Magnetic uncoupling match wagon for EFE tubestock

[4railsman]

I'm hoping to make or source a 00-gauge London Transport "match (barrier) wagon" with one end coupling at standard height and the other at tubestock height, so I can run a non-motorised EFE tubestock pulled by a class 20 or LT pannier.

 

Has anyone built a match wagon and successfully found a way to have a magnetic (kadee or similar) automatic coupling fixed to the A or D end of the 4-car un-motorised EFE tubestock models?

 

Currently using Kadee NEM362 number 18/19/20 couplers for some locos, but these are unlikely to be suitable for the tubestock, so any pointers/suggestions from members would be most helpful.

 

Thanks

[Metr0Land]

Not the same as the EFE stock but in the days when Jubilee stock was delivered it was loco / brake van / 13T mineral / tube stock / 13T mineral / brake van.  If you have a goods wagon like this with different couplings either end, it would be prototypical and you wouldn't need to fiddle with your locos.  Far better to bodge and damage a goods wagon if you need trial and error to get it right!

 

25 300, Chalfont & Latimer, 02-03-85 by afc45014, on Flickr

[Lord of Narnia]

Historically tube stock match wagons where formed from old trucks as shown in the photo. I have seen three plank ex Met railway wagons used for surface and tube stock MW. I would place a metal plate onto the EFE buffing gear and use a drop down coupler from the wagon or use a lower tube gauge buffer with magnet. That's how the real thing coupled.

 

The other option is to create a hook from the MW that can couple to the bogie mounting at the front of the EFE car although there is not much clearance!

[johnb]

Have you considered using the MicroTrains couplers? Essentially they are Kadee type knuckle couplers for N gauge. Would need some trial and error to work out what to do, but they are pretty small and, I'd guess, need some accurate setting up.

 

John

[G-BOAF]

This won't help in terms of magnetic uncoupling, but I've just posted a blog entry on my attempt to produce a relatively operationally versatile tube stock REA barrier vehicle based on a Bachmann VDA.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/411/entry-20448-tube-stock-barriertranslator-vehicle-rea-vda/

 

Given the scarce nature of EFE tube stock (we don't know if/when Bachmann will re-release). I don't want to be hacking around with the bogies. I am therefore using a simple bar to connect with the original EFE hook on the bogie, and an arrangement to fit to a 'Roco style' coupler on the REA van. The bar to 'Roco' is semi-automatic (although the bar falls off the EFE bogie quite easily). A sense that anything more complicated will involve hacking around with the tube stock, which is not on my agenda.

But hope this helps/inspires. A fun few hours work, and I'm looking forward to completing the second and playing with a full rake of '59 stock!