Kadee couplers (https://kadee.com) provide a great way to couple and uncouple wagons. They couple effortless when you simply bump into a wagon, even with very low speed / force. Also they are the only couplers of all the different types I have that couple with high probability in a curve!
And then … the uncoupling … simply astonishing! The couplers have this bent iron rod that is attracted by a magnetic field. When pulling a train the claws prevent these metal rods to move sidewards in the magnetic field and noting happens. But once we start pushing a wagon, the claws loosen themselves and they open in the magnatic field, uncoupling the cars, completely effortless! Drive away and you’re loose. (Click images to enlarge.)
Now comes the special trick. When you bump into the train again while the couplers are stil in the magnetic field, they do not hook into each other. The loco can push the cars to any location you like. When you drive away again you’re still uncoupled! Only when you bump into a car without a magnet present you’re coupled again.
It’s great. They are not the cheapest couplers around, but I find them well worth the money.
The movie clip shows the uncoupling, pushing the cars while uncoupled, move away still uncoupled, and finally the effortless coupling again.
…
Can you provide the part number of the magnet?
thanks,
Jack
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Posted by Jack Olivieri | December 22, 2018, 02:36I don’t have a part number. What I did was go to aliexpress.com and search for neodymium magnet, and maybe add a size. Take care the magnitization is in the right direction.
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Posted by RudyB | December 22, 2018, 09:23Thanks. I found one that is about 1/2″ long by 1/8″ x 1/8″. Does that sound about right? I assume you are using HO scale. I am using n-scale so I am not sure if the magnet would be too strong.
Jack
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Posted by Jack Olivieri | December 22, 2018, 13:05It’s hard to tell on beforehand. Only by tinkering, adjusting magnet positions, and probably trying some different shapes of magnets a reliable working situation can be created. It defeats the whole fun of tinkering, but the only sure way to get it working is buying the official Kadee magnets … they already did all the testing. 🙂
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Posted by RudyB | December 22, 2018, 15:46Hi Rudy
I have been converting my UK based stock over to a mixture of Kadee and Bachmann ezmate Mk2 couplings.
Main issue I have had is where the NEM coupling is at the wrong height.
I made a video of fitting couplings and my version of the uncouplers, as I found the ezmates didn’t always uncouple with the kadee uncouplers.
Paul
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Posted by Paul Lancaster | January 17, 2017, 23:33Maakt het uit hoe de magneten liggen?
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Posted by Peter van Holsteijn | January 15, 2017, 18:43Ja, bij deze opstelling van de magneetjes moet het magneetveld van de ene naar de andere kant lopen. Er zijn een ook een aantal youtube fimpjes met andere magneetjes waar het magneetveld juist verticaal moet lopen voor het beste resultaat. Het is een kwestie van experimenteren. Of voor de officiele Kadee magneten kiezen natuurlijk.
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Posted by RudyB | January 15, 2017, 19:48Weer een informatieve video!
Nu graag nog een video hoe je deze koppel/ontkoppel procedure afhandelt in Traincontroller
Groeten,
Adri
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Posted by Adri Jeurisen | January 15, 2017, 15:33Sorry but either you must have lived on Mars the past 30 years or in the Middle Ages.. Kadee couplers have been around for ages. I bought tons of them; carefull: there are tens of different versions.
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Posted by Erik | January 15, 2017, 14:33Just returned from Mars … lol. Nobody said they are new, yet you’d be astonished how many people never heard of them. Or that you can use $0,20 worth of magnets to operate them.
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Posted by RudyB | January 15, 2017, 14:47GREAT to have you back on “track” here again – always very informative and inspiring videos, you make, Rudy!
Warm greetings, Michael
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Posted by Michael Schoenwandt | January 15, 2017, 14:15