Many months ago I ordered both MicroTrains products; the above track "delayed uncoupler", and the permanent "under track" uncoupler. The under track product was out of stock so I never received it. But I did try to make the above track product work but I didn't like it because it looked like a road crossing where the magnet filled in the area between the rails and sat on top of the ties. I also couldn't get it to uncouple reliably. It would work once in a while, but I'd have to make 3 or 4 attempts at backing up and going forward to get it to uncouple. I also had to bend the copper coupling bars down lower and lower to make it uncouple until I started scraping on the magnet itself. Basically, I thought the magnet was just not strong enough.
I read several forum discussions about people using "rare earth" type magnets and mounting them under the track by themselves. So, I found a rare earth supplier on the web, ordered an assortment of shapes and sizes, played around with mounting them on a test piece of blue foam and track, and came up with a combination that I could get to work every time. The hardest part was moving the magnets around so it wouldn't accidentally uncouple my cars when crawling forward over the magnets. Crawling forward very slowly, you'll notice the cars kind of bounce around from the coupler springs. That bouncing back and forth motion is very similar to backing up and going forward. So adjusting the sensitivty of the magnetic forces wasn't easy.
Anyway, I purchased my magnets from a website called National Imports out of Virginia. The web address I ordered from was: http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com.
Their company website is listed as http://www.nationalimports.com
I found placing two (2) .5" by .5" by .125" square blocks on end under my Atlas Code 55 flex track with two (2) .125" diameter by .5" long rods on the sides of the track works the best.
Their prices were not too bad. The rods were about $6 for a package of 10 magnets and the flat squares were around $8 for a package of 20 magnets. So, for a single uncoupler installation, you're looking at around $1.20 + .80 = $2.00 (not including shipping costs). About the same price as the MicroTrains product - but at least you know these will work.
. . . . || <-- .25" dia. x .5" long rods (one on each side of rails)
. . . . ||
======================
. . ===== <--(two) .5" x .5" x .125" thick sq. (on edge, side by side)
. . =====
====================== <-- rails
. . . . ||
. . . . ||
Sorry for the criptic sketch, but it's the best I could do. It's too difficult (at least for me it is :oops: ) to figure out how to paste something from MS Paintbrush or a sketch drawn in MS Word. I have some photos of my installation and was planning on writing a small article for Nscale.net.
Anyway, I'm not saying it's a piece of cake to install the magnets, but once you've got it right and white glued in the magnets, they work flawlessly. I've got 3 permanent undertrack installations completed and they all work the same - very reliably.
The advantage to the rare-earth magnets is they are very powerful. So be careful, they can pinch your fingers if you're not careful. :shock: But this means you don't have to be right beside the the tracks to make them work.
Hope this helped. :lol:
Ryan
Rare-Earth Magnet Uncouplers that Work
Re:Rare-Earth Magnet Uncouplers that Work
Ryan;
I have a question. Does it matter which pole of the round magnets face the track? :?: I would like to see a photo of the installation if possible.
Can you also give the dimensions the magnets are from the rails, how far apart are the square magnets under the track - are they right below the ties or can they be put below the cork roadbed? Sorry, but I have lots of dumb questions since I agree that the MTL magnets don't work reliably and cannot go in the main line without causing ocassional mishaps. If you make a drawing in Paint (or some other program, would you please PM me?
Thank you,
Tom Mann.
Re:Rare-Earth Magnet Uncouplers that Work
Sorry Tommann,
I don't have a drawing yet. But will soon. Too answer your questions, I placed the thin square magnets just below the plastic ties. I can't remember how far below the ties would work, because I was only interested in making sure they worked beneath, not if they could go below the cork. You'll have to experiment with it and post a thread on what you find.
As far as the round magnets, the pole will be oriented so you have to work hard at keeping them from attaching to the metal rails. As far as distance from the rails, I cut slots in my blue foam base so they are just beyond the end of the plastic ties. I also tried to angle them up due to the slope of the cork, or in my case, I used the Woodland Scenic's black foam base. I basically cut the slot partially into the black foam base.
I used pieces of folded paper to help position the magnets and when I thought I had everything just about right with a few test runs with some cars, I white glued them in place.
What I found was the center squares are necessary because they cause the copper coupler bars to repell from the magnets. This works by itself, but I believe I convinced myself that with the rods on the sides, it helped pull the copper wires apart. Like I said, this is what I've found has worked best for my 3 installations, thus far. I'm sure if you experiment with magnet placement you may find even a better or more reliable arrangement. But so far, (after proper adjustment of my coupler bars), I can crawl forward over the magnets without accidentally uncoupling about 99% of the time (just grabbing a number out of the air) and can uncouple every car in my modest collection of 3 locos and about 30 cars by backing up about 99.9% of the time (meaning I don't have to physically touch a car). Granted, on some of my car couplers it may take me two or three tries, but I still don't have to touch them. I believe the reason for taking multiple attempts is because the square magnets are only 1/2" wide, so there's not really a big target to shoot for in judging your reversing point. It's only going to get harder for me once I finish the scenery and have to plant a special bush to mark the location.
Good luck, and let us know how your installations work out.
Ryan
Re:Rare-Earth Magnet Uncouplers that Work
Hey Tommann,
I quickly ran out and snapped a photo of one of my installations and posted on my Gallery, on page 3, titled Ferndale-Cherry Point Railway.
Note that I had already layed my track and glued it to my form base when I discovered the MicroTrain magnets weren't going to cut it for me. So, I had to cut through my plastic ties in order to install the square magnets. I plan on removing the remaining tie ends and sliding new plastic ties under the rail and glueing them down to cover the center magnets. Once I ballast the tracks, the magnets will be hidden. As far as the two rods, I'll just ballast over these. 8)
Ryan
Re:Rare-Earth Magnet Uncouplers that Work
In yards I yse Micro-Trains, no problems.
On mainline I use Level 37 neo dot magnets .250" OD x .070" H. Glue 1 directly under each rail with CA cement so that they attract each other. Mark uncoupler location with Signal, Tree, etc. It takes precision to hit them but they never uncouple by accident. :lol:
I get mine neo dots from Wizzard HO in Bedford PA, part # MHP05, 814-623-7482
Re:Rare-Earth Magnet Uncouplers that Work
I've been experimenting with the 1/8 in Radioshack rare earth magnets (64-1895). I superglued one under each rail as sechapman suggested and they seem to work pretty well. If the pin is too low they sometimes stick to them but I'm still experimenting. I think they're 2.39/pair.
Re:Rare-Earth Magnet Uncouplers that Work
tjschwartz wrote:
I assume you are talking about these?
Radio shack website:
http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=radioshack%20rare%20earth%20magnetsI've been experimenting with the 1/8 in Radioshack rare earth magnets (64-1895). I superglued one under each rail as sechapman suggested and they seem to work pretty well. If the pin is too low they sometimes stick to them but I'm still experimenting. I think they're 2.39/pair.
Re:Rare-Earth Magnet Uncouplers that Work
tjschwartz wrote:
when you say under each rail, are you removing the ties/plastic there - so under the actual rail? or under the tie below the rail?I've been experimenting with the 1/8 in Radioshack rare earth magnets (64-1895). I superglued one under each rail as sechapman suggested and they seem to work pretty well. If the pin is too low they sometimes stick to them but I'm still experimenting. I think they're 2.39/pair.
Re:Rare-Earth Magnet Uncouplers that Work
Re:Rare-Earth Magnet Uncouplers that Work
Joined: 2005-02-09