Positioning of Uncoupler Magnets

[Richard Gude]

I have a small turning wye and my heavyweight passengers won't quite negotiate it. This means that I will have to turn the observation car on the turntable. all of my turntable leads have a slight curve in them and I am not certain that I can work the uncoupler and get it into the delayed mode. I could uncouple it a foot back from the table and try to push it on to the table, but any jerking motion will cause recoupling. Has anyone had any success mounting an uncoupler on the turntable itself?

Thanks, rhg

 

[Russ Bellinis]

If it is within easy reach, there are a number of manual tools to uncouple with so that you don't need a magnet. You can use shishkabob skewers, Kaddee makes a small tool to uncouple with that works well. A long precision screw driver will work. At my modular club, some of the guys made up uncoupling tools using a piece of dowel for a handle. Drill a hole in the end and glue in a piece of fine piano wire. The end of the wire is given a 90 degree "z" bend about 1/4 inch from the end. It is a great tool for grabing the trip pin and uncoupling. The overall length of the tool is about 5-6 inches and the wire is probably about 2 1/2 to 3 inches long.