PWRS/NARC Has Magnetic Air Lines Coming....

[JSL]

I thought someone else developed these and PWRS just bought the rights to produce them (horrible oversized ones for sure)

[mdeberg]

Personally I feel this is a big waste of time in HO and N scales.  Would rather see investment in new freight cars, advanced lighting and sound, etc... O or even G scales would be nice for this, but until pressurized air is flowing through these hoses just seems like more trouble for reliable operation in N scale.

[Chris333]

All I have to say about this is a big old YAWN.

[Erik W]

I like the idea, but I don't think I personally would partake.  I'd be curious to see normally weighted N scale cars using these.  I would think you'd have issues with single cars being pulled along briefly before the hose became uncoupled. 

I use Z scale couplers exclusively on my rolling stock and have decided that, with years of operation under my belt, on my next layout I'll just use N scale couplers with the trip pins cut off. Though I do like the look of the Z scale couplers, they don't reliably close while conducting switching maneuvers.

Erik

[Ed Kapuscinski]

If you combine these and some of the concepts in Lance Mindheim's ops book, you can seriously slow down the tempo of your operations to a much more realistic pace.

That can really extend the value of a small layout.

In that use case, I can see the price not being such a problem.

As much as I dislike PWRS's weird retail model, I have to say that this could be really cool.

[sdodge]

As much as I dislike PWRS's weird retail model, I have to say that this could be really cool.

I would like to try these out but the baggage and overhead associated with buying something from them will probably negate this.

[Scottl]

This PWRS hang up is kind of baseless (and annoying, given they bring new product to the market).  I've ordered from them, no issues.  You don't need to sign up for the Porters club if you don't want to.

I'll shut up now.  Just getting tired of the selective bashing of companies that goes on here.

[Lemosteam]

wonder if this concept could be used to transmit power between a loco and tender?

[Scottl]

Kind of a neat idea.  You could use two to MU loco power to extend the effective range of pick up, or to connect capacitors or batteries located in rolling stock to locos to prevent dirty track issues.   

All this magnet stuff has given me the solution for attaching the two halves of my 25" arch bridge.

[chicken45]

Awesome.

But... to be honest, IMO it's just a bit incongruous that this giant tree-trunk descends from the heavens to uncouple the couplers.

That's only because they didn't use a prototypical giant tree trunk in the video.
 

[RockGp40]

For this to be successful, you would need operating anglecocks too.   

Trains will be going in to emergency all the time at ops sessions. 

As much as I kind of like this, its not practical and cost prohibitive (in my opinion) for modelers.

[Ike the BN Freak]

Like most guys have said, neat idea, however I won't use it.  And for those of us with large fleets, I can't see doing this anytime soon.

[up1950s]

I wonder how many yanks till you ultimately pull a hose off and then you would have one just hanging there .

[GaryHinshaw]

I'm curious what material they're going to use for the hose in N.  It has to be flexible enough to "seek its mate" when coupling, but stiff enough to hold its shape when uncoupled (so it doesn't hang down and foul turnouts, grade crossings, etc.).  It seems like they have good solution for HO.

[Bob Bufkin]

Not really interested in this.  Looks neat but just one added expense and something that can go wrong.  My question is - a magnet has a negative and positive side.  They say it will work on either end.  Just how did this manage this as it would seem that the magnets would push away from eath other.  Curious minds just want to know.