Dad-1's Blog

That was really interesting! I was especially impressed by your point changing apparatus!!! Kadees are something I have toyed with as an idea for avoiding the hand of God. But I like my stock to run feely, and the thought of having to put on artificial braking seems a bit odd. Do you know how other people solve the problem?

In O-scale, yes O..., I cut the magnets in half, across the middle not lengthways!  OK it doesn't eliminate wagon roll on those Delrin-frame trucks, but it helps and means the uncouplers go twice as far!

Jason

That was really interesting! I was especially impressed by your point changing apparatus!!! Kadees are something I have toyed with as an idea for avoiding the hand of God. But I like my stock to run feely, and the thought of having to put on artificial braking seems a bit odd. Do you know how other people solve the problem?

Sorry Richard,

 

I don't see how else one can retard free running stock. A friend of mine used a small shred of sponge to act

as a brake, but a brake it still is. Remember though coaches are a different animal !

 

I have reason to believe the between the rails magnets are weaker as they seem to work much closer to the

trip pins. I've not played around with them as I don't like the visual effect of something between my rails.

 

Dad-1

In O-scale, yes O..., I cut the magnets in half, across the middle not lengthways!  OK it doesn't eliminate wagon roll on those Delrin-frame trucks, but it helps and means the uncouplers go twice as far!

Jason

An interesting way of getting 2 out of a pack !

I thought '0' wouldn't have as much of a problem. Proves me wrong.

My own view is that as Buckeyes are generally non-prototypical in British use (apart from some modern AAR-fitted wagons and some coaching stock) then you may as well use tension locks, if the priority is train working and operation over prototypical appearance.

 

Hi E3109,

 

I tend to agree. On my big layout I use a small neo-magnet buried in a drilled out kebab stick, sealed in with superglue and sanded to a nice round end. I can then uncouple my Bachmann small tension locks that have a sliver of paper staple glued along the hooks top anywhere. That is important when you're pulling perhaps a 40 or 50 wagon train and wish to split in sidings somewhere, anywhere. I find the limitations of fixed uncoupling zones annoying. Those long trains are not just in my imagination - my longest (and reliable) was 59, you couldn't do that with brakes on !!

 

Then I suppose like everything there are exceptions and a slick shunting puzzle is much better with Kadees when you've managed to tame them. We're building Kadees into the clubs new West Bay layout for exactly the same reasons of it being a short shunting puzzle type of operation.

 

Dad-1