ExactRail Boxcars
#1
Bit the bullet and bought a couple of the Evolution Series when they were on sale at the LHS. Detail on the body and printing are excellent, as are the grabs and stirrups. Definitely good products.

Now, for those of us with magnetic uncoupling, the steel weight has to be removed (which isn't all that easy) and replaced with something non-magnetic, the steel truck screws need to be replaced with brass, and unfortunately, the metal wheelsets have to be replaced because they are definitely magnetic and cause the car to do the hoochy-coochy when set out at a magnet location. :x

As an experiment, I started adding lead to the car to see if I could create some rolling friction to negate the magnetic attraction. At 6 ounces total car weight, there was only a slight indication of attraction, which was probably acceptable. At 7.5 ounces, the movement was neglible. The NMRA recommendation would be 4.5 ounces for a 50 foot car?

All in all, it's a nice car, but I don't know if I will spend the money considering that I have to dismantle them and change the weights and wheelsets. Someone uncoupling by hand wouldn't have these issues.

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#2
looks like a real nice car. It would hard to justify on my 1940's layout, but she's a looker. good luck with it.
 My other car is a locomotive, ARHS restoration crew  
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#3
That is a beautifully detailed car Gary!
Ralph
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#4
Really? I've known a lot of modelers who use the Kadee uncoupling magnets, and never have I had to or eard of them having to remove car weights, screws and metal wheels because of magnetic uncouplers to operate on their layouts. What kind of magnets are you using?
Tom Carter
Railroad Training Services
Railroad Trainers & Consultants
Stockton, CA
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#5
ExactRail is sure making some good looking cars. I've got two Nscale cars and they run well and look great.
Mark

Citation Latitude Captain
--and--
Lt Colonel, USAF (Retired)
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#6
Tom Wrote:Really? I've known a lot of modelers who use the Kadee uncoupling magnets, and never have I had to or eard of them having to remove car weights, screws and metal wheels because of magnetic uncouplers to operate on their layouts. What kind of magnets are you using?

Using Kadee 308 under-the-ties magnets. The steel weight-screw-axle/magnet issue is a well known problem documented on many model railroad forums. I would be totally surprised if the modelers you mention don't have issues with steel in their rollingstock.

If I knew how to do a video, I'd post an example.

I have a test track at my workbench, with a kadee 308 magnet undet the ties, used for adjusting and testing couplers. With the ExactRail car, when the car gets within an inch of the magnet, it lurchs forward and goes past the magnet a bit, then it races back the other direction, then forward again, then back, then settles with the truck centered over the magnet.
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#7
I did also read about the magnet problem several times. Funny thing is that I do not have any problems with my "between the rails magnets". Your "under the track" magnets must be much stronger than mine. Do you have both at hand to compare?

ps. The car wonderful!
Reinhard
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#8
I only have the under the ties magnet. It just dawned on me, but the photo above shows the magnet under the track.

I do have a bunch of Intermountain wheelsets, I changed out the exactrail wheelsets, and the issue went away. Still, it is a shame that ExactRail is using magnetic wheels. And it is the wheels, because the axles are plastic.
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#9
Gary;

I too recently purchased an Exactrail Southern Railway 50ft waffle side box car http://www.exactrail.com/index.php/produ...sou-2.html, when I found them on-line at a greatly reduced price. Outstanding model and the most detailed I've seen. Just can't justify purchasing very many of their cars at those prices!

As you said, since I do not use magnetic uncoupling I have no issues with the car - except that I need to cut off the Kadee coupler pins as it really spoils the effect of the model having scale size air hoses on it!
Ed
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"
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