rrebell"Why has no on has developed a working uncoupling lever in HO".
Probably because no one has developed a working HO scale brakeman.
Wayne
The only example I've seen was built on a Sergent coupler that had a hole drilled through the top and an eyelet glued to the magnetic ball that locks the knuckle in place.
riogrande5761 rrebell The title says it all! I think if it were practical to do it in HO, it would have been done by now. HO is probably too small for something like this. But since you posted the topic, lets hear why you think it should be possible and show us how/why?
rrebell The title says it all!
The title says it all!
I think if it were practical to do it in HO, it would have been done by now. HO is probably too small for something like this.
But since you posted the topic, lets hear why you think it should be possible and show us how/why?
Sergent Engineering is close enough
Dean
30 years 1:1 Canadian Pacific.....now switching in HO
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
bogp40 The details of such a "contraption' would be grossly out of scale and clunky at best. I don't see much reliability in it's operation or unwanted uncouplimgs. DCC decoder uncoupling, maybe, but somewhat $$$
The details of such a "contraption' would be grossly out of scale and clunky at best. I don't see much reliability in it's operation or unwanted uncouplimgs. DCC decoder uncoupling, maybe, but somewhat $$$
bogp40,
Agreed 100% In addition I can't see operating any leavers between two cars with my short stubby fingers without knocking the cars off the track.
As for DCC operation I have two cars that have been converted. The coupler at the end of the car with the brake wheel is identified as #3 and the opposite end as #4 for DCC operation. How this would work with many cars so equiped is open to question. When you activate the coupler number unless every car had different nimbers every car with a 3 or 4 would open or close depending. My objection to this system is that you have to enter the number to open the coupler and then enter the loco number to back away from the car and finally enter the car number again to close the coupler and sometimes the car doesn't respond.
Magnetic delayed uncoupling imo is much better but not in all cases.
Bob
Better yet would be an operating track similar to Lionel, but
Don't Ever Give Up
HO is too small.
It's hard enough to get scale accurate operating cut levers in G scale.
Matt from Anaheim, CA and Bayfield, COClick Here for my model train photo website
Train Modeler bogp40 The details of such a "contraption' would be grossly out of scale and clunky at best. I don't see much reliability in it's operation or unwanted uncouplimgs. DCC decoder uncoupling, maybe, but somewhat $$$ YES,YES,YES--DCC uncoupling. I have with MTH loco and have looked at adding by building myself. There is one company that will convert a car for you, but it needs space. Some ideas with music wire too. Kadee has them for the bigger scales I think. If so, would be nice if they did for HO. Richard
YES,YES,YES--DCC uncoupling. I have with MTH loco and have looked at adding by building myself. There is one company that will convert a car for you, but it needs space. Some ideas with music wire too. Kadee has them for the bigger scales I think. If so, would be nice if they did for HO.
Richard
Would you not have to put them on every car!
I know when having an OPs Session - the car that needs set out isn't the one behind the engine - so that means EVERY CAR would need working couplers on each end as not having them on both ends - my luck would be two cars with the auto uncouplers on the other end!
Really sounds like a O Scale TOY project - as I could sure spend the money trying to equip my 1200 car roster some place else!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Actually, people HAVE had working cut levers in HO, and there's no reason you can't add them. For the old X2F coupler, they were wires that were inserted into the coupler shank, brought out to the end of the sill and bent to appropriate shape, operated by squeezing the ends together. For Kadees, you have to convince the fake hose to turn, which requires some kind of operating lever at the coupler.
Several dog's ages ago I had a friend who used the old Devore 'just about scale' couplers. He fitted a few of his cars with 'just like the prototype' cut levers, linked to the top of the trip pin. Rotating the trip pin handle pulled the trip pin upward and released the knuckle. It was normally operated by raising a ramp between the rails. (The Devore couplers could be disabled by a large dust mote. Next time I encountered my friend, he had switched to Kadee K's)
The one thing all of these systems have/had in common is a need for precise forming of tiny moving parts made from, in most cases, rather flimsy materials. They would not stand up to rough handling.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with Kadee couplers and magnetic uncoupling)
I'm sure somebody has, probably while working on his MMR certificate, but I doubt it would be viable for mass-produced commercial production.
Dan
Just like we finally had to do at our Club
EVERYONE was coming up with ideas - but expected the Oldheads to do all of the work!
We soon corrected that idea - If you came up with and idea - You were the Committee Chair!
Welcome Aboard!
When do we see the design concept? ;-)