Uncouplers


MLW

Active Member
On another forum, there was a good question about uncoupling magnets, the locations of it in yards etc..

Very good subject that comes back from time to time.

My reply to it, was that I used the "no-delay", under-the-roadbed KD magnets.

For me it works very well.
 
Sooooo. I posted a "how-it-work" pictorial.
Here it is for your enjoyment :) :D :p




First, the train arrive at the yard. The magnet is under the road bed about 2 inches in front of the loco.
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Next, the train stops over the designated area. You'll notice the couplers are still closed.
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The locomotive pulls ahead slowly, the knuckles are pulled apart by the magnetic field, and the car is uncoupled.
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You can really see the knuckles wide open on this shot.
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The locomotive pulls away from the magnet, and its coupler is back in its "normal" or “centered” position due to the spring in the coupler box. The boxcar knuckle will remain to one side until moved away from the magnet.
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I will do the same steps for uncoupling a boxcar halfway thru the train. After stopping over the magnet, and pulling ahead slowly, the cars are uncoupled
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By slowly backing up, the left boxcar can be used to push the uncouple one away. The boxcar couplers are not aligned due to the magnetic field and the boxcar can be "shunted" into its proper area.
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20078222343_G.JPG


I find it easier that way. It’s a simple idea that works well.


:cool:
 
HI MLW! Great photo shots of the workings. I use several of the under-the-track magnets and have a lot of fun with them. Sometimes they can be annoying, if you stop over them and not want to uncouple:eek: , but a good engineer can avoid this.;) :D
 
MLW,

I don't think I give much thought about uncoupline magnets, but I have to tell you that those pictures and your layout, well top drawer! Excellent work!
 
Ive got to figure out how to get the magnets Under the track...after its been installed.. Oh the fun of changing plans midstream, or in this case...bein dense and forgetting the uncouplers... LOL
 
Scott, if you have already ballasted then you have a problem (mess). For my roadbed, I used WS Foam and that meant I had to chisel out my plywood sub-roadbed ~1/16" to get the same height for the uncoupler. If you use foamboard sub-roadbed, then you have it much easier. You still need to loosen the track up a foot or so on both sides and lift it up some, so you can work under it. Not sure how cork measures up.;) Did you have to do this MLW?:confused:
 
Not realy, you see I started from "scratch". But I did have to "diggin" a little to make sure it was even with the foam.
 
Only one section is ballasted... and I might just have to move the uncoupler a bit..to get it out of the ballasted section.. I'm headin to my LHS to pickup a couple uncouplers tmw.. i forgot to order em from walthers friday..Oops!
 
Well I picked up all the #308 couplers my not so local LHS Had (its 70 miles one way) and had car trouble on the way back... I just finished installing all 5 un couplers - two were installed in the ballasted area.. easy enough to fix, im glad I used hot glue. Too tired now.. pics in the AM.
 
Great!

Keep us updated

Note: Hope you got your car fixed and it wasn't too much $$$
 
Its fixed. Was about 100 dollars all total.. hey with 191,000 on the odo and the first repair (outside of the usual mtnce stuff) in almost 10 years... Cant really complain

Ive got to go back and finesse the ballast a bit more..and glue it down..but
IMG_4335.JPG
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Very good, Scott. I meant to mention that don't be alarmed if some of your couplers have a problem. There are some brands that just do not work well. Besides making obvious clearance adjustments on the couplers, the easy solution is Kaddee all the way.;)
 



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