Just as an update Sergeant now offers this option!
rrebell Just as an update Sergeant now offers this option!
I couldn't find it on their web site. Can you provide a link to information on them?
Thanks
Paul
I dont see anythin either. rrebell may be confused.
Since this thread is alive again, I figured that I would post the video I found a while back. (It took me a bit of time to find it again, and this time its going to the bookmarks folder!)
https://youtu.be/c9w3185rx_g
I didn't see it on the Sergent web site either, but I did watch the video from BDD, above. Cool, but I think I'll stick with my wood skewer. Not every place I drop cars has the room for my big clumsey hand to get into and manipulate a tiny wire.
My same thoughts with the magnetic air hoses. Too much tiny stuff for me, but I do like to add details to cars and locos.
Mike.
My You Tube
There's been a perfect one around for years, super cheap too.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
It is at the bottom of their products page in the same area as the cut levers, basicaly theyt will drill the hole in the top of their coupler to accept an eyebolt to connect to a cut lever.
Is this what you're looking for? I saw this at my LHS, but at $20 MSRP and the hole you need for it? Give me a Kadee uncoupling magnet anytime!
http://rapidotrains.com/on-off-remote-coupler/#machine
Neal
No we are talking working cut levers.
rrebell It is at the bottom of their products page in the same area as the cut levers, basicaly theyt will drill the hole in the top of their coupler to accept an eyebolt to connect to a cut lever.
Well, sure, but you still need to build the rest yourself. Note that Sergent expects that you glue the lift ring and still put the ball in, so I am not sure if the hole is optimally placed for a working pin/lift ring.
If someone wanted to make a working one like in the video (I linked to above), I would suggest that you drill the hole yourself from the inside surface.
I've saw sergent couplers do this a couple years ago.
They have a ball bearing inside a tiny vertical tube. When the bearing was at the bottom it prevented the coupler from opening. But when you put a magnet over it, it PUSHED the ball bearing up which allowed the coupler to swing open whenever it was tugged out. This is not to far off from a real life coupler pin attached to a cut bar.
Quite ingenious IMHO.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
being an engineer I sat there and tried to figure out how it worked. So this is what I imagine the sergents coupler does...when the ball bearing is low it sits between the jaw pocket and a lower pocket which keeps the jaw locked in place (similar to the pin) And when it sits high the ball bearing is clear the lower hole and it easily moves.Might even work better with a cylinder pin. And it wouldn't be that hard to attach the locking pin to a platform which manually lifts the cylinder/bearing. But it would require some very precise milling and patience.
IRONROOSTER rrebell Just as an update Sergeant now offers this option! I couldn't find it on their web site. Can you provide a link to information on them? Thanks Paul
Go to the main page http://www.sergentengineering.com/ click on the "compatable shank" button and scroll all the way to the bottom. You will see he offers both bottom and top lever operated options. I use Sergents exclusively on my layout. I tried a set of top cut levers once, but my fingers are just too fumble bumble to do it.
Hobbez IRONROOSTER rrebell Just as an update Sergeant now offers this option! I couldn't find it on their web site. Can you provide a link to information on them? Thanks Paul Go to the main page http://www.sergentengineering.com/ click on the "compatable shank" button and scroll all the way to the bottom. You will see he offers both bottom and top lever operated options. I use Sergents exclusively on my layout. I tried a set of top cut levers once, but my fingers are just too fumble bumble to do it.
I want to chime in to correct a misunderstanding in this thread about the Sergent cut lever linkages. He offers etched cut lever linkages for Type E coupler to glue at the bottom of the knuckle. This is strickly a non-operating detail item.
As far as modeling top operating type E couplers, Frank Sergent has extensive instructions how to drill the top of the coupler and glue in a loop where the cut lever would go through. Click "Instructions, Etc." at http://www.sergentengineering.com/
These details DO NOT allow the cut lever to take the place of the ball bearing that functions to lock the knuckle jaw from swinging when it is in the down resting position. The magnet over the coupler draws this steel ball bearing up, away from its resting position, out of the way so the knuckle jaw can swing open.
I have hundreds of freight cars, a fleet of heavyweight passenger cars with working diaphragms, and over 12 steam locomotives with Sergents that I have assembled using their jig. I really enjoy them.
I have also communicated directly with Frank Sergent about his products, so you can imagine my surprise when someone said Frank offered a kit to make his couplers operable using a cut lever.
Not the case. If you want to do this, the video link a poster (sorry forgot who) pointed to is the only way to do this.
Before I leave this, a pointer to Sergent users. I sometimes encounter a coupler whose jaw will no stay locked when trying to couple. This is because the tiny ball bearing sometimes gets stuck in the "up" position. To get it to work, just place the magnetic wand under the two couplers being joined to draw the ball back down.
Joel
Modeling the C&O New River Subdivision circa 1949 for the fun of it!