Just realised how it is almost impossible to undo the hook and loop couplings on my roco 4 wheeled wagons on my exhibition layout
Any advice welcome how I can avoid the hand from the sky
If you are looking to doing remote uncoupling, then the usual method is to have a loop only at one end of each wagon and use magnets or electromagnets to raise the loop. How you alter the loop to make it do this depends on the type of coupling. Sorry if that sounds a bit vague.
If you use the Greenwich couplings then all you need is magnets, but as Hugh mentioned, better to have a wagon with a loop on one hand only.
You can do the same with the Paul Windle couplings.
Peco couplings are suitable if you add a small length of iron wire attached to the loop (soldering is best)
Never tried the Bachmann couplings but suspect you can do the same as the Peco couplings.
The round Greenwich magnets are ideal, just need to drill a hole and sink the magnets.
Stan.
If you use permanent magnets and have rolling stock with steel axles then you can get a staccato motion as the axles pass over the magnet.
Also some rolling stock incorporate steel ballast plates to the same effect.
I am currently experimenting with electromagnets to avoid this problem.
I use a ramp built into the track to uncouple the loop and pin (Bemo/Egger/Roco/Liliput/Minitrains) couplings on our layouts.
I have used the Peco ramps with manual opperation, as well as home made ramps with electric solunoid opperation.
You have to adjust every coupling to exactly the correct height and correctly adjust how far the ramps go up, but once this is done the system works very well indeed enabling full shuntting opperations in exhibition conditions.
This does however need you to pre-plan where you want to uncouple and incorporate the ramps as you are building the layout.
You will also find that the couplings do not couple up on curves, so again this needs to be planned into the layout so that any sections of track where you intend to couple are stright, or nearly so.
Brian Meldon
Dear Tom,
I ordered some 20 hoops from ROCO as spares for the little trucks, 30 or so years ago, when I didn't know about magnetic uncoupling.
Now I use piano wire to make hoops to operate with magnets (and Greenwich couplings). I struggled with ramps derailing the very light trucks, as the axles are very close to the ramp because of the small wheel diameter and there is no easy way to adjust the push-up force.
The problem with magnetic uncoupler is you need non-magnetic axles and wheels, otherwise the trucks are 'clamped by the magnets.
I also found it easier to adjust magnetic field strength on mechanically moved permanent magnets than on either solenoid uncouplers or ramps.
My 2-pennies worth
Waldschrat
I am not sure how it might help in this case but I have recently purchased 10 vibrating button motors which I intend to place under the track at certain strategic places. For instance, if a loco stalls on pointwork or stops because of bad track contact I can give one of these motors a brief pulse which I hope will kick the loco back into life. This saves the 'hand in the sky' from making an appearance.
Likewise with obstinate couplers. Should the loops become stuck when attempting to uncouple then a swift kick from the vibrator will hopefully free things up.
I havent tried it yet but it seems worth investigating.
The tiny button sized motors (intended for cell phones & pagers) cost less than
Dear Kenneth,
As an engineer 'good luck' is all I can say. :laugh:
In my book your idea is a sticky plaster, not a solution; as you say: '...might help...'.
If engines stall you have either of 2 problems to solve, electric continuity or mechanical jamming. If you apply vibration, it might help in either case, but what it certainly does is increase the problem, and cause wear and tear. The other thing that's certain is that it will work only so often; as the wear and tear do their job the underlying problem will aggravate until the vibration trick does not work anymore. ;D
With coupling hoops the issue that vibration might resolve is jamming, and vibration might help for quite a long time. However, wear and tear on axle bearings is guaranteed.
It's better to identify the root cause and fix it, i.e. correct coupling alignment and good bearing of the coupling hoop.
Just a thought from the
Waldschrat
Quote from: Kenneth Anderson on March 23, 2019, 01:35
I am not sure how it might help in this case but I have recently purchased 10 vibrating button motors which I intend to place under the track at certain strategic places. For instance, if a loco stalls on pointwork or stops because of bad track contact I can give one of these motors a brief pulse which I hope will kick the loco back into life. This saves the 'hand in the sky' from making an appearance.
Likewise with obstinate couplers. Should the loops become stuck when attempting to uncouple then a swift kick from the vibrator will hopefully free things up.
I havent tried it yet but it seems worth investigating.
The tiny button sized motors (intended for cell phones & pagers) cost less than
Before "pager motors" were readily available point solenoids (not attached to points) were sometimes used.
I built servo operated, DCC controlled uncouple ramps for my layout Die Keinnamebahn. I have an article on my blog at https://narrowgauge.retiarius.com/dcc-controlled-servo-powered-decoupling-ramp-for-009-h0e-h0m-bemorepa-couplers/ (https://narrowgauge.retiarius.com/dcc-controlled-servo-powered-decoupling-ramp-for-009-h0e-h0m-bemorepa-couplers/)