Hello All,
As a child I remember transferring magnetism from a magnet to a ferrous piece of metal by rubbing one against another.
I've recently added a depressed center flat car to the rolling stock of my coal pike to handle large pieces of machinery used in the mines. This car has three weights placed in the car body; one over each elevated end and one in the depressed section.
I have Kadee between the rails uncouplers (magnets).
After running this car I've noticed that it hesitates when it passes over the uncoupler magnet.
The clearance between the belly of the car and the uncoupling magnet is about 1/32-inch.
Could the car weight have become magnetized after passing over the uncoupling magnet?
Thank you for all your thoughts.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
I don't think it has anything to do at all with the steel weight becoming magnetized. I think the steel weight is just being attracted to the magnet.
It is not necessary for a steel weight to become magnitized, it will be attracted to a magnent whether magnitized or not.
Dave
You think you have a problem?
I have an entire fleet of ferrous freight cars - real tinplate (aka galvanized steel sheet stock.) They ARE attracted to Kadee magnets, which is why I use drop-down magnets on through tracks.
I have one, a four truck machinery flat, which has picked up poorly secured Kadee between-the-rails magnets and carried them off...
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
jjdamnit
I bought a couple of square feet of lead sheet on line a while ago and I use it for adding weight to anything that needs it. If you were to replace the steel weight with a lead one you would likely solve the problem. You can get the lead in a variety of thicknesses so it won't be difficult to match the thickness of the steel weight.
The only problem is the shipping cost because of the weight. Oh, and wear gloves and don't lick your fingers!
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
LION uses lead printers slugs for weight. Unfortunately letterpress printing is no more, and nobody sells such things anymore. Maybe you can find an old printer who still has slugs or has use linotype. LION taped three 6pt slugs together and glued them (silicone caulk) under the locomotives of him. Works great, can pry it off if necessary.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Thank you all for the info/suggestions.
After a little more investigation I looked up the clearance spec. for the trip-pin height of the Kadees- -It's 1/32-inch!
That puts the depressed center magnet at the correct height to be affected by the uncoupling magnet. I used the H.O.G. to push the car close to the magnet and viola! The car is drawn to the magnet and stops directly above it!
The suggestion of using a non-ferrous weight (lead) I believe is the answer. Now I just have to re-open the weight pocket and replace the steel one with a lead one.
Again, thank you for the observations and suggestions.