622 Lionel Switcher

[Civil War]

I am thinking of adding a Lionel 622 bell ringing switcher to my roster. I was wondering how the couplers work. They are coil couplers but I haven't seen any flying shoes on the bottom of the frame. What operates these? Thanks

[lionelsoni]

There should be a shoe.

[Civil War]

OK, I guess I just couldn't pick it out in the picture. I'm not a big fan of shoes. Some times they catch going through a turnout and cause problems. I like this engine because I used to work in a rail yard and saw lots of similar ones to this operating. Thanks and Merry Christmas.

[martinden]

One shoe (on the non-powered truck) opens both couplers.

Martin

[ADCX Rob]

Civil War

... I'm not a big fan of shoes.

Install a horn or whistle relay in the loco to activate the couplers and you can remove the shoe, AND uncouple anywhere.

Rob

[Taranwanderer]

X2 on installing the whistle relay, and if you can find a spot, install a switch on or under the body as well so you can activate and deactivate the coil couplers as you need to, as there may be times when you want to blow a whistle but don't want the uncoupling action.  Good luck!

[lionelsoni]

Here's a trick that I use on many of my locomotives:  I designed a little circuit that charges a capacitor through a resistor from the (rectified) track voltage.  The motor field voltage turns on a transistor that discharges the capacitor through a relay coil, which operates the coupler(s).

When I operate the locomotive normally, the transistor keeps the capacitor discharged; so the couplers stay closed.  Only when I stop the locomotive in neutral with the track voltage up for several seconds can the capacitor charge.  When I next start the motor, the relay operates and the couplers open as the locomotive pulls away from the train.

[Civil War]

You guys are too much. I might just try that horn relay. I don't think I could figure out Bob's trick.

Thanks to all of you and Merry Christmas