Have decided to finally get serious about building a model railroad layout but have run into the problem of scale. All other things set aside, I like the common positive aspects of both N scale and HO. I am interested in switching operations, but have only operated HO scale trains, but have not operated, nor have the oportunety to operate, N scale.
N scale operators, what are good and bad expeirences of operating model trains in N scale? Have you switched from N scale to HO, and why? Have you switched from HO scale to N, and why?
Any expierences will be helpful, as I have been debating over the two scales for years and now that I want to get down and build an actual layout I am at a stand still over this issue.
A couple of years back, I built an N scale switching layout (which I still have). While the slow speed performance, which is essential for a switching layout, was excellent, the small size did not give me the railroad feeling I wantred to have. For this reason, I am now building an On30 layout.
IMHO, N scale is best suited for running long trains through spectacular scenery, not so much for those short moves of yard work.
When I was in N Scale I would build a yard switching layout on my dining room table(I used Kato's Unitrack) and switch cars for two-three hours without derailments..I used MT couplers and magnets for uncoupling.I use Atlas locomotives equipped with their "Scale speed motor" and was able to make kiss couplings.
A word..
Guys,I'm a bachelor and can use the dining room table in such a manner..Your sufficient other may take a dim view of such things and in the name of peace and harmony did not try that.
The reason I gave up on N is because of failing eyesight and my shaky shake hands made it hard to do the simple things.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Sir MadogIMHO, N scale is best suited for running long trains through spectacular scenery, not so much for those short moves of yard work.
Ulrich,I wonder if that myth will ever die?
But then why should it since its been around as long as N Scale..
I got out of N scale just before all that nice smooth running equipment became available. I was frustrated witht he poor running of the available equipment at the time (there were a few notable exceptions, but most were out of my price range). Oh, I could run my trains for hours on end with no derailments, but slow speed without stalling? No way. I was still using the Rapido couplers, so slow speed couplings? Forget about it. Had I stuck with it a few more years, I'd probbaly still be in N scale. I'm not going to switch back now, I have enough trouble with small HO parts despite glasses, bench magnifiers, and visors. If I were 20 years younger? I think I'd switch, mainly because the equipment I desire for my era is all available now, and I could get a lot more railroad in the same space.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
BRAKIE Ulrich,I wonder if that myth will ever die?
I'm not sure it's a "myth" so much as a practical limitation for most people. While I was in the service, I was in n scale for all the normal reasons -- size, portability, etc. Since my principle interest at the time was way freight switching, my layouts were a collection of switching town modules. While I found that I could switch in N scale, there were an accumlation of little things that made it more difficult than the larger scales. As has been mentioned, slow speed control/stalling was a big part. While I am sure there will be plenty of folks who jump in to disagree, I still believe that for most modelers, this "myth" a pretty good reality. The other part was the size just didn't give the visual feeling of "working." But it did visually provide a good represetation of the long train rolling through the country side.
Soon as I had a permanent location, I went back to HO, and would go to O if I could find the room. If I became more interested in long train running, I would go back to N.
jmbjmb - that´s exactly what I wanted to say. The new generation of N scale locos perform quite well, providing your track is immaculately clean. But how many times have I derailed a car while trying to uncouple it with a skewer - I don´t want to count it! Another issue is viewing angle. N scale layouts have to be brought up close to eye level and also very close to one´s nose. I did that with my layout, but still N scale did not give me the feeling of operating the real thing. On30 does now, especially with a subwoofer underneath the roadbed...
Just a pic from my N scale layout (which I still have):
As far as I am concern its still a myth.
Today's N Scale one can easily switch cars at scale speed thanks to Atlas Scale Speed Motor which is gives smooth operation at slower speeds..
Of course most people can't even switch HO or even O Scale cars without issues so,to those souls maybe not switching cars in any scale is better?
What is not a myth today's N Scale can equal any HO operation including local work using CC/WB.
I model in HO, but have operated on a number of N scale layouts. N is fine for running through trains. I will admit I don't care for switching operations in N. Coupling and uncoupling in larger scales is sufficiently friendlier to operators that it can make a big difference in enjoyment. I prefer manual uncoupling wherever it's realistic to do so, something that doesn't work nearly as well for me in N due to the size and mass of the equipment. Maybe it's lack of experience with the smaller scale, although I will note that I travel to operate layouts all over, and there are very few "serious" operating layouts in N, a far smaller percentage than the overall proportion of N scalers in the hobby. Consider why that might be.
Rob Spangler
I have been in N scale for more years than I wish to admit. The new DCC ready locomotives run at scale speed and crrep great. As stated you can make 'kiss" couplings. As far as manually uncoupling goes, I use skewers. You just have be patient and jerk the couplesr apart. An N scale car will derail if jerked, even when weighted to NMRA recommended weight standards. Good scenery is the key to gettingthe right perspective with N scale. I have had small layouts when I was single, but now I have a large layout in the basement. I can easily run 20-25 car trains. I even have a hump yard in the center peninsula and 4 smaller yards for serving other areas on the layout. Industrial switching will be a big part of operations since I have a large steel mill and a othe rindustries to service.
Ira
I have built an N scale layout and operated it, switching cars, making up trains, etc. I did it totaly using under track magnets and Micro-Trains couplers. (308's cut in half) You have to really plan ahead to do it that way. All cars had to have their couplers tweeked to work well with them. Because I built the layout, I was fine with it. However, when I had a friend or two over to operate, they didn't understand how to uncoulple and spot cars, and had a hard time learning. It was very reliable, but you have to pay attention to the details when setting it up.
I did switch to HO. The N scale layout was getting old and was starting to require too much maintenance to keep it running well. It was built in the 1980's with the technology of that time. And then along came DCC sound. So that, and the age of the N scale layout were the key factors for changing scales to HO. I only put in a few magnets in hard to reach places, and use skewers for most of the uncoupling. I have operating sessions about once a month and like it better than operating with N scale.
I am also in an N scale club environment and we are going to use round toothpicks as skewers for uncoupling, but there are lots of problems with the cars derailing when uncoupling this way. There has to be an answer somewhere, but we haven't found it yet.
Am I glad I switched to HO? YES.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
BRAKIE As far as I am concern its still a myth.
Yes, but that's you Larry. That's not a lot of others. And myths tend to be collective endeavors. I'm sure there are people who agree with you for the reasons you've stated, but I think there are lots of others who don't think it's a myth at all.
BRAKIE Today's N Scale one can easily switch cars at scale speed thanks to Atlas Scale Speed Motor which is gives smooth operation at slower speeds..
I don't know much about what's available in N, but is the Atlas motor something that will retrofit other locos? Because limiting oneself to Atlas won't work if you need, say, Tunnel Motors
BRAKIE Of course most people can't even switch HO or even O Scale cars without issues so,to those souls maybe not switching cars in any scale is better?
You know my operators, too?
Just kidding. But the laws of physics and biology will pretty much always tend to mean that the smaller in scale, the greater the issues with carhandling. It's not N, but my HOn3 rolling stock gives some fits, close enough. Then there are my dual gauge idler cars, which despite having cast metal frames and undersides packed with more weight, are still hard to keep from derailing. They're just small and light..almost makes me wish for a little DU.
BRAKIE What is not a myth today's N Scale can equal any HO operation including local work using CC/WB.
OK, I'll buy that. It can. But for a lot of folks, it doesn't. On the other hand, HO can do that and for far more people. Again, it has as much to do with how the laws of physics scale up or down geometrically, although operator skill does make some contribution.
Fundamentally, saying that N works better for wide-open scenery really isn't even in the same ballpark as CC/WB. They are two distinct topics, not a situation where if one loses, the other gains. People who want massive scenic effects have goals with their layout that are very different from what CC/WB does. There could be some overlap, but there doesn't need to be.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I'm in HO and have been for almost 45 years...but I would go scale 'O' (2 rail) if I were in much better condition for time, space, and finances. I dabbled in N scale about 30 or so years ago when quality had a lot to be desired, and even though I was much younger then I still had problems with it being too small. I traded off the N scale I had, for an HO deal.
Mark H
Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history.
mlehmanYes, but that's you Larry. That's not a lot of others. And myths tend to be collective endeavors. I'm sure there are people who agree with you for the reasons you've stated, but I think there are lots of others who don't think it's a myth at all.
Mike,Every time a question comes up about N Scale operation many HO guys jump in that has no real experience with N except maybe their brief try back in the dark ages.
I was in N Scale as of two years ago so,I'm pretty fresh on today's N Scale operation.A use of a N Scale magnet is all you need and MT couplers will do what they was designed to do just like the KD coupler.
But, how about manual uncoupling?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ONh0Ay4Lac
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPJdy0nD5Dk
One of my N engines..Note the magnet.
"An ounce of experiment beats a ton of opinion" (Myself, in numerous oher threads.)
Acquire a minimum number of cars and a single locomotive in each scale - you can even borrow them from friends.
Get just enough track components to build equivalent switching problems (the infamous John Allen 'Timesaver' or something similar.)
Operate both (buildings can be simulated with cracker boxes signed with Post-Its.)
One will be more satisfying than the other. Problem solved.
In my case, the solution will also have to take questionable eyesight, arthritis and general decreptitude into account. For all three, HO is more forgiving than N, and On30 would be more forgiving than either. One thing's a certainty. None of us will get any younger.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in 1:80 scale)
I have operated on both N and HO layouts. Realistic operations are entirely possible in N -- I should mention that the layouts I operated on used Kadee couplers not the old Rapidos -- but I would say that a car forwarding or switchlist system that does not depend on being able to read car numbers on the cars probably makes sense in N. Even in HO some car numbers are very hard to read.
Some car card systems used in many scales have been augmented with color photos of the model car for easier identification. Perhaps that would help in situations where the operator might have to guess at the car number.
The main thing about enjoyable operations in any scale is smooth running equipment, good track, and a lack of electrical glitches. The N scale equipment on the home layout and club layout I operated on ran very well.
Dave Nelson
BRAKIEMike,Every time a question comes up about N Scale operation many HO guys jump in that has no real experience with N except maybe their brief try back in the dark ages. I was in N Scale as of two years ago so,I'm pretty fresh on today's N Scale operation.A use of a N Scale magnet is all you need and MT couplers will do what they was designed to do just like the KD coupler. But, how about manual uncoupling?
Magnets? I suspect they work about as well in N as in HO. For my money, not worth the trouble in most cases. I have a total of four of those things in the lower deck to facilitate switching without having to dig back in there with hand uncoupling -- and mostly that's what happens anyway. Sure, I could spend the time fiddling with getting things exactly right so the magnets would work -- mostly -- but it would be a never ending battle on a layout this size.
Then there is the dual gauge issue, where magents just are practially unworkable.
I'm not saying N isn't capable of pretty much everything that HO is. It's just that there's a narrower group of folks who want to deal with the hassles. Those folks are perfectly happy with it. For the rest of us, why be frustrated -- move to something that the frustration level is considerably lower and matched to our rougher -- and at least in my case -- deteriorating hand-eye coordination and motor skills required with N.
Me? I got stuck right in between HO and N as far as my comfort level with HOn3. Not a problem for me, but it is for many of my ops, all of who are HO standard guage modelers. That said, I am among those who desperately wish that Kadee would bring out a state of the art coupler to replace the old and very long in tooth 714. A drop in replacement for the 714 would sell like hotcakes and greatly improve the operating experience.
So my issue with N really isn't that I don't think some users operate quite well on it. In fact, I can see reason to improve what I run, I'm not saying it's better than N. It's just that more of the people, more of the time, can get comfortable operating in something larger than N. People should try a scale out, no matter what it is, before making a major commitment to it.
BerkshireSteamHave you switched from N scale to HO, and why?
What I didn't like was the scale 3" around hand rails. The models have gotten a lot better since I abandon the scale, but still not where I want it to be. Had I been able to add scale 3/4" hand rails in N-scale and not break them by breathing on them I would probably still be modeling N-scale.
I'm not concerned over detail and scaleability versus the two scales, just operations. For me the detail level of N scale is perfectly fine, as I tend to follow the idea of 'good enough' (I think it was Tony Koester who wrote about the concept in MR). I have seen some N scale layouts on the net, and today at the Tittle Town Train Show, that had amazing detail for as small as N scale is.
When I first became interested in the hobby around 2008/9 I was in an even smaller apartment (share a house now with close friends) so I really got into N scale. After a while I found about the local model railroad club who models in HO so I started getting more into HO (side note: even if I choose N scale I will still dable in HO, there are just some engines I would prefer in a larger more detailed scale, like ATSF's CF-7's), the sound availability also sucked me in, but I still can't seem to turn my back and forget about N scale. Out of all my model stuff one of my favorite pieces is an N scale Kato SD70ACe UP/MP heratige unit. I also plan to collect the NS heratige units that I want in N scale over HO.
But non the less, thank you all for adding to the discussion.
mlehmanMagnets? I suspect they work about as well in N as in HO. For my money, not worth the trouble in most cases. I have a total of four of those things in the lower deck to facilitate switching without having to dig back in there with hand uncoupling -- and mostly that's what happens anyway. Sure, I could spend the time fiddling with getting things exactly right so the magnets would work -- mostly -- but it would be a never ending battle on a layout this size.
Mike,I perfer hands free uncoupling that's what I love about KD couplers..There is no real hassles in using magnets and with today's highly detailed cars in HO or N I would not want to use manual uncoupling.
N Scale is the #2 scale but,I suspect you already know that..I suspect you and many others may not know there is a lot of old geezers in N. Eyeglasses can work wonders.N Scale has two excellent magazines and did you know N has a lot of locomotive kitbashing and scratchbuilding? That's the hidden side HO modelers does not see.
HO ready stands for Horribly Oversize according to the N Scalers and in some ways I agree..I have less room on my HO ISL and was force to use Walthers background industry buildings.It was that or no layout.
Make no mistake wasn't for my shakey shake hands I would still be in N..I would learn to wear my glasses while working on N.
BRAKIEMike,I perfer hands free uncoupling that's what I love about KD couplers..There is no real hassles in using magnets and with today's highly detailed cars in HO or N I would not want to use manual uncoupling. N Scale is the #2 scale but,I suspect you already know that..I suspect you and many others may not know there is a lot of old geezers in N. Eyeglasses can work wonders.N Scale has two excellent magazines and did you know N has a lot of locomotive kitbashing and scratchbuilding? That's the hidden side HO modelers does not see.
I'd have a preference for hands-free uncoupling, too...if I wanted to make that a priority among other things. To do that, I would need to:
* Add about 200 magnets to the layout
* Ooops, subtract about 80 for the dual gauge track where the magnets won't work
* Adhere to a rigid set of standards where the couplers on every car that goes on the layout is rigorously inspected for better than acceptable performance, which in every other respect ordinarily doesn't need to be done
* Ensure that multiple operators write up uncoupling problems and note the specific car and location (when I have trouble with them just holding onto the rest of their paperwork)
* Then there's HOn3 714 couplers on the narrowgauge equipment, which really aren't designed for delayed, magnetic uncoupling (but which can do so IF they are manually set to do it)
* Train those same operators in the art of using the Kadees together with the magnets
* Put up with unintended uncouplings caused by standing on a magent
Now those may not be hassles to some folks, but they are to me. I wouldn't say hands free coupling/uncoupling is a myth, but it does reflect a pretty good marketing effort by Kadee/M-T over the years. Yes, it does work -- if you choose to make a commitment to making it work: see above.
Finally, if hand-uncoupling is good enough for the prototype, it's good enough for me.
True, I speaking from HO experience here. But you and I both know it's not going to be any better with N and most likely not as good for most people. Yes, I'm aware that some older folks have very few issues of aging that interfere with operations. I'm not one of them and I suspect many other aren't either. More power to you if that's not an issue, although you note that's why you transitioned back to HO.
Given I'm familiar with the sadomasochistic sport of Nn3, I am aware that people scratchbuild and a lot of other hand's on work in N. And there used to be a few people who trained fleas to perform in tiny circuses...a very few
Mike,I suppose my standards are higher in many areas such as smooth operating couplers,derailment free operation,smooth track work,smooth rolling wheels-the basics some find annoying to do.
N Scale like HOn3 lacks a lot of common locomotives so they're scratch built or kit bash and by more then a few flea trainers.
A study of N Scale through N Scale Magazine and N Scale Railroading would show that.
When this type of discussion comes up many jump in without a real clue except what they been told or perhaps was a dabbler in N way back in the Jurassic age of N Scale and they put forth outdated information or perhaps decades old myths that has been around since the Jurassic age of N..
Larry,
I think you think this is one of those black-and-white answers where everything is clear. That's just not the case, there are a boatload of shades of gray here, which every operator needs to explore on their own with an open mind about the possibilities and limitations.
BRAKIEI suppose my standards are higher in many areas such as smooth operating couplers,derailment free operation,smooth track work,smooth rolling wheels-the basics some find annoying to do.
You can have all that, which I pretty much do, and still have plenty of issues with using magnets for uncoupling. Eveything else will work fine within a certain range of tolerances. For hands free uncoupling, everything has to be pretty much spot on, with little or no tolerance for anything being too high or too low. If hands free uncoupling is your goal, then the time spent doing that is well spent, in fact, must be spent.
I've found you'd probably double or triple the time spent on maintenance and adjustments to try for hands free uncoopling. In other words, the first 90% is all easy, low hanging fruit and pretty basic to how the car otherwise operates all across the layout. Getting that last 10% is the hard, time-consuming part and really has little to nothing to do with anything but coupling/uncoupling with the magnets. To me, it's not worth the trade-off to be able to demonstrate a model railroad parlor card trick that the prototype doesn't even do.
True again my experience is all in HO. But we both know it's not any easier in N, in fact, likely requires an even fussier approach. But to return to the OP's original point, it's not really a dealbreaker in going to HO vs N...unless you do want to pursue hands free uncoupling as near or at the top of your list of priorities. Yes, you can do it either scale and, yes, you may find it equally frustrating in both, too.
Maybe you would agree that you shouldn't pick HO over N thinking it'll make hands free uncoupling a snap -- because it won't? It's simply an issue that is not really scale-dependent -- or at least it can be equally frustrating in either scale.
mlehmanMaybe you would agree that you shouldn't pick HO over N thinking it'll make hands free uncoupling a snap -- because it won't? It's simply an issue that is not really scale-dependent -- or at least it can be equally frustrating in either scale.
Absolutely.Both scale couplers need to be mounted correctly and then fine tuned and that's not all that hard-remember when in doubt read the instructions and follow same.
IMHO magnets is one of the simple things "experts" has muddled up over the years.I'm not sure if they lack the skills in fine turning KD and MT couplers,can't afford magnets or they own or have stock in a bamboo skewer company.
Now like I mention before times I have used a small phillips head screw driver to uncouple cars but,as I got older(wiser perhaps?) I decided I was doing the work KD couplers are meant to do so,I bought and installed some magnets and never looked back.I also tried KD's uncoupling/spring tool and wasn't please with the results-I use the fool thing for replacing springs.
BTW..At one time I consider Sergent couplers but,thought that would be to much like being a brakeman again.
While I have run on a number of layouts using Kadee Magnets (and they worked very well) I was stuck uncoupling where the Owner decided I needed to uncouple the cars at!
Not where I wanted to!!
This made for a lot more work on my part and ended up uncoupling the cars by hand anyway
And then if I slowed the train the least little bit the cars would uncouple as the Couplers would ALWAYS be on top of the magnet!
I decided then and there I would NEVER use Magnets on my home layout and subject my Operators to the fustrations I ran into on those other layouts and the magnet problems stated above!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
cmrproductsAnd then if I slowed the train the least little bit the cars would uncouple as the Couplers would ALWAYS be on top of the magnet!
Sounds like magnet overkill by bad planing..Even on my switching layouts I have no such issues of unwanted uncoupling due to being stopped--unless I stop over a magnet so I could uncouple the cars and that's on a 1' x 10 switching layout..
Regardless I find the magnet uncoupling suits my needs and works as designed.
Every club I know of in this area uses magnets since magnets lessens the chance of damaging the cars.
Hmm, well I don't have to worry about other operators. Magnets are okay but the couplers have to be really set up properly, which for a club that has a few hundred cars and more always coming in, I can understand how it would be hard to keep up on it and make sure very car on the layout has new couplers with good springs and proper pin height. They layout also provided the Kadee hand held magnet uncouplers but those are the worst things ever, could never get them to uncouple correctoy. Eventually I just started uncoupling by hand but this was tiring and bought a Kadee uncoupling pick. It took a while to get it down but when I did it was the best method of uncoupling, for me at least. Then I lost the pick. Forogt it one weekend at the club and by the time I got back to the club a week later, well, you know. This was all HO experience by the way.
I have a few of the N magazine issues mentioned, of both magazines. The first time I started to back away from N scale was because of structures being neglected, and it's still sort of true. Just recieved the Walthers flyer today and now they have a Merchants Row V, which looks great, and a new beverage distribution warehouse, but of course are both in HO and doubt full they will be put in N (well, maybe the Merchants Row). I have built a couple of kits and enjoyed it, but no scratch building, weathering, detailing, etc. etc.
Berkshire,
The way you asked the question was a good one. I think we've gotten off on tangents about what some prefer, although the explanations why they do like things a certain way are probably helpful. Because it is essentially about figuring out what you'll find most enjoyable.
Couplers are a necessary evil. You gotta have them. If they couple and uncouple when I want them to, that's all I need. The hands free aspect is interesting, although I don't recall ever damaging a car by manually uncoupling it. Maybe they used this kind of pick?
In any case, once you figure out whether you prefer N or HO, then you design the layout without worrying about magnets, but with attention to facilitating hand uncoupling. That will not only include track planning, but attention to the structures and scenery where you have to reach in. In my case, I have to be careful about anticipating too much reach as I'm over six foot, while several of my operators are not too far past five foot.
I've also noted the relative dearth of structures in N. On the other hand, I scratchbuild many of mine and would likely do that in N, too, if that was the case. In some sense, it would be easier, since you really don't need the level of detail to create a good impression as you do in HO. This is not to say that you can't do crazy levels of detail, just that you don't need to when the mind is filling in a lot of the details if you frame the picture right with your modeling.
Then there's the whole getting old thing. It sure beats the alternative, though... You know better than anyone how folks age in your family. It is something to consider. Realistically, a lot of folks build their nice big layout and then switch to a different scale in retirement that adjusts to the new lifestyle that many end up with. Sure, there's the traditional moving up to a larger scale, still a dependable solution if you do like to scratchbuild. But there are lots of folks who go in the other direction because they move to a smaller abode and swap down in size to squeeze in the amount of railroading they like to have. I could see giving 40 years to a layout and then doing something different, although I have no intent to do so at the present. You never know what life will bring you in the long run.
BerkshireSteamThe first time I started to back away from N scale was because of structures being neglected, and it's still sort of true. Just recieved the Walthers flyer today and now they have a Merchants Row V, which looks great, and a new beverage distribution warehouse, but of course are both in HO and doubt full they will be put in N (well, maybe the Merchants Row). I have built a couple of kits and enjoyed it, but no scratch building, weathering, detailing, etc. etc.
Absolutely..N Scale for most parts seems to be the forgotten redheaded stepchild that gets left out of the overall production schedules and that's why there's a lot of scratchbuilding and kit bashing in N.
We dumped X2F couplers because you had to manually uncouple them-the X2F was a good coupler when properly mounted and I'm not talking truck mounted like train set cars and when KD started to become popular in the 60s we couldn't toss the X2F fast enough for the KD's magnetic and delayed uncoupling.
Enter the "experts" that first complain how unrealistic the magnets was and they should be buried under the ties,then after several articles on how to bury the magnets OOPS! How ya going to remember where they are? More articles on marking the location of the magnet. Enter another "expert" that introduce the bamboo skewer for manual uncoupling-we just return to the old X2F uncoupling method.
Fellas,Here's my personal wacky nonstandard and against the grain thought.
We pay top dollar for our highly detailed cars and locomotives and then pay for bulk packages of KD couplers only to use a round stick to uncouple them like we did with the X2F.
Did we do a 180 and return to the Jurassic age of uncoupling cars?
I don't see where fine tuning a KD or MT coupler is that hard or time consuming since it gives far better performance.
I make no claims to being an "expert" -- whatever that means. I'm just relating my experiences and the choices I made because of them. You often seem to discount both the experience and opinions of others. I simply consider that everyone has different goals and preferences in what they do and how they spend their time. You want hands free uncoupling. I don't have a problem with that and I even can understand why you have that prefernce.
That may not be what every other model railroader under the sun wants. I find there's no need to disparage the preferences of others in stating my own. Maybe have a litlle fun with them, but certainly not to insist that they must be foolish for doing it their way.
As for getting rid of the X2F, the biggest factor for me was it just didn't look like a coupler. And the magnets just don't look like anything you'd see between the rails 1:1. The X2F was pretty unreliable, too, but maybe my loose approach to maintenance did me in with those? It sure wasn't worth the trouble to try to make them work was my conclusion in switching to Kadees. The Kadees did all I wanted them to, so hands free uncoupling was beside the point for me. They still do that pretty much all the time, so I am content.