shortliner

Deleted - double post

The truckies were fine - It was me that could have done with the Belize Gold! If they'd been a couple of weeks earlier they might have ended up going for a swim when the local bus went into the Belize River - drowning the driver and his girlfriend who was sitting beside him on the engine cover - (He was believed to have had a heart attack and missed a corner!)- There were three Army personnel on the bus - but they were down the back and got out through the back door - they did have to make a trip to the medical centre though, for tetanus and other filthy disease jabs and their stomachs pumped - if you have ever seen the state of the Belize River (full of floaters etc) you'd know why - and the local kids in Belize City go swimming in it - I have a photo somewhere of the City and the effluent line taken from 40,000 feet - the "line" extends about a mile into the sea!

Whilst I was doing a six-month tour in Belize, I was the weekend duty ATC, and I got conned one Saturday evening (I was the ONLY person available on duty with a valid UK and Military driving licence) into taking a crew coach (full of Fat Albert( herky-bird), outside normal hours, late arrival, RAF aircrew) from Belize Airport to their overnight accommodation in Belize City. So, first it turned out to be a US GMC transit type minibus( so therefore both long and wide), second it was left hand drive and thirdly, it was column gear-change! ARRGH! I'd been in Belize for about 4 months - it was the first time I had driven there - I'd NEVER driven a left-hand Drive, NEVER driven anything that size, and NEVER driven ANYTHING with a column gear change - particularly in Belize City with narrow streets full of semi drunk - or stoned -( Belize GOLD is the best hash in the world) - pedestrians and cyclists - and the hotel was just about all the way through to the far side of the city. Oh,Boy was that a fun trip! - Yes I did make it there and back without incident, but it was an experience that I'd really rather not repeat - EVER!

Just about anything with John Fogerty on it

I don't know if this will work but, watching Andy's video triggered an idea - If I use a spring loaded, normally on, SPDT switch , to allow me (in its normal position) to drive the train over the magnet, and press the switch to momentarily break the circuit and immediately spring back, the momentary break in power may simulate the "jiggle", and cause the couplers to relax and operate - I think it is certainly worth a try and have found a supplier in Cullercoats, Tyne and Wear - who is popping some in the post to me - fingers crossed.

Have to admit that I feed my track power through the bolts that join the boards - accessory power is done by the choc-block connectors (pin and socket) as per photos earlier - self stick Slug Tape https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/273434992767?chn=ps&var=572820399603 (available in wider widths) makes great buss feeds and means that wires can be short

Andy - I see what you are doing, and that may turn out to be the way to go - thanks for taking the trouble. It is pointing me towards a spring loaded switch that just breaks the current momentarily whilst still moving - Thinking on...

Thanks guys for the suggestions - when the bits arrive I'll try do set up and use your suggestions - no reply, so far, from Broadway Lion - in the meantime any, and all ideas are welcomed - EJ thanks for the link - I have just ordered 5 of these which may replace the push-button https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-10X-UK-Miniature-6A-125V-AC-6Pin-DPDT-ON-ON-Mini-Flick-Toggle-Switch-Switches/173835857845?hash=item28796cafb5:m:mQiY_F4i0rzq1dhux07uaPQ

Andy - thanks for that, but I'm DC - occasionally with sound via an MRC Soundbox - DCC+sound ( and decoders) are/is severely out of my comfort zone, which is why the heading includes the expression "Electrical Numpty"! Also, living the Far North, replacing wheels and axles/weights becomes a logistical nightmare. We manage with what we have.

Sorry EJ - the bit I quoted was on FB but it, as you say, originated on cs.trains.com forum - Someone is asking for me, as I'm not a member and it doesn't appear to let me post. I have found a possible email address for the originator (BroadwayLion) and have sent him an email direct - we'll see how I get on. Anything I find out will be posted here.

I appreciate that, Ray, and it is what I have always done - but I was/am interested to see how this works/is possible. It would be nice to hide "The Jiggle" needed with magnets - I use skewers normally, and solve the problem that way, but to be able to do it "magically" hands-off, would be interesting and fun

Yes, but therein lies the problem - the control knob is set to zero to stop the loco so there will be no power to the track via the pushbutton

Hi guys - sorry been off-line - I woke up this morning realising that , indeed, if the loco is stopped on the tracks over the magnets, reversing the power momentarily will not achieve anything - I need to apply a small amount of power in reverse as a quick pulse to move the kadees apart - - now thinking further! If anyone has any ideas, I really do appreciate the help

Supplier sorted - RS components had exactly what I need

Pedantic wiring is No problem - The problem lay (lies) in getting my head around the requirement - which you may very well have solved for me - many thanks - just need to sort out the push button supplier

DHGreen - I hadn't even thought of doing it that way - very clever - need to think on it, and hunt for a momentary push button , any suggestions where I might get one - it will have to be on line as I'm in the Far North!

Wasdavetheroad, the magnets are ordinary cylindrical rare-earth magnets 3/4 each side with tops on one side N and the other side S, set under the rails - the loco/train stops with the couplers over them and the magnetism opens the couplers - but it cannot do this if the couplers are under tension - this is why you see Kadee fitted trains do a little "jiggle" back and forth to take the tension off the couplings. What the "Cutting key" presumably does is that by pressing the button, it momentarily reverses the track power and causes the "Jiggle". Your suggestion might work if it is possible to get a momentary contact DPDT button. I was looking at feeding the track via a press button, but the power would need to be broken momentarily before the reversing can take place.

Quote from a post on FB regarding installing magnets for uncoupling Kadees instead of their in-track magnets Can someone please tell me how to make the "cutting key" by inserting a momentary contact, push-button into a DC track feed - I can't, for the life of me, see how it should be wired (A circuit diagram would be fine - all my tries are non-workable!!!) I have a feeling that the solution (when pointed out) is going to be blindingly obvious, but at the moment I can't see it!

Keith - What you need is a Front silvered, or first surface mirror - Google will find suppliers - that way you won't have that annoying gap where the track ends - I have no idea of the prics.

I came across this firm accidentally today - I know nothing further about them but they do 3d printed kits for very small OO gauge locos and rolling stock - so may be of interest to some of our small layout builders, loco bashers - or even those contemplating cake boxes - and I thought I'd pass it on. https://www.budgetmodelrailways.co.uk/

SHOCK! HORROR!! You are surely not going to display yourself to the naked gaze of the assembled throng - That would really be something we can't unsee!!! And on a family oriented forum, too !!!!

Without having one actually in front of me, I can only offer the following - is it possible to remove some of the lower plate with" Bachmann" on it and possibly some of the material behind the coupling so that the kadee box will mount using the screw that holds the coupling currently The front of the box may well protrude forward into the space between the buffers - it will also depend on whether you are trying to fit a Kadee NEM coupling or something like a #5 - experimentation might be required

I know we are talking about an Inglenook for UK traffic, but - for those that don't use FB under normal circumstances - can I offer a larger alternative US inglenook - one that I think has to be one of the nicest Inglenook designs I have seen https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.2189702121094944&type=3.

Can I suggest that for motors, you do a search on www.Banggood.com - they have a fair selection at very competitive prices, often no p&p, and the only problem is the wait for them to arrive from far away

Thanks , Guys - SWMBO has found a way around, which involves finding an ebay seller and going to their post - and then on from there - most odd!