I haven’t see much posted lately on either the Phoenix or Kaydee coupler boards. Are people using them or was it a cool thing that didn’t workout? Too expensive? Not work well? What’s the feelings?
I have a friend who uses them on a small switching layout… He’s tested/used both models… When he does Ops here, he uses the automatic couplers on the engines and 2 gondolas…
Personally, I won’t use them as they are 1) too expensive, 2). each coupler needs a servo, battery and an address to use…
I model what is termed ““modern time railroading””, running diesels and 20-30 car trains… A 20 car train would require 40 couplers, just for the freight cars, batteries in eash car to work the couplers, and 40 different addresses to work the couplers, not counting the 2 engines and caboose… Oh, and don’t forget the ““Mind memory”” to remember the correct address…
Kadee’s and a screw driver work great for me… All I need to remember is which end of the screw driver goes into the coupler… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-sealed.gif)
Just my opinion…
Andy Clarke said:
I have a friend who uses them on a small switching layout… He’s tested/used both models… When he does Ops here, he uses the automatic couplers on the engines and 2 gondolas…
Personally, I won’t use them as they are 1) too expensive, 2). each coupler needs a servo, battery and an address to use…
I model what is termed ““modern time railroading””, running diesels and 20-30 car trains… A 20 car train would require 40 couplers, just for the freight cars, batteries in eash car to work the couplers, and 40 different addresses to work the couplers, not counting the 2 engines and caboose… Oh, and don’t forget the ““Mind memory”” to remember the correct address…
Kadee’s and a screw driver work great for me… All I need to remember is which end of the screw driver goes into the coupler… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-sealed.gif)
Just my opinion…
What he said.
I think they are a solution in search of a problem. If you like gimmicks, and have deep pockets, they might be for you. Me? I’ll pass.
Andy Clarke said:
I have a friend who uses them on a small switching layout… He’s tested/used both models… When he does Ops here, he uses the automatic couplers on the engines and 2 gondolas…
Personally, I won’t use them as they are 1) too expensive, 2). each coupler needs a servo, battery and an address to use…
I model what is termed ““modern time railroading””, running diesels and 20-30 car trains… A 20 car train would require 40 couplers, just for the freight cars, batteries in eash car to work the couplers, and 40 different addresses to work the couplers, not counting the 2 engines and caboose… Oh, and don’t forget the ““Mind memory”” to remember the correct address…
Kadee’s and a screw driver work great for me… All I need to remember is which end of the screw driver goes into the coupler… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-sealed.gif)
Just my opinion…
Andy,
I dabbled in an automatic coupler for my battery powered C-16, using an HO switch coil to pull the lift pin. The point I wanted to make was that I figured i only needed it on the back of the tender, as it was mostly for collecting and dropping off a train - not switching individual cars.
Pete, automatic/remote couplers would work for that person as it suits one’s purpose…
I’m not knocking the whole idea of them, I’m just saying, it’s not my cup of tea… I can’t fathom equiping a 300 car roster with all remote couplers, much less trying to figure out which command works which coupler on which end…
I’ve got the Kadee uncoupler powered by the Phoenix board on one of my tenders. It works quite well, though my experience with using it in application mirror’s Petes. It’s got cool “play” value, but with it only installed on the tender, you can only use it when uncoupling from the tender. That’s not all that often in a normal operating session for me.
If it’s something you think you’d want to try, I can recommend those two products (the Kadee servo uncoupler and the Phoenix control board). I don’t see it being much more than something fun you put on a locomotive just to have it. It’s certainly not practical to outfit all the cars in your fleet.
Later,
K
Running smaller equipment, I made an automatic coupler for an LGB 2090 diesel. Like I said, smaller equipment so less rolling stock on my simple field railway type layout.
Dan, funny you should mention the 2090 diesel. When my dad and I were first experimenting with R/C, but were still using the hook-and-loop couplers, I rigged a servo to the front coupler of a 2090 to use as a yard switcher. It worked well, but only when there wasn’t a hook on the opposing coupler. I like your use of the uncoupling ramp for that. We soon converted to Kadees and NiCad batteries, so the servo went away in favor of 8.4 volts worth of batteries under the hood. That eliminated the need for a trail car, but introduced the need for the long screwdriver.
Later,
K
For DCC users, some decoders have servo outputs. Mine have 4 outputs.
SO, I modified a standard Kadee coupler and added it to my decoder equipped loco.
I do not have to use a special system or coupler so cost was very low just servo and chain cost.
For a car, it would not just be a decoder cost, but one would have to remember each cars address for uncoupling and which direction it is on the track!!
For lots of cars, the digital control system needs lots of addresses.
I have one automated Kadee coupler on my main use steam loco K-28 #473 (mounted on the tender). Thus far the coupler works well. And for my specific use, works perfectly.
I typically run a dedicated passenger train, the San Juan. One end of the layout is a reverse loop and the other end has a turntable. When the train gets to the station at the turntable end I can automatically uncouple the loco. Then the loco moves forward a bit, switches onto the turntable track, and then backs into the turntable. The loco then turns around on the turntable, heads out on the yard track, switches back onto the mainline, backs into the trainset, and couples to the other end of the train. Kind of hard to describe without a pic of the trainset and layout:
So while the coupler and the accompanying equipment is expensive, all in all the coupler works great. I was thinking of getting another auto Kadee coupler for my primary freight loco.
Forgot to add that all my locos run on battery power.