RJD Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I live in the USA and am building a small 00 layout for my eight-year old grandson. The layout will be British running Bachmann and Hornby stock. He likes the idea of shunting. What do children's layouts in the UK use for uncouplers? I have found Peco SL-29 Hornby/Triang type decoupler a bit fussy for a child What do would you recommend? Thanks for any ideas, Richard Davies Utah USA Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted February 9, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 9, 2012 I'll confess to being a bit older than 8 (past 8 squared). I made some paddles. Take a rectangle of plasticard wide enough to go under the droppers on the couplings and long enough to go to the other side of the rails and put a handle on one side (plastic rod or sqaure). I have both slanted and vertical handles. This is just pushed under the couplings and lifted. Based on a product made by TriAng about 50 years ago. It must be narrow enough to fit between the wheels! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Grifone Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 At that age, I used to uncouple by lifting one vehicle clear (Hornby Dublo - the uncouplers were not the most reliable part of the system). This can't be done with today's hook systems, unless you remove a hook from one end of each vehicle. As an alternative, you could fit Kadees, though these might be a bit delicate for an eight year old. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoovered Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I was told that the Hornby ramp uncouplers did not work on Peco track as the spacing was different Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
28XX Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Hoovered, this is true, but you can make a good substitute with a strip of clear plastic from shirt collar packaging and two sewing pins to hold it in a bowed shape. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 It is true that the track spacing is wrong for Hornby un-couplers, but the Peco un-couplers do fit [Peco track]. AFAIK they work as well as the Hornby ones, but you buy them as D-I-Y pack of 2 instead of ready made. Cheers, Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Grifone Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 But this is the item the OP is looking for an alternative to. I still find the tension lock couplings fiddly and I'm considerably older than eight. I also dislike the way they ensure that an entire train will end up on the floor. I hesitate to advise the Peco/Dublo coupling due to obsolescence, but Kadees are similar in operation and easily obtained in the States, or there are cheaper versions such as the Bachmann E-Z mate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Hi David, Having re-read the OP it is still not obvious that he wanted to change all the couplings. But I am happy to be proved wrong! I was just responding to my interpretation of the info given. I don't know how much work Richard wants to take on, but the other consideration would be robustness. After all it has to be long term reliable, preferably without constant adjustment or repair, which is one big plus with tension lock. Lets wait and see which way Richard wants to go. Cheers, Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Grifone Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Hi Jeff, Quite probably you are right, but, unfortunately, it's the coupling that is fiddly, rather than the uncoupling devices - here you're stuck with the Peco accessory (which I assume is a spring ramp), a home made equivalent from acetate (or better polystyrene) sheet or the Tri-ang shovel type device. This can only be avoided, by making the couplings one ended (not ideal I would admit - but it does allow relatively easy manual uncoupling*) or by the replacement of the couplings (tedious and expensive, though quite straight forward especially with NEM pockets). I can understand any reluctance to go along this route. * I did this with my Tri-ang TT layout in the sixties and found operation quite reliable. My suggestion of Kadees was due to availability. I would agree they are perhaps too delicate, as I said before. (The X2f alternative I discounted right away, as not really suitable for British 4 wheel vehicles - it gives problems with US bogie stock.) Cheers David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I'm not sure about the robust side of things.. but when it comes to coupling/uncoupling I find DG to be actually dead easy to use (even if all your doing is lifting stock on and off track etc.). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 The Tri-ang Uncoupler. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 My preferred method (if you can access under the board) is to glue a piece of card (or acetate) long enough to lift both hoops to a short length of dowel at least half an inch longer than the thickness of the board surface. Drill a hole in the centre of the track where you want the uncoupler to be and drop the dowel in. You can now uncouple by pushing the dowel up from underneath. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted February 12, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 12, 2012 I have found two problems with the sprung, between-the-rails uncouplers. They snag on some locos which have very low underframes. The droppers on various makes of couplings are not consistent with how far they come down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJD Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 Thanks everyone for your advice. It looks like I will use the Hornby couplings and give my grandson some Peco sprung uncouplers to try. The places to uncouple engines and shunt will have to be within easy reach. Best wishes, Richard Utah, USA Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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