TheRailwire
General Discussion => N and Z Scales => Topic started by: shark_jj on November 28, 2014, 04:01:24 PM
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Has anyone found any magnetic uncoupling options for Atlas Code 55. I have been manually uncoupling cars, but was interested in going back to magnetic uncoupling is some areas that were set back from the front of the fascia. I know there are electro magnets, but that didn't really interest me.
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MT used to make separate between-the-rails magnets that required cutting the ties out, and, on code 55, would probably need part of the roadbed removed. They also used to make an under-the-track magnet that should work fine. Cut a hole in the roadbed, put the magnet in it, then lay and ballast the track.
A HO scale magnet under code 55 might be strong enough to work, but I haven't tried it.
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These work for me. They are a little fussy to adjust, but you don't have to remove any ties. Worked better than the M/T magnets for me. YMMV.
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/S-L-Enterprises-N-1-Totally-Hidden-Uncoupler-p/sle-1.htm
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I use a pair of these per each uncoupling spot from K&J Magnetics:
https://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=BX081
I cut out a square inch from the cork roadbed and place a pair side-by-side, then cover with a square of styrene. Works great, better than the MTL uncoupler and it's hidden.
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Bryan, excuse my lack of knowledge of magnetics, but why do you require two, side by side. I understood magnets have a N pole and an S Pole, and the gladhand is drawn to the side by the magnetic field, so why wouldn't just one work?
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Because the gladhand is NOT magnetized, so one magnet off-center would pull both couplers to the same side. One magnetic pole directly under the track would pull the couplers straight down. You need a North on one side, a South on the other, and a dead spot in between, so that one coupler goes to each side.
Two of the same polarity, one on each side, would work, but only if the magnets are above the track, with the couplers between them. At least one company makes a manual uncoupler that works just that way, with a small magnet on each side of a two-pronged fork, which is inserted between the cars.
If one could see the magnetic field, a standard uncoupling magnet would have the "field lines" horizontal above the center of the track, bending around and down to enter the ends at each pole. The gladhands are pulled along the field lines, one to each end, whichever is closest to that gladhand. Basically the magnet is a standard bar magnet, like the little "stick" magnets kids used to play with, but stretched sideways, so the ends of the stick become the long edges of the magnet. Picture this as a cross section of the uncoupling magnet, cut across the tracks.
(http://www.leifiphysik.de/sites/default/files/medien/magnetmodell02_magnetfeld_gru.gif)
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I think the magnetic field arrangement in Bryan's magnets is different than depicted above. The diagram on the K&J site looks like this:
(https://www.kjmagnetics.com/fea/block16.000000.png)
where the orientation is such that the track rails would run in and out of the page, roughly above the high-field (red) regions. A ferromagnetic metal (like a trip pin) is attracted to regions of higher field strength (more closely spaced field lines), so a trip pin that was initially left of center would move further left and vice versa. A magnet arranged like you showed would also work, since the field lines converge towards each pole, but the trip pin is not following the field line themselves, like an electric charge would in an electric field.
These rare-earth magnets from K&J are great. I bet some of them are strong enough to derail a car with truck-mounted couplers. :lol:
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That's definitely the magnetic field diagram for one if the K&J magnets. But David's diagram is accurate for my solution. K&J doesn't have a 1/16th inch thick one-square-inch magnet with the poles in the proper orientation for N scale magnetic uncoupling, but the desired orientation is achieved by using two 1" x 1/2" x1/16" magnets with the poles on the long thin edge, side-by-side.
And yes, they make magnets strong enough to pull cars off the rails. I started with 1/8" thick and they were too powerful. As it is, the 1/16" thick magnets have to be buried 1/16" below the bottom of the ties to prevent cars with steel weights from being held in place.
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thanks everyone, that is great information. I will get some of these magnetics and give them a try.
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Here is how I understand the magnetic poles need to be aligned for the magnetic uncoupling to work.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/30/2700-100822122925-300121749.png)
Since the magnetic field is weak between the poles (in the center of the magnet), the trip pins are attracted to the poles. I can't visualize how Bryan uses 2 magnets.
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End-to-end with the poles oriented in the same direction, essentially making a 1/2" x 2" magnet. 1" is too small a target for reliable uncoupling.
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Here is how I understand the magnetic poles need to be aligned for the magnetic uncoupling to work.
(http://i1068.photobucket.com/albums/u449/peteski7/Railwire/MagneticUncouplers_zps1251e907.png)
Since the magnetic field is weak between the poles (in the center of the magnet), the trip pins are attracted to the poles. I can't visualize how Bryan uses 2 magnets.
Exactly the way you have it on the right, if you envision your red and blue to each be a 1" x ½" magnet. The two magnets attract each other, and the N/S poles at the joint are negated.
End-to-end with the poles oriented in the same direction, essentially making a 1/2" x 2" magnet. 1" is too small a target for reliable uncoupling.
I tried 1/2" wide, it wasn't reliable. The 1" x 1" magnet works perfectly, especially given that the K&J magnets are far more powerful than the magnets MTL uses for their above-ties uncoupler.
I'm using them mostly for motive-power changes on New Haven passenger consists. But I also prefer the shorter magnets for delayed uncoupling. Two-inch-long magnets make it more difficult to manipulate shorter cars (such as 33' twin hoppers) without additional uncouplings between adjacent cars.
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OK, gotcha.
... Two-inch-long magnets make it more difficult to manipulate shorter cars (such as 33' twin hoppers) without additional uncouplings between adjacent cars.
Interesting. I always have issues "hitting" the magnets. It could be that I'm not all that disciplined (yet) about making sure the couplers are working smoothly, and they need a little bit of bumping around to move.
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Thanks for the explanation Bryan - now I get it.
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So..... how do the Micro Trains between the rails magnets work? Since it appears to be a single magnet. are they actually two magnets in one-?
Thanks,
Wolf
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We use little circular magnets in between the rails on a number of layouts around me. In HO, they'll use 2 to 4. I figured when the time came, if I were to use them, I'd probably setup 2. These things are pretty small and there was a sidebar about them in a layout in GMR 2015. Here's a link to the uncoupling mechanism video of said layout:
It shows it in action but the sidebar has more information on it.
Phil
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I went out today and bought some rare earth magnets to test them. I bought some that were 1" by 1" and some that were 1/2" by 1/2". I first tried the 1" by 1" as that would replicate the two magnets that Brian described. Didn't uncouple the cars. I then put the two 1/2" by 1/2" together making a magnet that was 1/2" by 1". The 1" dimension was placed at 90 degrees to the rail. This worked exceedingly well. I don't quite understand why the 1' by 1' didn't work, maybe somebody with a better understanding of magnetics could explain it. The test also demonstrated two other factors to me. One Brian is absolutely correct about placing the magnets 1/16" inch below the rails. These are strong magnets. I covered the magnets with a strip of 1/16" styrene and it didn't affect their performance whatsoever and leveled out the track. Second, I had one car which kept uncoupling when I was pulling the cars through the magnet as if I was leaving the siding. Upon examination I discovered that the gladhand on that car was marginally lower than the other three I was testing. Looks like I will have to add another test to my car standards to ensure that the gladhands are all at the requisite height. (i.e. not just rail clearance).
PS: I really appreciate all the insights that the rest of you have been sharing.
John
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I don't quite understand why the 1' by 1' didn't work, maybe somebody with a better understanding of magnetics could explain it.
If you have two 1x1" magnets, see which edge they attract each other on, and place that edge under the rails. You probably had the poles aligned along the axis of the track. You may find that they are too strong though.
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Wolf: At the atomic level, all magnets are "many in one". If you cut a magnet halfway between the N and S poles you get two magnets, each with N and S poles, not a N piece and an S piece. MT's magnets are made just like Peteski's pictures. If you place two of them side by side, N to S, you end up with a single double-width magnet, with N and S poles on opposite sides, and a neutral area in between, just like the original magnets.
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They are single magnets - it is the North and South poles that attract the uncoupling pins to the corresponding sides. I was also confused about 2 magnets but Bryan explained that if you put 2 magnets together (so their poles attract) then become a single larger magnet (and act just like the stock MT uncoupling magnets).
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I went out today and bought some rare earth magnets to test them. I bought some that were 1" by 1" and some that were 1/2" by 1/2". I first tried the 1" by 1" as that would replicate the two magnets that Brian described. Didn't uncouple the cars. I then put the two 1/2" by 1/2" together making a magnet that was 1/2" by 1". The 1" dimension was placed at 90 degrees to the rail. This worked exceedingly well. I don't quite understand why the 1' by 1' didn't work, maybe somebody with a better understanding of magnetics could explain it. The test also demonstrated two other factors to me. One Brian is absolutely correct about placing the magnets 1/16" inch below the rails. These are strong magnets. I covered the magnets with a strip of 1/16" styrene and it didn't affect their performance whatsoever and leveled out the track. Second, I had one car which kept uncoupling when I was pulling the cars through the magnet as if I was leaving the siding. Upon examination I discovered that the gladhand on that car was marginally lower than the other three I was testing. Looks like I will have to add another test to my car standards to ensure that the gladhands are all at the requisite height. (i.e. not just rail clearance).
PS: I really appreciate all the insights that the rest of you have been sharing.
John, you also can lower the magnet away from the track more than 1/16". I settled on that distance because it is easy to cut a square in the 1/8" cork roadbed, push the magnet down to the bottom and cover it with an .060" thick square of styrene. But as you mentioned, Earth magnets are powerful and would still affect the couplers if lowered slightly more.
Also, regarding your 1"x1" magnet, it may be that the poles were not on the narrow edges. They could have been on the large flat surfaces. That was another issue I encountered with the K&J magnets, making sure I acquired not only the proper dimensions but also the proper pole orientation. Fortunately, they have the specs for each magnet posted on their website.
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I covered the magnets with a strip of 1/16" styrene and it didn't affect their performance whatsoever and leveled out the track.
Just to make things clear, styrene does not affect magnetic field. But the distance will (the farther away you are from the magnet, the weaker the field).
As far as determining the pole location, long time ago I bought a piece of "magnetic paper" which clearly shows the magnetic field. I don't recall where I got mine but it is still available. Unfortunately the one source I found is in UK. http://www.grand-illusions.com/acatalog/Magnetic_Field_Paper.html (http://www.grand-illusions.com/acatalog/Magnetic_Field_Paper.html) But I'm sure with some digging around you could find a local source. This stuff is really handy for seeing the invisible. :)
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There's always Wooly Willie!
(http://jocksandstilettojill.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/WOOLY_0020_WILLY.jpeg)
(Apparently there is also Designer Beaver, ages 18+... :facepalm:)
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You used to be able to buy cheap compasses in toy stores. They weren't much good for navigating, but worked wonders telling which end was which on a magnet.
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I am reminded of an uncoupling tool that was used back in my HO years (decades ago)
it was a handle with an upside down "U" on one end
on each leg of the upside down "U" there was a magnet
it worked by hand placing the upside down "U" portion between the cars at the place of the couplers
the magnets would do their job and then the tool was simply lifted away
it was 0-5-0 portable, and IIRC correctly, very reliable
one could be easily made, be it from styrene or wood or other plastic
just a thought....fwiw
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Gary: That's the one I was thinking of early. I remember seeing it advertized, but have never seen it in real life. I've never used magnetic uncoupling, so haven't thought much about how to do it. I did buy a KD (pre MT) uncoupling track in my teenage years, and put it into my test track. It worked, but when the entire layout is only a foot wide, so did manual uncoupling, and hands are cheaper than magnets!
That magnet is around here someplace, but I have no idea where. We have an HO one on the refrigerator, but it came from a piece of track I found in the vacant lot next door!
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Brian, I wanted to pick your brain a little further. I have been experimenting with two flat magnets which are 3/4 by 3/4. When installed this creates a magnet which is 1.5 inches by 3/4 inches with the 1.5 inch dimension being at 90 degrees to the track. Cars uncouple fine. The problem I continue to have is when I go to pull cars from the siding. The first three cars come out fine at slow speed but the fourth car uncouples as it cross the magnet. I have tried different combinations of cars but the problem remains. I know that you stated you were using 1/2 by 1/2 inch magnets, and I wonder if this reduces the strength of the magnetic field sufficiently to alleviate this problem. Can you tell me if you have experienced anything similar.
Two other points of note: If I add another layer of cork so that the track is now 3/16's above the magnet, the problem is resolved, ie the cars still uncouple when stopped on the magnet but don't uncouple when pulled across it. This would strongly indicate that the magnet is too strong for what I am trying to achieve. Second point is that I am using truck mounted micro trains couplers. I notice that by the time I reach the fourth car in a string, the tension is gone and I am getting some backward and forward movement in the car. This movement contributes to the cars ability to uncouple.
I realize that a simple solution would be to lower the magnets into the benchwork, however, this is a retrofit scenario and lifting track and cork to router out holes 3/16 inches deep would be a pain in the $#@. If I know that you are not encountering the same problem, then, I will move away from my local supplier and try the KJ Magnetics that you recommended.
Appreciate any info that you can provide.
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Shark_jj you have hit on the biggest problem with permanent magnets, as soon as there is slack between the cars they open.
There has been lots of discussions around solving the problem:
1 - Eliminate the slack by using a wheel retaining spring on each car (that's the other little spring MT supplies in the build your own couplers)
2 - Hinge the magnet so that you have to swing it up when you want to uncouple -
3 - Electro magnets.
What you describe is known as the slinky effect. [:(] the curse of N scale since KayDee started making N scale couplers.
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3 - Use an electromagnet. :)
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3 - Use an electromagnet. :)
I was editing my note to include
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Brian, I wanted to pick your brain a little further. I have been experimenting with two flat magnets which are 3/4 by 3/4. When installed this creates a magnet which is 1.5 inches by 3/4 inches with the 1.5 inch dimension being at 90 degrees to the track. Cars uncouple fine. The problem I continue to have is when I go to pull cars from the siding. The first three cars come out fine at slow speed but the fourth car uncouples as it cross the magnet. I have tried different combinations of cars but the problem remains. I know that you stated you were using 1/2 by 1/2 inch magnets, and I wonder if this reduces the strength of the magnetic field sufficiently to alleviate this problem. Can you tell me if you have experienced anything similar.
Two other points of note: If I add another layer of cork so that the track is now 3/16's above the magnet, the problem is resolved, ie the cars still uncouple when stopped on the magnet but don't uncouple when pulled across it. This would strongly indicate that the magnet is too strong for what I am trying to achieve. Second point is that I am using truck mounted micro trains couplers. I notice that by the time I reach the fourth car in a string, the tension is gone and I am getting some backward and forward movement in the car. This movement contributes to the cars ability to uncouple.
I realize that a simple solution would be to lower the magnets into the benchwork, however, this is a retrofit scenario and lifting track and cork to router out holes 3/16 inches deep would be a pain in the $#@. If I know that you are not encountering the same problem, then, I will move away from my local supplier and try the KJ Magnetics that you recommended.
Appreciate any info that you can provide.
That's why I went with the 1/8" thick magnets and made the footprint as small as possible along with keeping the functionality reliable. You didn't say how thick your magnets are, but try to go as thin as you can. That gives you some more leeway.
MTL couplers were a fantastic invention nearly 50 years ago, but that damn oscillating spring can be a nuisance. The original-design 1023 has the best visible profile of all the MTL couplers, but the spring is behind the pivot post which causes these exact problems. The truck-mounted couplers are designed similarly. I strongly recommend installing body-mounted couplers using the 1015 or 1016 (or the 2001/2004 or 2019 for low-mount) as they have the spring in front of the post, and installing FVM or BLMA metal wheels in the MTL (or other manufacturer brands of plastic) trucks. There is no oscillation pulling a freight consist when the springs are in front of the post, and having the axle points and truck frames being dis-similar materials generates less friction than the MTL wheels. I also add one MTL axle retaining spring on all my cabooses, which would not apply in this scenario but helps overall. Try these equipment modifications before ripping your magnets out, and I believe you will eliminate your unwanted uncoupling.
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Brian, you are confirming what I expected that the problem lies in the couplers. I am going to try another strength of magnetic to see if that offers a solution. I have found a scientific supply company only 30 miles away from me (Indigo.com) that supplies Universities and Government Agencies and stocks rare earth magnets. They are in Waterloo, Ontario, so I don't have to worry about Customs, etc, I have ordered 12.5mm by 12.5mm by 1mm (1/2in by 1/2in by 1/16in). I have also order 25mm by 12.5 mm by 2.5 mm (1inch by 1/2in by 1/8in). Checking the specs the Field Strength (Gauss Rating) of my current magnets is 1151. The 12.5 mm squares is 926 and the 1 in by 1/2 in is 1791. Based on the ratings I am assuming that the large magnets will have the same problem, but since that size worked for you, I am willing to give it a try. The 1/2 inch square magnet is weaker, so it will be interesting to see if it still uncouples the cars, but allows them to roll over top of it without uncoupling.
I understand your point about body mounting the couplers, however, I am currently building a medium size layout 14X20 with 98 turnouts, so I have to be very careful in prioritizing tasks that need to be done if I am to make progress. Putting body mounts on around 600 freight cars is down the list.
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Make sure the poles on those 1/16" magnets are on the long edges (and not the short edges or the faces) before buying. But yes, that should weaken the field enough to prevent coupler oscillation from causing unwanted uncouplings.
All of your freight equipment is MTL? Because all other manufacturers' equipment with operating knuckle couplers either uses a design without springs, or uses the MTL design with the spring in front of the pivot post. So this only is an issue with MTL truck-mount-coupler equipment.
Also, on those 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/16 magnets (provided the poles are in the proper locations), you should be able to create a 4x4 arrangement for an overall 1 x 1 x 1/16, which increases the footprint to a more workable area. MTL between-the-rails magnets are at least 2 inches long, which I think is excessive. A 1" footprint is adequate.
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good suggestions Brian, I hadn't really looked at other car types, I had just grabbed four available cars from the layout and they were MT's. I experimented again with four Atlas Cars with metal wheels, and then a combination of Atlas and ESM X58's. It was interesting to see the effect the magnet has on the metal wheels. With four Atlas cars, the uncoupling interestingly takes place on the first car, and the last three pull through ok, but you definitely see the effect of the metal wheels. By adding an ESM car to the front of the consist with 3 Atlas cars I don't encounter this uncoupling. Not sure what all of this means, as it is a pretty small sampling and nothing has been done to the cars, they are right out of the box. I expect to receive the new magnets in the next couple of days, and it will be interesting to see if a slightly weaker magnet makes a difference. Once I receive the new magnets I'll test again and let you know what I find.
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good suggestions Brian, I hadn't really looked at other car types, I had just grabbed four available cars from the layout and they were MT's. I experimented again with four Atlas Cars with metal wheels, and then a combination of Atlas and ESM X58's. It was interesting to see the effect the magnet has on the metal wheels. With four Atlas cars, the uncoupling interestingly takes place on the first car, and the last three pull through ok, but you definitely see the effect of the metal wheels. By adding an ESM car to the front of the consist with 3 Atlas cars I don't encounter this uncoupling. Not sure what all of this means, as it is a pretty small sampling and nothing has been done to the cars, they are right out of the box. I expect to receive the new magnets in the next couple of days, and it will be interesting to see if a slightly weaker magnet makes a difference. Once I receive the new magnets I'll test again and let you know what I find.
The automatic magnetic coupling problem has a lot of variables, and IMHO you would be well advised to eliminate some of these variables initially at least; in particular:
1) Stick with MT couplers only, until you get things working. Then if you must, experiment with adding additional types to your working setup, one at a time.
2) Avoid using cars with ferrous materials in them, as these will introduce disruptive lateral accelerations near uncoupling magnets. For example, the new Fox Valley horizontal ribbed box cars have a steel weight, and the new Atlas PS-1s have steel in the wheelsets.. If you must use these cars, then replace the offending weights / wheelsets with non-ferrous equivalents. For wheelsets, I have successfully used MT plastic, and Fox Valley metal (which are non-ferrous).
3) Adjust your equipment, one engine/car at a time, and test each piece on a test setup. The test setup should be a section of track, with uncoupling magnet, at eye level, under bright lighting. Then you can examine any malfunctions under magnification, and see exactly what is happening.
4) Note that the newer MT coupler designs (aka "RDA") has/had a flaw which may inhibit reliable uncoupling. It certainly does using their under-track #308 uncoupling magnet, which I use on my layout. See my post on this issue in the following thread (starts with "As additional input..."): https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=26118.msg264373#msg264373
Mark H.
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Exactly the way you have it on the right, if you envision your red and blue to each be a 1" x ½" magnet. The two magnets attract each other, and the N/S poles at the joint are negated.
I tried 1/2" wide, it wasn't reliable. The 1" x 1" magnet works perfectly, especially given that the K&J magnets are far more powerful than the magnets MTL uses for their above-ties uncoupler.
I'm using them mostly for motive-power changes on New Haven passenger consists. But I also prefer the shorter magnets for delayed uncoupling. Two-inch-long magnets make it more difficult to manipulate shorter cars (such as 33' twin hoppers) without additional uncouplings between adjacent cars.
I'm trying this - with the same K&S magnets, and having a lot of trouble getting it to work well. The magnets are under the ties, and further recessed by 1/16" of styrene. I'm using it in a freight classification yard.
The magnets are strong enough to pull cars to them just on the basis of attracting the trip pins (no steel axles or screws). Some cars uncouple every time they are pulled over the magnets, others have more trouble - it seems to be based on coupler style, but something else as well. I can't get MT 1027 to uncouple hardly at all, for example. It seems unrelated to car type.
Before I go further (like bury the magnets in ballast, I thought I'd ask for help.
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Part of the problem is that many of today's trucks roll much more freely than those 40+ years ago. Back then, the drag from the axles in the sideframes would keep the car from being pulled into the magnet. Today's cars can be pulled quite a distance.
They'll also find grades where the track was thought to be level!
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I'm trying this - with the same K&S magnets, and having a lot of trouble getting it to work well. The magnets are under the ties, and further recessed by 1/16" of styrene. I'm using it in a freight classification yard.
The magnets are strong enough to pull cars to them just on the basis of attracting the trip pins (no steel axles or screws). Some cars uncouple every time they are pulled over the magnets, others have more trouble - it seems to be based on coupler style, but something else as well. I can't get MT 1027 to uncouple hardly at all, for example. It seems unrelated to car type.
Before I go further (like bury the magnets in ballast, I thought I'd ask for help.
I've modified my procedure since 2014. I get more consistency using K&J Magnetics part# BX081 (1" x 1/2" x 1/16") and locating them adjacent to the track rather than directly underneath. I place one magnet on each side of the track parallel to the rails, buried 1/8" down and covered with a 1" x 1/2" x .060" piece of styrene to make it level with the cork top. I haven't had any issues with any style of coupler, KD/MTL or otherwise.
It's also easier to remove or relocate the magnets when they are adjacent to the track rather than underneath it.
And, as Mark suggested four years ago, swap out any steel wheels, screws or weights for brass or zinc equivalents. The magnets are strong enough to stop cars, even buried in the cork off to the side.
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It might be the orientation of the magnets.
See this https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=45101.0 (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=45101.0)
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Also true. When I get a batch of magnets in, I test one beforehand to confirm which face must be facing up and then use a Sharpie to mark each top face with a “T” so they are installed in the proper orientation.
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Now that we have had the discussion about how hard it is to find the "right" configuration of permanent magnets to reliably uncouple and reliably not uncouple cars with various coupler types, does somebody have some detailed guidance on how to make electromagnetic uncouplers? I understand the basics, but would like some guidance on how many turns of what gauge wire to use with what power supply to get an uncoupler that will reliably uncouple cars without catching fire or blowing the power supply.
I know there is a commercial version that was available, but those are out-of-production and expensive, compared to a home-grown approach.
It should not be difficult to make one with some magnet wire and some bolts and pieces of steel strap from the hardware store, if we have a good design to use. The commercial version seems overly complex to install, with its ends "needing" to protrude through the roadbed. I would think that it should be as simple as making an electromagnet that mimics one of the under-ties permanent magnets that has been shown to work here. Just make some coupler slack and push a button when you want to uncouple, and pull the train across without pushing the button when you want the train to not uncouple. Seems a lot easier to make and install some of these than to replace all of those non-MTL couplers, ferrous parts, and MTL couplers with the springs on the wrong side of the pivot pin.
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I don't know if there's one that can be built small enough to drop in easily and powerful enough if it is small. Pretty sure also that it would have to be installed under the track rather than adjacent. I like the option of being able to install (or remove) hidden magnets anywhere along the right-of-way without disturbing the track.
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An alternative to electromagnetic uncouplers: permanent magnet uncouplers that drop out:
(http://davidksmith.com/modeling/images/misc/uncoupler_02.gif)
From: http://davidksmith.com/modeling/article-3.htm
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I've modified my procedure since 2014. I get more consistency using K&J Magnetics part# BX081 (1" x 1/2" x 1/16") and locating them adjacent to the track rather than directly underneath. I place one magnet on each side of the track parallel to the rails, buried 1/8" down and covered with a 1" x 1/2" x .060" piece of styrene to make it level with the cork top. I haven't had any issues with any style of coupler, KD/MTL or otherwise.
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I just tried this variation - it's definitely better. I've come to the conclusion that part of my problem is also inconsistency in coupler trip pins.
Thanks.
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Glad that the revised placement is working for you. One thing I haven't tried, now that the magnets are on the sides, is a magnet narrower than 1/2" so that it doesn't affect neighboring tracks. This isn't an issue with industry sidings, but in yard areas it might be. I am not at the point where I have to worry about it, but eventually I will experiment further.
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Glad that the revised placement is working for you. One thing I haven't tried, now that the magnets are on the sides, is a magnet narrower than 1/2" so that it doesn't affect neighboring tracks. This isn't an issue with industry sidings, but in yard areas it might be. I am not at the point where I have to worry about it, but eventually I will experiment further.
In my yard (1 1/4" spaced tracks) the 1/2" magnet is just far enough from the adjacent track that it doesn't seem to bother anything.
However, there isn't enough room to put uncouplers on two adjacent tracks right next to each other. If I had a 5/8" or so wide magnet one could work for both tracks....
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An alternative to electromagnetic uncouplers: permanent magnet uncouplers that drop out:
(http://davidksmith.com/modeling/images/misc/uncoupler_02.gif)
From: http://davidksmith.com/modeling/article-3.htm
That's basically what I did on my mainline (not yard or sidings), except that the actuating wire is replaced by a reach-under retaining toggle. It is very easy to use.
However, I never needed to use them because I had my MT couplers adjusted to reduce the "slinky effect" using a MT truck restraining spring on each car. Now that I am contemplating switching from Shinohara code 70 to ME code 55, and from MT "pizza cutters" to MT "standard" reduced-flange wheels, this may change.
MH
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MT used to make separate between-the-rails magnets that required cutting the ties out, and, on code 55, would probably need part of the roadbed removed. They also used to make an under-the-track magnet that should work fine. Cut a hole in the roadbed, put the magnet in it, then lay and ballast the track.
A HO scale magnet under code 55 might be strong enough to work, but I haven't tried it.
We still do :)
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In my yard (1 1/4" spaced tracks) the 1/2" magnet is just far enough from the adjacent track that it doesn't seem to bother anything.
However, there isn't enough room to put uncouplers on two adjacent tracks right next to each other. If I had a 5/8" or so wide magnet one could work for both tracks....
K&J probably manufacturers one of that width, you just have to make sure you choose the one where the poles are in the correct orientation in relation to how you want to place it.