11-23-2010, 11:01 AM
faraway Wrote:Gary, unfortunately LAJ and PHL both run without cabs. But I think about a wire under the trucks of the cars pressing on the axis like some pickups do. That might be an easy soft break. That would also improve coupling of single cars. They have a tendency to roll away when they are softly hit for coupling.
The additional engine power should be no problem with a max train length of five cars (2 * (engine + 5 cars) is the length of the pier warehouse).
btw. I will use under the track uncouplers in stub tracks and electric uncouplers in other tracks when I do the next rebuild of the southyard (old part). I really get used to uncouplers in the north yard (new part under construction) after I adjusted some misaligned couplers.
A couple of techniques I use instead of electromagnets:
1) Mount the under-the-ties uncoupler on a hinge or a push-pull slide. This allows the magnet to be moved enough where it won't uncouple until I am ready to move it into place. It doesn't really take much movement sideways, and a 45 degree drop is also plenty to prevent unwanted uncouplings.
2) Use cylindrical rare earth magnets (I use 1/8" diameter x 3/8" long) mounted in opposite pairs vertically flush with the top of the ties. These have a fairly limited gathering range along the rails unless you install several pairs down the rails. And with nothing under the track center, steel axles and weights are not affected much. The downside of a single pair of rare earth magnets is that fairly accurate spotting (within an inch) is required for uncoupling. The upside is the easy installation (two 1/8" holes), out of sight unless you mark the position, and much cheaper than Kadee magnets.
The rare earth magnets won't totally prevent unwanted uncouplings - depending on the situation where they are mounted - but the slack has to occur within plus/minus 1/2" of the magnet location for uncoupling to occur. If mounted on a downgrade or similar situation, you are likely to have slack regardless.
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W