Kadee #321 Delayed Action uncoupler

[edin_bry2x]

Hi everyone

 

Basically just as it says on the Box. I have positioned the uncoupler under the sleeper webs and just wondered if anyone has any experience with these uncouplers that would be able to tell me whether i can ballast over it without affecting the performance?

 

cheers in advance

 

Bry

[Jack]

I have 3 on Nells bridge and have ballasted over them without affecting the performance at all. As long as your power source is rated at the correct voltage and ampage you should have no problems.

[edin_bry2x]

Hi Jack

 

i didnt realise that this needed to be powered? i thought it was just dropped into place. The four magnets i bought (#321) had no instructions with them but when i googled them i got the gist that they were just magnets not elctro-magnets am i correct?

 

cheers

 

Bry

[naugytrax]

Yes, the no. 321 uncoupler is a permanent magnet, not an electromagnet. It is intended to be installed with its top surface level with the top of the rails. It would surprise me if it would work reliably when installed under the sleepers, whether ballasted or not - surely the magnet would be too far below the coupler drop arms?

The uncoupler which is designed for mounting beneath the sleepers is the no. 308. It's bigger and stronger than the no. 321. I have ballasted over one of these with no problems.

The electromagnetic uncoupler is no. 309.

[edin_bry2x]

Yes, the no. 321 uncoupler is a permanent magnet, not an electromagnet. It is intended to be installed with its top surface level with the top of the rails. It would surprise me if it would work reliably when installed under the sleepers, whether ballasted or not - surely the magnet would be too far below the coupler drop arms?

The uncoupler which is designed for mounting beneath the sleepers is the no. 308. It's bigger and stronger than the no. 321. I have ballasted over one of these with no problems.

The electromagnetic uncoupler is no. 309.

 

Thanks for that naughtrax, i can just as easily locate my 321s to rail level, can they be painted or weathered to try and disguise them? How much bigger is a 308 size wise?

 

cheers

 

Bry

[Barry Ten]

I have used 321s on Cogirep, where they were disguised as part of the inlaid track. There's a setting jig which may prove useful - it clips to the rails and holds the magnet until the glue has set.

 

The 308s are what I use on my N scale layout, where they are set beneath the track. They're about the size of an After Eight, to put it in precise scientific terms

[traction]

I have fitted the 321 on the sleepers between the rails then covered over with poly-filler, all works fine.

In other areas I have just glued the magnet onto the sleepers between the rails and left them at that(in fiddle yard area) not actually tested to see if they will still work if you put them lower.

If you have a spare bit of track cut the sleepers out and use some double sided tape and drop the magnet lower down, test some wagons running over it to see if everything works ok, before fitting them to the layout, thats the way I did it.

 

The 321 is wider than the normal between the rails uncoupler magnet so give the delayed uncoupling.

 

The 308 is a big square magnet with 'intensifier' plate for fitting below the baseboard.

 

http://kadee.com/htmbord/page308.htm

 

http://kadee.com/htmbord/page321.htm

 

 

The 309 is the electric uncoupler

 

http://kadee.com/htmbord/page309.htm

 

Non-delayed uncoupler 312, looks narrower than than the 321

 

http://kadee.com/htmbord/page312.htm

 

 

Cheers

 

Ian

[Jack]

My bad, got my Kadee numbers mixed up, hence thinking they were the ones that need the juice ... just ignore me