There has been some chatter on the S Scale Group lately bringing up the
old subject of delayed uncoupling with S scale Kadee couplers. It is a couple
of years since I got in this discussion but there are a couple of solutions.
I have been working on and off with Sam Clarke of Kadee, their magnet
expert, trying to develop a delayed uncoupler and I thought I had a solution
but (I should let Dick Karnes answer this part) Dick threw a much simpler
solution at me that works! The centering spring that comes with the KD802 or
808 coupler is much stiffer than necessary for centering and resists delayed
uncoupling. Dick replaces the centering spring in the KD802 coupler with the
much lighter knuckle spring. It is strong enough to center the coupler and
they work with the KD321 between the rails HO uncoupler or, if you prefer a
concealed uncoupler, the under-track 308. I find that even with the lighter
springs the 321 is still a bit too narrow to reliably pull the glad hand over
enough for delayed uncoupling although Dick swears by it. I wish Kadee would
make a wider version but I am afraid that is hopeless..
I was working on two other possibilities that work, but are messier
than Dick's solution. If you want to cut a hole between the rails and right
down through the roadbed and subroadbed, you can mount a KD307 Magne-Electric
between the rails. When you assemble it you reverse the field plates so they
curve out instead of in as in the HO application. Then mount it so these field
plates are right at track level, and they look like misplaced guard rails. I
use 12 volt DC from the auto battery I have under my layout and that works the
delayed uncoupling just fine without changing the spring. One minor
complication: There is a bolt in the center of the magnetic coil that sticks
out further than the plates. If you replace it with a thinner head #10 bolt,
then use your bench grinder to thin the nut to about half its original
thickness, you can get the bolt down to the width of the plates and do a drop
in installation.
I hate to disagree with Professor Loizeaux, but the 308 can be modified
to be used between the rails. The other approach I am working on uses a 308
under-track magnet but trimmed to fit between the rails. The trick is the
trimming must be done carefully but it is easy to cut the rubber based magnet
with a utility or Xacto knife. This is important. You must preserve the
precise center. In other words, you must cut equal amounts off each side,
keeping about .75" in the center. Then cut your ties and roadbed very close to
the inside of the rails and clear out the slot. Cut the metal base plate of
the 308 the same size as the rubber magnet. Here a hack saw can do it and the
part of the plate you use doesn't matter. Now, if you really want it to pull
hard, dig your hole deep enough so it will take double thickness of magnet plus
the backing plate and just come to rail height or a hair above. Use the two
slices you cut off, putting them under the main magnet in the position where
they pull together. To keep their outside edges even with those of the main
magnet, stick a piece if strip wood between them. Otherwise their magnetism
will pull them together. It sounds more complicated that it is. My
preliminary tests show this works for delayed uncoupling without changing the
springs. I still hope to get Sam at Kadee to get them to sell the 308 cut for
this application.
Sorry to take up so much space but hope it gives some helpful hints.
Those knuckle springs are available separately from Kadee if you want to try
Dick Karnes' method. Regard"S", Wally Collins
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