Accurascale magnetic chain couplings

[JST]

Whilst awaiting the arrival of my Manor I found myself perusing the Accurascale website and came across these. I must say that I rather like the look of them being a more aesthetically pleasing product than the market currently has to offer. However, the only potential fly in the ointment I can see is the possibility of  buffer over ride when propelling vehicles round curves e.g. shunting over points. 
Has anybody tried these and if so what are your experiences?  Thanks.

[Ian J.]

As with any coupling that doesn't have a built in override bar or arrangement of some kind, you will be restricted in the tightness of the radii on your layout if you want to use these for pushing, and that means all radii including those through pointwork. I'd suggest they are only really suitable on a minimum radii of approximately 36 inches where propelling is being carried out.

 

However, I think, while they look 'OK' and certainly better than the likes of the tension lock, they don't unfortunately look the part of the prototype three link, screw link or instanter. I'm not entirely sure how well they'd work for any form of automatic uncoupling either, and on heavy trains there might be tendency to uncouple somewhere near the front of the train as the magnets probably aren't strong enough for long trains.

[AY Mod]

43 minutes ago, Ian J. said:

they don't unfortunately look the part of the prototype three link, screw link or instanter

 

They won't; they're a spare for the chaldron waggons. I'll look at replacing Hornby's rubbish on the Rocket set.

[McC]

2 hours ago, AY Mod said:

 

They won't; they're a spare for the chaldron waggons. I'll look at replacing Hornby's rubbish on the Rocket set.

 

Exactly that, they are a simple chain link, from the Chaldron wagons, but work well with other types. Over time we may offer more types and variations as we deploy them with wagon packs.

Edited September 8, 2022 by McC

[Islesy]

3 hours ago, Ian J. said:

they don't unfortunately look the part of the prototype three link, screw link or instanter.

Not many of those used on Chaldrons Ian!

[Ian J.]

The pictures on AS website show them fitted to conventional mineral wagons, not Chaldrons, so I was writing both on that and the OP's original post.

[Accurascale Fran]

11 hours ago, Ian J. said:

The pictures on AS website show them fitted to conventional mineral wagons, not Chaldrons, so I was writing both on that and the OP's original post.

 

Hi Ian,

 

Indeed, as they are the "translator" couplings between a Chaldron and an NEM pocket fitted model. Of course, they can be used on other types of stock such as mineral wagon to mineral wagon. It's just another way for us to test the market and see if there is a desire to rid the hobby of the dreaded tension lock!

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

[Dicky L]

I quite like the look of these and have ordered a couple of packs  to experiment with. Whilst they may not be realistic on a wagon, I suspect they will be more pleasing on the eye than other magnetic couplings available elsewhere. The question is will they be fiddly or easy to use?

Edited September 9, 2022 by Dicky L

[Wickham Green too]

YES PLEASE ! ....... Banish the things - there IS a desire.

[McC]

 

https://www.accurascale.com/collections/couplers/products/chain-couplings-pack-of-8

 

Link for those wondering what we're talking about :) 

[Ian J.]

That's the image I saw on the website.

 

As to replacing the tension lock, there are problems with what we as users would want as there will be conflicting requirements.

 

I know I want an unobtrusive, DCC-controlled coupler suitable for finescale OO operation with eased out back-to-backs on +28 inch radii curves, where having a bar to push against for propelling over pointwork isn't required (the buffers do their job without override). Too wit, I have in mind a modified AJ-style coupler controlled by, possibly, a Preci motor unit otherwise used for Kadees. The issue there is the motor won't return a non-sprung coupling to a resting position, so I'd have to add springing in situations where the AJ-style wire is too short to be self-sprung.

 

I'm absolutely sure that's not what most users want, as the lack of bar for propelling on set track tight curves would be a non-starter.

 

Edit: also, I'd want the coupler to be body mounted. Couplers on bogies are a no-no for me as it prevents detailing on buffer beams and puts the wrong stresses on the train as a whole. Of course, with what I've outlined above as minimum radii, close coupling mechanisms just aren't needed.

Edited September 9, 2022 by Ian J.

[tomparryharry]

Having seen the photo from the above post, It's not for me. 

 

That said, I think its a great idea to work from, and I applaud McC for doing so. 

[JohnR]

3 hours ago, Accurascale Fran said:

 It's just another way for us to test the market and see if there is a desire to rid the hobby of the dreaded tension lock!

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

 

There most certainly is a desire to do that. There are, however, certain minimum requirements for its replacement, if it is not to simply become a minority choice like many others.

 

It needs to accommodate travel around sharp curves. 

It needs to accommodate propelling movements without buffer lock. 

It needs to allow a "hands free" uncoupling, eg via a ramp (as per the tension lock) or a magnet.

 

Other improvements would be nice to haves.

[Porcy Mane]

20 hours ago, Ian J. said:

and on heavy trains there might be tendency to uncouple somewhere near the front of the train as the magnets probably aren't strong enough for long trains.

 

 You'll be surprised at how strong those 1 mm neodymium magnets are. Especially if two are used in opposition so that the couplings don't need to be handed.

 

 

[RFS]

20 hours ago, Ian J. said:

I'm not entirely sure how well they'd work for any form of automatic uncoupling either, and on heavy trains there might be tendency to uncouple somewhere near the front of the train as the magnets probably aren't strong enough for long trains.

 

 

I now extensively use Hunt magnetic couplings and I would think these use the same type of magnet. They are very strong and I was quite surprised how easily they cope with long trains. I have a couple of 10/12 coach trains including heavy Hornby Pullmans and they cope perfectly. Having couplings with no moving parts is a great advantage. 

 

[D9020 Nimbus]

But if the magnets are strong, how do you uncouple them? Or is that not really possible — or even intended?

 

Tension locks might be superseded in the future, but not by these I suspect. Being able to be remotely uncoupled is key, as is supporting propelling movements round "train-set" (R2) curves. The tension lock is one of the better couplings supplied with RTR models; Kadees are the only thing which (IMO) is better, but even they can be prone to buffer-locking and you have to choose the right length of coupling for the job; in their native US that isn't an issue.

 

While TLs are neater than they used to be, the variety of different styles used can cause issues. But they're still better than the NEM 360 (hook and loop) coupler.

 

[RFS]

59 minutes ago, D9020 Nimbus said:

But if the magnets are strong, how do you uncouple them? Or is that not really possible — or even intended?

 

Tension locks might be superseded in the future, but not by these I suspect. Being able to be remotely uncoupled is key, as is supporting propelling movements round "train-set" (R2) curves. The tension lock is one of the better couplings supplied with RTR models; Kadees are the only thing which (IMO) is better, but even they can be prone to buffer-locking and you have to choose the right length of coupling for the job; in their native US that isn't an issue.

 

While TLs are neater than they used to be, the variety of different styles used can cause issues. But they're still better than the NEM 360 (hook and loop) coupler.

 

 

Their purpose is to handle rakes of coaches or wagons that are semi-permanently coupled in sets. They obviously will not work with any automatic uncoupling mechanism and not designed for that. The magnets are strong enough to keep a long train coupled but are very easy to separate - you just pull the vehicles apart. They also couple very easily, even on curves, and manage well even if the couplings are not exactly at the same height. 

[Dicky L]

So are we saying the strength of these magnets will be sufficient to auto couple when 2 wagons are pushed together or will manual intervention be required to bring the chains and magnets together?

[McC]

1 hour ago, Dicky L said:

So are we saying the strength of these magnets will be sufficient to auto couple when 2 wagons are pushed together or will manual intervention be required to bring the chains and magnets together?

they are more than strong enough to auto couple when near each other and in testing they can handle a train of about 60 mdos. So the chaldrons are easy :) 

[Dicky L]

11 hours ago, McC said:

they are more than strong enough to auto couple when near each other and in testing they can handle a train of about 60 mdos. So the chaldrons are easy :) 

Impressive that, when are you starting to dispatch them. Looking forward to trying them out.

[McC]

16 minutes ago, Dicky L said:

Impressive that, when are you starting to dispatch them. Looking forward to trying them out.

They are in stock now and dispatching. We’ve a few days of catch up this week as we ship a large volume of chaldron, Pfa and rawie preorders but you should certainly have any orders in the coming week. Free post throughout the UK on all order too. 

[Pteremy]

Out of interest have you tried fitting them to the coupling hooks? The picture you posted looks as if you could do that using a (larger) chain link at the end rather than a NEM plug?

[Wickham Green too]

Probably the best way to do conventional three-link or screw couplings would be to fit the vehicle headstock with a magnet representing the coupling socket and have a choice of 'magnetic hook plus hanging links' or 'magnetic hook plus links coupled to magnetic hook plus hanging links' assemblies .... in three-link, Instanter, screw or mixed formats !

[tomparryharry]

AJ couplings are a noteworthy variant. To uncouple on unfitted stock, you will need to 'set back' to uncouple. Or, 'Eez Upp! and 'Giv us a squeeze, Louise!  Just like the real thing. 

 

People working 'inside the fence' will have their own vocabulary, which may or may not contain swear words, expletives, or whether your parents were married!  

[Dicky L]