Why am I thinking of the joke John Allen pulled with magnets in the end on two freight cars. It was intended to frustrate operators by not letting them uncouple. It was better when they repulsed though. He would advise the operator to corner the car on a siding so it would not get away. When they passed one another they would always derail.
RR_Mel rrinker I'd like to see how the brakes work when a strong magnet car rolls over a kadee uncoupler... --Randy Randy I haven’t taken a picture after applying the brakes, but it does happen. I’ve had it derail a pair of 2½ pound E7s. I push my magnet toting flat car at a creep and even then it can cause havoc. The Kadee couplers are pretty good, I use the 118 Shelf Couplers on my E7s and haven’t broken one yet. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
rrinker I'd like to see how the brakes work when a strong magnet car rolls over a kadee uncoupler... --Randy
I'd like to see how the brakes work when a strong magnet car rolls over a kadee uncoupler...
--Randy
I have Kadees take the long plunge to the poured concrete canyon floor and not be damaged - there's a reason i use only real kadees in everything. Conversely, I've had new, still sealed P2K locos, when still Life Like, and they used those horrible plastic couplers, come out of the box with a broken coupler. I just recently picked up a pair of box cars with the new Proto-Max metal couplers but I haven't even taken them out of the box yet. Supposed to be pretty good - but I'll probably swap for Kadees.
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
The old Alinco magnets in open frame motors loosing thier strength was a known issue back when these were new. Pittman and others advertised Remagnitizing services in old issues of Model Railroad and RMC way back when. There just was not another option for the magnets back then. These new magnets will restore the power those old motors really have. Most better quality ones will run smooth and quiet, with plenty of torque for slow speed crawling or starting heavy trains. The motor will also run cooler and not foul the communtator as quickly with a healthy magnet. Do this service to the motor, isolate the other motor brush and your ready to DCC it. Mike the Aspie
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
I don't use magnetic uncouplers so a magnet car wouldn;t cause problems for me.
Just don't ask Gerry Leone how to pronounce neodymium
graymatter I descovered a safer way to 'pole push' a frieght car on an adjaecent track. ... More details on video, This is a locomotive with an open frame motor that has neodymium magnets. The problem is these powerful magnets stacked up in the electric motor attrack ANY metal laying around the track, nails and screws and rolling stock with metal plates. The locomotive can pull or crawl up a grade without stalling. Traction is the limiting factor for the 4-6-2 on a grade.
I descovered a safer way to 'pole push' a frieght car on an adjaecent track.
...
More details on video, This is a locomotive with an open frame motor that has neodymium magnets. The problem is these powerful magnets stacked up in the electric motor attrack ANY metal laying around the track, nails and screws and rolling stock with metal plates. The locomotive can pull or crawl up a grade without stalling. Traction is the limiting factor for the 4-6-2 on a grade.
I've been replacing magnets in Bowser and Mantua Steam loco kits with neodymium "supermagnets." I haven't had that happen to me yet, but I should probably experiment.
I have had them suck up nails, screws, and a spare Kadee coupler or two while working on the loco on my bench...
Gary
gmpullman....No, you weren't off at all. Often, new "rare-earth" magnets will give an old Pittman or other open frame motor a new lease on life...
A friend gave me the brass locomotive, pictured below, because it wouldn't pull enough cars...
After replacing the magnets in the open-frame motor, I added some weight to both loco and tender, and gave it a new paint job. Next time the friend visited, I stage a run-past with the loco easily dragging 20 cars of various rolling qualities and generally heavier-than-recommended weights. He was stunned, but declined my offer to return the locomotive to him, as he had already found a replacement (which I later modified in a similar manner).
Wayne
BNSF UP and others modeler Soooo... you made a stronger motor using neodymium magnets? Oh, whoops, I was way off.
Soooo... you made a stronger motor using neodymium magnets?
Oh, whoops, I was way off.
No, you weren't off at all. Often, new "rare-earth" magnets will give an old Pittman or other open frame motor a new lease on life:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/p/265702/3002771.aspx
My reply was in regards to the stronger magnets picking up stray bits off the roadbed, where a pick-up car can help mitigate the amount of ferrous debris left behind on the R-of-W.
Cheers, Ed
I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.
graymatterThe problem is these powerful magnets stacked up in the electric motor attrack ANY metal laying around the track, nails and screws and rolling stock with metal plates.
I followed the example of RR Mel and built a magnetic pick-up car. I was amazed at how much ferrous rubble it has picked up! Better here than in speakers and motors!
IMG_7270_fix by Edmund, on Flickr
IMG_7268_fix by Edmund, on Flickr
Thanks for sharing!
Ed
Still working on a way to turn it off.
Good thing I built a test track first
Thomas J Simpson