidings and just use the skewer method on the main. The kadee electro magnets are a little expensive (for me) so I'm going to make my own. I am thinking of trying the homemade magnets from the January 2000 issue of Model Railroader "The ultimate uncoupler". Has anyone build one of these? Were can I find 50' rolls of magnet wire?

Thanks again.

[Milwhiawatha]

I prefer magnets I like automated things either that or I'm just lazy in the field of get a skewer and get up uncouple sit back down I may spill a beer in the process so I'm personally installing kadee delayed magnets. But this is only on spurs, sidings, and yards. I'm working in HO and code 83 and yet needed to use the kadee tool but I do have it on hand if needed.

[jecorbett]

Magnets in the yard and spurs. On the mainline, I go with the manual uncoupling with the skewer. I would prefer to do all uncoupling hands free but that raises the problem of unwanted uncoupling on the mainline which is very irritating. The other problem is that it requires at least 2 magnets at every spur depending one whether you are doing a facing point or trailing point set out, unless you want to do an unprototypical extra backing move.

[ft-fan]

I prefer magnets my self, but after false uncoupling and such, I go about it in a different way. I use "under track" magnets mounted on a trap door (for lack of better words). This trap door is normally swung down away from the track by the weight of the magnet. A pull string routed by "eye" screws in the frame work under the layout is pulled, swinging the magnet up under the track to do it's job then released. Simple but yet effective with no false uncouplings and no unsightly magnets between the rails and it's cheap, cheap, cheap. Ken

This sounds like a great idea. Can you post some pictures from above and below the benchwork so we can see how you do this? Do you have your track on subroadbed and is the magnet below that? If so, those are some pretty hefty magnets you are using, can you tell us what kind you are using and where you got them? Sorry for all the questions, but this sounds like one of the best ideas I've heard and would like to know how to implement it myself.

FT 

[mondotrains]

Hi CSXFAN,

I use Kadee delayed uncoupling magnets on my spurs where it is hard to reach.  On the mainline, where the reach is fairly easy, I use the manual uncoupling approach with a skewer method.

 

One tip I mentioned in another thread recently for guys in HO and with code 83 track: after you cut the ties out between the track to set your magnet in place, be sure to buy the Kadee tool that holds the magnet at just the right height, relative to the track, while your glue sets.  AND, be sure to leave that tool in place for a few days.

The reason I'm suggesting this is because I had set a couple of magnets in place and removed the tool the day after I glued them in place.  They uncoupled fine that day but a couple of days later, the cars wouldn't uncouple properly.  I discovered that because I had used "Tacky Glue" to set the magnets, it didn't dry completely for a few days and when it did, it drew the magnet down closer to the benchwork and just a tad too low for the uncoupling to work.  I like "Tacky Glue" better than Elmer's for a project like this because it is much thicker and I could place a line of glue down the middle of the magnet without it running all over.

 

Hope this helps.

Mondo

 

 

[Eriediamond]

I prefer magnets my self, but after false uncoupling and such, I go about it in a different way. I use "under track" magnets mounted on a trap door (for lack of better words). This trap door is normally swung down away from the track by the weight of the magnet. A pull string routed by "eye" screws in the frame work under the layout is pulled, swinging the magnet up under the track to do it's job then released. Simple but yet effective with no false uncouplings and no unsightly magnets between the rails and it's cheap, cheap, cheap. Ken

[Railfan1]

I model HO and I just perfer to do it the "old-fashioned" way. Just my .

[jbinkley60]

 

I use Kadee magnets in yards and sidings.

 

[MisterBeasley]

I prefer hands-off, myself.  I'm in HO and I use Kadee magnets, the permanent ones in yards, and electromagnets on the main line where accidental uncoupling would be more of a problem.  It takes a bit of care to adjust everything properly, but in general it works pretty well for me.

[BRAKIE]

I only use uncoupling magnets in areas I can't reach other then that I prefer manual uncoupling with a small flat tip screw driver.

[CSXFan]

Hi all,

I'm trying to decide whether or not to include uncoupling magnets on my N scale layout. I really like the idea of keeping my hands off the layout so I was going to go with electro magnets, but this just adds more clutter/cost/maintenance/work. So what do you think, is it worth the time and effort, or should I just stick with the skewer stick method? Any experiences or opinions would be helpful. Thanks.