Purchased a set of "Totally Hidden Uncoupler" today. It was a starter set by S&L Enterprises with an address of 5806 Miriam Drive in Sykesville Maryland 21784. According to the instruction sheet they were featured in the December 1996 Model Railroader Magazine's Carolina Central Layout (Page 97) end quote.
I included the address because as far as I can see it is the only way to order these magnets.
Anyways.. on with the review.
Short and Sweet.
I got the 4 magnets out of the bag and a metal plate that was precisely cut for HO gauge track. The 4 magnets were stuck together. Now... Im a truck driver who can pull pins on a slider under a badly maintained trailer as small as I am. Im floored by the strength of these little magnets. Ive had em stuck to either side of my finger for crying out loud. They attach themselves to each other and ANYTHING on the workbench that is metal like from 2 inches away.
Anyways I fought to get the 4 magnets on a pattern that they repel each other along the rails and attract from each side of the track. Plopped it under my new UNITrack section and promptly headed for that spot with a switcher set and a branchline reefer.
Upon stopping, the couplers sprang apart IMMEDIATELy and was already in a delayed position so I can simply shove the car to a spot. Now.. I recoupled onto the car and backed back across that magnet daring it to uncouple my train under motion.
It tried to uncouple, if there is ANY I mean ANY... SLACK in the couplers it will uncouple it.
Stopping on the spot where the magnet produced a instant repsonse from both couplers. It's absolutely crazy how the couplers start to quiver and ready to uncouple if you even GET NEAR the thing.
Obviously you would only use this magnet to drill cars in a yard or some place away from the mainline.
I give this item 12 out of 10 ANVILS. Im constantly looking at the sky to see if any more are tumbling down after this thing.
Now that I wrote a raving review I better stop now and order a few more. I think the producers better think about opening a factory to start cranking these little things out by the thousands.
But I gotta warn you, keep those magnets AWAY from computers, hard drives, cell phones etc... or anything metal. They will literally jump across the few inches and attach to it. Crazy stuff I tell ya!
Awesome!
Oh by the way I think it was 6.95 I paid for one uncoupler plate. I had three come in recently and will order a few more. For the money they do a very good job!
Sounds like a winner. They probably use these:
www.wondermagnet.com
I use the 3/8" version (30 cents each) in pairs one under each rail. Not quite as strong as four and a plate but they do work well.
The only issue is forgetting to mark where they are on a large layout.
The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open. www.stremy.net
Safety,
6.95 for the whole setup, or just for the metal plate? Just wondering? Thanks for the review!
Brian
P.S. Next time, do it BEFORE I laid down my yard and all my uncoulpers!!!!
You need the plate to hold the 4 magnets. One in each corner.
Now here is the trick...
Take a pair of magnets. Hold them close until you determine if they are attracting each other or repelling.
The Pair that attracts go onto the "End" of the plate. One under each rail. On the other end do the same and you SHOULD have repellers on the sides. The repellers will follow a rail on a path while the attractors follow a path across the track from one side to the other.
Ive found that I had to flip one until I had a pair that attracted. Then I would place one of these onto a corner.
I marked the end of the plate with it's pair of attractors with a X in magic marker and the repellers on the sides with a <-> mark between those.
They really should make the plate a little bit longer so it is easier to find the "Ends"
For me Unitrack took the plate easily. If I had to install this into or under Cork Roadbed it would be a bit of work. But so worth it because once you install them you WILL uncouple upon stopping over the magnet.
I discovered the plastic couplers work ok, and the number 5's left in my rolling stock is ok but not reliable.
Lesson: Convert fleet to whiskers asap. The whiskers actually have a audible "Snap" when positioned properly over the coupler ready to go.
It will take me some time to convert the stuff. But the performance I think is worth it and justifies a full conversion to the complete exclusion of plastic crap and kaydee wanna bes.
Im actually working on a video at the moment but will need time to get past the day before Im free to sit down and upload this video of the magnet.
As promised I completed the video workup for this item. I had to do some shooting, reshooting etc and chop up the bad parts. Noisy neighbors did little to help.
ANyways, on with the show.
http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x173/fallsvalleyrr/?action=view¤t=HOScaleMagneticUncoupler.flv
Finally. Got the link to work properly.
The first part of the video shows the packaging, magnetic plate with the 4 magnets on it. The marks on the plate are X = Attract and <-> = Repel and the orientation of the plate is just like it goes underneath the nearby Kato Unitrack. This should assist in our understanding of how to use the unit.
The second part is the B&O NW Switcher number 9550 from BLI drops off a Branchline Monarch Kit built (Not complete, need to install brake staff and brakewheels) at the spot marked by the HO scale figure nearby.
The next part is a little pick up of the same freight car and you will notice that the first attempt did not couple because the coupler was still in the offset "Delayed" position so I actually had to shove it almost an inch away from the magnet to center the coupler.
And the last part was the switcher towing the car away towards the Kato Number 4 switch. If you looked closely at the other end of the Monarch Reefer, you will notice that coupler shifting to the offset position as it passed over the magnet itself and re-centering.
That track is actually the beginnings of the Falls Valley Yard. One switch at a time. Stay tuned.. we will have a complete yard by wintertime of this year. (Hopefully) I just noticed that I have to weather the ballast, ties, rails and blend it into the ground etc.. so much to do. Oh yah, paint those boots black on that woodland scenics railroad crew figure.
The more I tried the use of the number 5's reveal my own inadequate use of graphite in the boxes and old, worn out springs. The plastic wanna bes do somewhat better.. but as I stated before I think 148 whiskers is the totally the way to go with this unit. The BLI actually had factory installed number 5's that have not yet been converted to whiskers.
Enjoy!
Do you think the thickness of the metal plate adds to the strength of the uncoupler, i.e., how critical is the thichness of the enhancer plate?
RicZ
To make an active uncoupling ramp with supermagnets, attach them to one leaf of a steel hinge of suitable dimensions. Rig things so the magnet-fitted leaf is down (with the magnets well below track level) when you want to simply run past. When you want uncoupling action, raise the magnets into position under the ties. This can be done with a simple pull-cord with a bead on the end. The only down side is the need for sufficient under-track clearance.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I had success with an array of neodymium magnets and no plate of any kind.
Six 1/8x3/8 grade N42 cylinders in two rows of three on the insides of the rails. Positives on one side, negatives on the other (this requires some trial and error). I found three was a good balance between having a good size target and enforcing a sure spot. Its maybe an inch of target area. You could get by with a single pair if you wanted to go nuts. I also found that having the top of the magnet flush with the top of the tie was more reliable than having them flush with the roadbed. Paint 'em ballast color, you'll never notice 'em. 36 cents a piece.
NittanyLion, are these 3/8" in diameter? What is the spacing along each row - side by side (3/8" x 3 = 1+1/8") or spaced apart? How much? Do you have the name of company you ordered from?
1/8 diameter. I drew a picture:
I would hope this is somewhat self explanatory! I should point out that they're as close to the rails as possible with still being inside rails. I don't recall if I tested them outside or under the rails.
Got them from KJ Magnetics.
This is a great thread. The problem I'm having is that my Kadee under track uncouplers with intensifier plates installed are too strong. They attract the axles on some of my cars and almost always uncouple the last car in a train from a combination of pulling the car creating slack and then moving the couplers. Any problems in this regard. I've been considering the cylindrical magnets described by Nittany Lion.
Thanks in advance,
Mark
You will have to replace any wheelsets with steel axles with non-magnetic axles. The steel weight inside your cars may also get attracted to strong magnets.
Rob
markie97 This is a great thread. The problem I'm having is that my Kadee under track uncouplers with intensifier plates installed are too strong. They attract the axles on some of my cars and almost always uncouple the last car in a train from a combination of pulling the car creating slack and then moving the couplers. Any problems in this regard. I've been considering the cylindrical magnets described by Nittany Lion. Thanks in advance, Mark
Having the same problem with the Kadee under-track magnet is what led me into using the hinged swing-down I described above. In my case, just changing axles won't do much. Except for the lead weight impersonating a center sill, the whole darn car is likely to be (galvanized sheet) steel!
Those I currently use are Kadee. When I build out to the next place I need one I'll buy a few supermagnets and experiment.
(Great Thread.......Nittanylion, some ques. for you.)
I am just in the process of experimenting with Kadee over the tie regular HO magnets. I am having good success with a little adjustment of any couplers not just right in position. However, don't like the look of the magnets visible above the ballast (not smart enough) to install earlier.
I want to use the Totally hidden item, but not looking forward to digging out inches of ballast and roadbed in several areas.
Nittanylion, your method sounds best for me. Seems great, but whatya mean "success"? Does your 6 magnet array system work very well or sometimes ?
Also, are you in HO mode, I imagine?
Thanks.
I first heard about the cylinder magnets from someone around here. Don't remember who.
I was skeptical because of the lack of an intensifier plate. I'd tested a Kadee magnet without one and noticed the importance of the plate. I thought that the magnets on their own wouldn't work well. However, the magnets are so much more powerful than I anticipated. That's the "success."
Six worked very well. My layout is currently broken up and in storage, so I can't immediately verify this again but I recall that one spur thusly equipped having a 90% success rate at uncoupling on the first try. Which I think is better than Kadees.
I am definitely in HO. Six was more of a good balance between size and location. Anything more than eight, I would think, would cover enough territory to start attracting metal wheelsets or the screw holding the truck on. I did notice you MUST push the uncoupled car a good two inches (no kidding, two inches) past the magnet array if you have steel axles. Otherwise, its coming back. My initial tests were just a pair of magnets and they worked.
My favorite part of it, aside from the relatively low cost, is that it can easily be deployed to ballasted track.
Chuck, what kind of spacing do you use. I have sone 3/8" diamerter, quarter inch thick supers that I want to use up. The S&L magnets on the plate specify a distance from front to back on the steel plate (11/16" , I think). Would this be about right.
And if they were used without the plate what do you think the appropriate spacing should be. Any and all help is invited.
To elaborate further, I plan to use the cylinder magnets that NittanyLion suggests, but I also have 30+ 3/8 inch diameter disks that I want to use in 2 pairs per setting. Based on the S&L Totally Hidden Uncoupler, should there be a required spacing ( front to back) if I do not use the enhancer plate?
I also plan to use the "hinged" Uncoupler approach on the mainlines. One problem may be the depth of the mounting for the hinge. My base is half-inch ply with 3/4 inch foam on top-hinge mounted to the plywood. This will require elevating the magnets about an inch and a quarte about the hinge's horizontal position that could cause a clearance problem as the hinge is raised into place.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Construction onthe Colorado Central has slowed for engineering support.
OK, I'm, sold!
My shipment of a few cylinder magnets (1/8" X 3/8") from K&J Magnetics arrived and I literally just popped them in for a quick test. Just as NITTANYLION has been telling us, they work just fine. Why would we doubt?
So, I just drilled six little holes with a 1/8" drill on either side of the rails (inside) as shown by the OP's diag. ....pushed the magnets in (not even a dab of glue yet) and tested with the cars. Works just fine. I will add a drop of glue to hold them down, although the size of the magnets seems just right. Strong enough to always open the coupler, but not so strong they pop out of the roadbed onto the axles or anything, just being held at this time by friction in their little holes. My road bed is ballasted.
They are as good or better than the Kadee over the tie magnets that I had been forced to consider because of lack of forethought in laying track without putting uncouplers below. And the cost is less ....$2.16 per site compared to $3.50 for a single Kadee. I think I may use 8 per site just to be less fussy with my old eyes and positioning.
But the best thing is that they can be so easily hidden by a little more ballast, unlike the Kadees that have to pass for asphalt level crossings or some such thing.
Anyone like me who wants to start uncoupling but didn't consider it so seriously in the building stage.......try this. Thanks to NITTANYLION again!
(Of course it is compelling me to reset any carelessly set coupler pins and sloppy coupler installations in 260 cars and 125 locos. I find about 10% need redoing......not too bad, and I am finally at the stage of layout building to consider this task a priority. Gotta love the whisker couplers! Need to order a few more of those too.)
For those interested in the Totally Hidden Uncoupler System from S & L Enterprises mentioned earlier in this thread, one source of these is M.B. Klein which sell them at a discount. There is also a review article by Phil Scandura in the Sept. 2007 issue of Model Railroad News, p.67, which does an excellent job of describing how to configure these units. Additional magnets and plates can be ordered directly from the manufacturer
I plan to use these uncouplers on my N-scale layout on tracks not easily reached from the aisles.
Bob
All N down one rail, all S down the other. Takes a bit of trial and error to get them all right.
Of course, it never occurred to me until just now that I could have put a dot on them with a sharpie when they were all in one big long chain right out of the baggie they came in...
Yes, you can tell when they arrive attached N to S which pole is which (or at least which are opposites). I just gave each a little notch on one end with file in case paint rubbed off when handling. I have ordered 160 for about 20 uncoupling sites....so a lot of notching/painting to come.
I found that trying to cover them at tie-height level with a little ballast did not really work well. I think I will drop some ballast glue down on them and then dab with grey paint as suggested elsewhere in this thread for an easier cover-up.
taildisk Mark You will have to replace any wheelsets with steel axles with non-magnetic axles. The steel weight inside your cars may also get attracted to strong magnets. Rob
No you won't.
Use the N42 grade (strength) magnets as suggested. I see no appreciable attraction or pull back on car axles. I don't know about the N52 strength. It is listed as about 20% stronger.
Your post about the uncoupling do dad made me think of the tube of Lee Valley Tools rare earth button magnets I have. They do hold on tight as you say. The thing is, I bought something like 24 of them for about 5 bucks. Now all I would have to do to make some from scratch is to go get some 1/16 inch flat iron and cut it to the right length. Lets see that would make the cost about $10 bucks for 12.... Hmmm now all need to know is how long is the metal bar?
Choo Choo Willie
CDN Dennis
Modeling the HO scale something or other RR in the shadow of the Canadian Rockies Alberta, Canada