# How do you Uncouple Aristo-Craft Knuckle Couplers?



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

I have long been a fan of hook and loop couplers. 

Why? Because they are by far the most dependable coupler around sharp curves plus across the hump and dip of ramps.

I never gave much attention to Aristo-Craft knuckle couplers because when I got into the hobby both Aristo & Bachmann knuckle couplers were pretty unreliable. I knew that both have improved a lot but the problem remained about how to uncouple them when out of reach. By comparison I put a plastic knife on the end of a pool cue and I can easily reach and uncouple hook and loop couplers with it.

When I received an Aristo SD-45 the situation got more complicated because it is not easy to put hook and loop couplers on it. 

As I started thinking about how I was going to have to modify the SD-45 (which I really did not want to do) I got to thinking about a statement I have been reading in Aristo instructions for years:










The problem with this is that in the (distant) past I had tried this and my LGB uncouplers did not work with the Aristo knuckle couplers.

I tried once again today with brand new Aristo rolling stock and I was not surprised to find that my LGB 10520 uncouplers do not work any better now than they did the last time I tried to use them.

Since I REALLY DID NOT want to mess with cutting my SD-45 to make room for hook and loop couplers I started playing with ideas on how to make the LGB couplers work and finally I came up with a solution!

Years ago I bought some Bachmann coaches with copper pieces that rubbed on the wheels for electrical contact. I did not care for it so I removed the copper pieces and rewired the coaches. I never throw anything away and I happened to run across those copper pieces and I came up with the idea of screwing them to the inside of the LGB 10520 uncouplers to raise the center enough to release the Aristo knuckle couplers. 










I put them together and tried it - the uncoupler now works perfectly with the Aristo-Craft knuckle couplers. The LGB Uncoupler simply lays between the ties and can be picked up and put elsewhere without any effort. The LGB Uncoupler was made for European Style ties and almost all of my track (even the Aristo Stainless Steel) is in European ties. I did try it with Aristo US Style ties and it does not fit between the ties but it does fit where the tracks are joined together (or the tie straps could be cut and the ties slid slightly apart). 
One does NOT need the Bachmann copper pieces I used. All that is needed is to fill in the gap that is in the LGB uncouplers. My main objective was to find something that would not melt in the sun.


As with LGB couplers if the consist is pulled fairly fast the couplers do not release but if the cars are relaxed as they pass over the uncoupler they uncouple very nicely. The chances are that someone else came up with a similar idea years ago but if they did I never heard about it.

I would be interested in hearing about how others go about uncoupling their Aristo-Craft knuckle couplers.

Jerry


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Jerry, I usually just reach under the couplers and push up on the fake looking cables on the bottom, and they easily come uncoupled. I would think that your knife device would work well on them too, though.

Ed


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

Easy. REAL easy. 
Turn the cars with the couplers to be uncoupled onto their sides. 
REMOVE the coupler mounting screws. 
Separate the cars, pick up the still-connected couplers, throw into trash can. 

Install better couplers on cars, replace on rails. 

Works for me every time.


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

I uncouple em with my widdle fingers, no muss no fuss and NO expensive thing a ma gingeys either!! Regal


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By Curmudgeon on 09 May 2010 02:11 PM 
Easy. REAL easy. 
Turn the cars with the couplers to be uncoupled onto their sides. 
REMOVE the coupler mounting screws. 
Separate the cars, pick up the still-connected couplers, throw into trash can. 

Install better couplers on cars, replace on rails. 

Works for me every time. 

Dave you funny,







I know im going to get in trouble for this but im just trying to help, I have always found a hammer works best.


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

When you can't find a hammer or screwdriver, chainsaws come in mighty handy.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

The truth is that Aristo-Craft Knuckle Couplers have come a LONG way over the years. For a long time with both Bachmann and Aristo knuckler couplers I just waited for them to fail (uncouple) and trashed the ones that did. Eventually both got better and tended to stay coupled but they remained hard to couple.

Aristo knuckle couplers were hard to get to lock and Bachmann were hard to get centered well enough to couple in a straight line.

I have noticed recently that for whatever reasons the newer Aristo knuckle couplers tend to couple very easily and they stay coupled plus they tend to stay centered when I uncouple them with my uncoupler. They actually recouple easier (with less pressure) than LGB and USA hook and loop couplers. Better yet the little tab on the bottom of Aristo knuckle couplers keeps them from sliding up and out once coupled - where other knuckle couplers tend to uncouple on a hump or dip in the track.

While others may be visually offended by them my favorite knuckle coupler remains the LGB one (especially the newer one) but Aristo knuckle couplers are FREE!!!

Add to this, I have not seen many (read NO) comments about how many other brands of couplers will fit a new Aristo GP-40, SD-45 or Dash-9.

In my case I want to operate a switching yard that is too wide and too far away for me to reach over and uncouple the freight cars. I can do it easily with hook & loop couplers using a pool cue tipped with a knife but I was unable to find an easy to use uncoupler for the Aristo knuckle couplers.

Here again the two main considerations are:

Aristo couplers are FREEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Non-Aristo couplers would not only be EXPENSIVE but also difficult to install on Aristo GP-40's, SD-45's and Dash-9's.

For all the attention this hobby gets about everything looking prototypical it strikes me as strange that so little attention seems to be given to coupling and uncoupling. About the ONLY solution I ever hear tends to be to use Kadees. I have nothing against Kadees for others but for my applications

1. they do not stay coupled on my layout
2. they require chopping my cars which I find unacceptable
3. they are expensive
4. they do NOT handle my R1 curves and turnouts
5. they permanently take away the factory original configuration of my trains

In other words I am interested in products that meet my specifications and I am not interested in adapting my specifications to meet those restricted specifications a manufacturer may require in order to use their product - unless I find a benefit that exceeds my objections to making a change. 

Since I have accepted the knuckle coupler restrictions that are evident with Aristo GP-40's, SD-45's and Dash-9's my challenge was to come up with a remote uncoupler that works with them.

My all time favorite switchers are the LGB 21900 and 23900 Auto Uncoupling Diesel Switchers. I would pay a premium price if Marklin or someone else came out with a similar product in a full size switcher (the LGB 21900 and 23900 Auto Uncoupling Diesel Switchers have too little traction so I have to use them in pairs and then there is no room for sound units and speakers).

Jerry


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry:

If I read your thread correctly, you are pushing cars onto sidings and want to then uncouple the engine for further use. Have you considered using an idler car? A short car with an hook and loop on one end and your Aristo coupler on the other end that will mate with the engine. This would let you use the new engine, and still use the H&Ls. 


This type of car has been used on many railroads. In the case of the D&RGW it permitted mixing standard gauge and narrow gauge cars in the same train. I have seen videos where idler cars have been used to move freight cars on to barges and into sidings where the engine couldn't go. 


Chuck N


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By chuck n on 09 May 2010 05:47 PM 
Jerry:

If I read your thread correctly, you are pushing cars onto sidings and want to then uncouple the engine for further use. Have you considered using an idler car? A short car with an hook and loop on one end and your Aristo coupler on the other end that will mate with the engine. This would let you use the new engine, and still use the H&Ls. 


This type of car has been used on many railroads. In the case of the D&RGW it permitted mixing standard gauge and narrow gauge cars in the same train. I have seen videos where idler cars have been used to move freight cars on to barges and into sidings where the engine couldn't go. 


Chuck N 



Hi Chuck,

Yes, you read my thread correctly. Actually that was my 2nd thought (right after putting hook & loops on the locos which did not turn out as easy as I had hoped). 

I even hedged my bet a bit by buying B&O boxcars to use as an idler car with a B&O loco, UP boxcars to use with UP locos and a Santa Fe boxcar to use with ATSF locos. 

That was before I discovered how well the current Aristo knuckle couplers couple and uncouple - which led me to looking for ways to get them to uncouple remotely. 

My favorite coupler remains the LGB (or USA) hook and loop couplers but once again I am running out of them - and buying LGB hook & loop couplers can get expensive fast when one tries to build a switching yard with them.

Perhaps those who replace their LGB and USA Hook & Loop couplers with Kadees would like to donate their old LGB Hook & Loop couplers to me (I'll gladly pay the freight)?









Unfortunately the Aristo hook and loop couplers do not work well for me in that they tend to hang up on my LGB track magnets etc. plus they are harder for me to uncouple. Sometimes it is difficult to put other hook & loop couplers on Aristo rolling stock because the tongue of their trucks tend to be shorter and a new hole often has to be made for non-Aristo H&L couplers with a resulting shorter mating surface.

I have not seen the new Kupler from Aristo yet. It will be interesting to see how it is different and if it will fit the GP-40's, SD-45's and Dash-9's.

A different issue with an idler car is that the new Aristo locos with knuckle couplers seem a lot more likely to derail a car they are pushing into a siding (I think) because the knuckle coupler has less side play than the hook & loop couplers. I had hoped to buy a couple of GP-40's to push cars into LGB R1 turnouts feeding sidings but when Aristo says 5' diameter minimum with a GP-40 and 10' minimum with a SD-45 or Dash-9 they really mean those are real minimums and I think they are referring to pulling and NOT backing minimums.

While I admittedly do not run my trains a great deal I do like switching puzzles. For the last couple of our club meetings I've set up some switching challenges and the guys have really enjoyed them - including a LGB Dynamite car (a good way to get the attention of club members who like to run the trains too fast). Now we are planning to focus our club meetings around switching cars in freight yards and I am adding more sidings to the club layout to add to the switching capabilities.

I just re-read your comments and somehow I had missed where you said "and into sidings where the engine couldn't go." That creates an opportunity I had not thought about because typically I park a loco in a siding with the cars it pushed into the siding. With reference to stitching I can see a new possibility of using a SD-45 and actually switching on R1 sidings by using idler cars rather than the loco to transition the R1 turnout. I am out of R3 turnouts but I have plenty of extra R1 turnouts so you have given me something to think about.

Thanks for the suggestions,

Jerry


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## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

I chucked them because they were inconsistent, about 25% of them don't work at all. 

However, an LGB electric uncoupling ramp will uncouple them. The spring loaded ramp is useless for Aristo couplers as, if it works at all, it will uncouple them every time you drag a set over it.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry:

I think that you will need several idler cars if you are going to use the SD-45 as a pusher. It is a very long locomotive with a lot of overhang entering a R1 curve. You will need enough cars so that the last truck on the car next to the engine is still on the straight part of the switch. No matter what you do the overhang will most likely derail the car it is pushing if the engine gets close to the turnout. I'm assuming that you are using truck mounted couplers. I think that body mounts would be a disaster in this situation.


Chuck


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By chuck n on 10 May 2010 01:00 PM 
Jerry:

I think that you will need several idler cars if you are going to use the SD-45 as a pusher. It is a very long locomotive with a lot of overhang entering a R1 curve. You will need enough cars so that the last truck on the car next to the engine is still on the straight part of the switch. No matter what you do the overhang will most likely derail the car it is pushing if the engine gets close to the turnout. I'm assuming that you are using truck mounted couplers. I think that body mounts would be a disaster in this situation.


Chuck 



Hi Chuck,

I agree regarding needing several idler cars with the SD-45 and Dash-9. I will probably also need them with the GP-40 when entering a R1 turnout. At least with the R3 turnouts the GP-40 should be able to handle the turnout without idler cars.

One club member will probably be using his Dash-9 and I will be using the GP-40 and FA-1/FB-1's while other members will most likely be using FA-1's. Usually the rear of a FA-1 can handle a R1 curve but the nose need R2 curves.

I may be mistaken but it is starting to appear that knuckle couplers also restrict my ability to haul boxcars around R1 curves. I believe I can pull more boxcars with hook and loop couplers without straight lining them on 4' diameter curves.

While not finalized this is how my current plans for the caboose layout will provide the extra sidings for switching. All but the four sidings from northwest to southeast are R3 turnouts and those four are R1 turnouts.










This will provide two main loops, two crossovers, one passing siding, four long sidings, and six short sidings. That should be enough to make sorting cars on the various sidings both challenging and interesting. To make it even more challenging many of the sidings will require a reversal of the locomotive to gain entry into the sidings.

The double reverse loops are tricky with the Revolution but I think I've figured out a way to build signal lights to warn me when the polarity is incorrect.

According to RR-Track there will be 91 feet of sidings capable of holding up to 91 cars.

Jerry


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

Ah, the re-incarnation of the SB Central. 

Used to see that a LOT in the smaller scales.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry:

I do not think that 4 axle box cars would be very happy campers on R1 with knuckle couplers. H&L is a lot more forgiving on R1 curves. I haven't used those for a long time, 

I hope that you are using battery, because that track plan is an electrical nightmare for track power. If you are using track power, you have created two reversing loops that will short out unless you have wired for it.


Chuck


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Curmudgeon on 10 May 2010 02:05 PM 
Ah, the re-incarnation of the SB Central. 

Used to see that a LOT in the smaller scales. 

Welcome to my (O Gauge) World.





















I never did grow up. My toy trains simply got larger.









Different strokes for different folks. Some folks model railroads while I'm perfectly happy playing with my toy trains. 
Cheers,


Jerry


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By chuck n on 10 May 2010 02:16 PM 
Jerry:

I do not think that 4 axle box cars would be very happy campers on R1 with knuckle couplers. H&L is a lot more forgiving on R1 curves. I haven't used those for a long time, 

I hope that you are using battery, because that track plan is an electrical nightmare for track power. If you are using track power, you have created two reversing loops that will short out unless you have wired for it.


Chuck 



Hi Chuck,

Battery power? 

Bah! Humbug!

Track power is nothing more than a bunch of two wire circuits and is extremely dependable plus very simple to trouble shoot.

The only difference with reverse loops is that they call for a DPDT switch. With the switch thrown toward me the polarity is that of the track in front of me. With the switch thrown away from me the polarity is that of the track on the far side.

The Revolution threw me for a bit because it works with polarity in either direction yet a reverse loop only works with specific polarities.

Yesterday it occurred to me that all I have to do to make my reverse loops work with the Revolution is to wire a 24 volt light bulb between a rail on the reverse loop and the same rail side on the track it is approaching. If polarity is correct the light should stay off. If the light illuminates it will be telling me that I need to reverse the polarity before the loco reaches that turnout.

I have not wired it yet but I cannot see how it would not work. It is far easier than putting a bunch of batteries in a bunch of locos and my total cost should be a couple of bucks (I already have the lights, sockets and boxes to mount them in).

Actually I LOVE reversing loops. They force me to think about what I am doing along with giving me total control of where my trains go and in which direction.

The turnouts are numbered and the switches that control them have matching numbers. The red button switches into the curve and the black button keeps the turnout straight (one switch control for both entry and exit turnouts on a reverse loop).

In reality it is quite realistic because every (real) train has to be assembled in a switching yard and every car in a train has to be positioned onto a specific siding where it must be uncoupled. Later that car will have to be picked up and dropped off at a switching yard to start the process all over.

I have made a game up out of it. There are three operators:

1. the engineer does nothing but move the locomotive
2. the conductor determines how to assemble or disassemble the train
3. the brakeman supervises the actual coupling and uncoupling

We start with a deck of playing cards.

1. High card is the conductor
2. Next high is the engineer
3. Low card is the brakeman

The conductor then draws a number of cards equal to the intended consist. Each car represents a freight car on the layout (somewhere). The cars MUST be assembled in the order they are drawn.

After the train is assembled the cards are reshuffled and the cards are redrawn. Now the assembled train must deliver the cars to the sidings in the sequence of the drawn cards.

I know there are programs out there to do the same thing but everyone has a deck of cards somewhere and a deck that can be marked to match freight cars and sidings is cheap, readily available and fun to use.

If my layouts were more realistic with prototypical destinations I would be inclined to use a fancier system but when playing with toy trains the fun can be in the activity rather than trying to imitate reality.

Jerry


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## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

I use LGB knuckle couplers on R1 curves exclusively for all rolling stock. They work fine pushing or pulling. 

- gws


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry:

I know it can be handled with a dpdt. You obviously have had a lot of experience with it, but based upon my experience with reversing loops, I had to mention it. Many years ago (about 1969) I was building a HOn3 layout with two reversing loops, one at each end of a folded dog bone. Before I actually built it I woke up one morning at about 1:30 am. Somehow in my sleep I realised that I had an electrical problem. I solved it with a dpdt, Until then I had no idea that when we were sleeping we were working on solving potential problems.


Chuck


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

O, boy. 
If your experience is with three-rail "0", and you're going to do that with 2-rail anything, we should see the smoke from here!


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By chuck n on 10 May 2010 04:58 PM 
Jerry:

Until then I had no idea that when we were sleeping we were working on solving potential problems.


Chuck 



Hi Chuck,

The idea of working on problems while we are asleep is something I really do believe in. Often when I run into a problem I put it aside and often a week or even two weeks later a solution suddenly springs to my mind. 

Before I retired I sold electrical products for may years. Among the products I sold were electrical trouble shooting devices such as circuit tracers, wire markers and wire identifiers. I seldom need them but they are handy when I do.

My first job was at Carson Pirie Scott department store in Hillside, Illinois. They had a huge Christmas train layout but nothing worked so they let me, a 14 year old train nut work on their layout. I did not know that much about electricity but I did know that it only took two wires to make each device work so eventually I figured the layout out and got it working. After that it was as if it was my personal layout and I could walk into the store and run it anytime the store was open until it was taken down after Christmas. Later after I turned 15 they gave me a job.

I guess part of my attraction to wired layouts is that my father died when I was three years old and all l I had that belonged to him was his Lionel and American Flyer train sets. I guess if track power was good enough for him it is good enough for me.

Jerry


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Curmudgeon on 10 May 2010 05:04 PM 
O, boy. 
If your experience is with three-rail "0", and you're going to do that with 2-rail anything, we should see the smoke from here! 

Hi Dave,

Don't hold your breath. I've been wiring and running trains through reverse loops (DC as well as AC) for about 20 years now. About the only thing to go up in smoke is the money I spend for the rechargeable batteries for the sound systems that I have had to replace time after time after time after time after time...

This is one of my favorites. Not only is it a Wye but it allows me to run trains between the outer loop on one power supply into the inner loop on a different power supply and through the wye to reverse IN EITHER DiRECTION. 











I run the above both with track power and with MTS (just another switch to throw).

You could call it a dual main line dual direction reverse loop (actually a wye but the same thing electrically as a double reverse loop).









In about 10 years of using it I've not blown a single fuse much less put out any smoke for anyone to see.

Cheers,

Jerry 
PS Yes, this is G Scale DC Track Power - not O Gauge


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry:

I bow out. Obviously, you are well aware of the potential problems and are way ahead of me.

Chuck


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By George Schreyer on 10 May 2010 04:48 PM 
I use LGB knuckle couplers on R1 curves exclusively for all rolling stock. They work fine pushing or pulling. 

- gws 

Hi George,

I totally agree. I think that the LGB knuckle couplers are by far the best knuckle couplers available - especially for tight curves. I also think they are the most compatible (with other brands) couplers made.

As soon as I got the GP-40 and SD-45 I tried to figure out how to put LGB knuckle couplers on them (and gave up).

Unfortunately my budget is insufficient to buy the quantity of them that I would need.

Jerry


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By chuck n on 10 May 2010 06:33 PM 
Jerry:

I bow out. Obviously, you are well aware of the potential problems and are way ahead of me.

Chuck 



Hi Chuck,

You have provided some very valuable information that has given me things to consider and reconsider. 

Even if you suggest something that I may have already thought of there is a VERY good chance that someone else will read your comments and suggestions and benefit from them.

I was/am not in any way trying to discourage you from offering suggestions. I really do appreciate them.

Jerry


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry:

I try to offer help and I will continue to do so. Reversing loops can be a real problem and I hope others will be alerted. 


Chuck


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, for people not running DCC they need to be aware. For us DCC guys, we just put a $45 autoreverser in the insulated section and forget about it, it just works. 

Regards, Greg


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By chuck n on 10 May 2010 07:07 PM 
Jerry:

I try to offer help and I will continue to do so. Reversing loops can be a real problem and I hope others will be alerted. 


Chuck 





Hi Chuck,

You are right. Reversing loops can be a real problem and to be honest I do not recommend some of my methods for dealing with them. Sometimes I do not have enough space to put in an isolated track section that is longer than the trains that I want to reverse. That's the thing about this hobby - there is always going to be a future problem that we will need someone else's help with. 

I owe a great deal to many who have helped me in the past such as George Schreyer whose web site was there back when I first got into large scale.

Jerry


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow the reversing units I did for two of my reverse loops where a snap. I call them the smart box. Thanks Greg for the info for making this happen. Guys its easy. Later RJD


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Yup, Greg, and for us battery guys, the cost is $0. Reversing loops are a total non-issue!!!









Ed


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

My autoreverser is $45, your cost is not zero, your battery costs more... and the charger.... 

Greg


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Fight you pedants. fight!!!


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Here we go again.

The topic is "How do you Uncouple Aristo-Craft Knuckle Couplers?"

And the discussion has become about battery power and reverse loops.









Actually in this case there has been so little said about remote uncoupling of Aristo-Craft Knuckle Couplers that I'm starting to think I am the only one giving serious thought to doing it.









Heck, if we are going to talk about battery power I'll throw in my two cents along with everyone else.

In my opinion battery power and track power are like feeding water to a steam locomotive. The locomotive needs water to run but it does not care where the water comes from. If some folks enjoy pumping water and then carrying buckets of water from the well to the locomotive I say "go for it" and I will enjoy watching them haul their water.

For me, I prefer indoor plumbing and I'll get my water (in unlimited quantities) from the tap. One of our happiest days was when we got city water and were finally able to stop using the well.

Sure, indoor plumbing involves some maintenance but while pumping water and hauling buckets of it may not be described as "maintenance" it sure qualifies as work to me. 

Then too, before anyone can get water from the well, the well has to be dug (well diggers need to be paid) and a mechanism has to be put up to get the water to the top of the well (mechanism builders need to be paid) and even buckets are not free. *







*

*Just in case there is anyone out there who has some sort of method for remote uncoupling of Aristo knuckle couplers, I will ask again:*

*How do you Uncouple Aristo-Craft Knuckle Couplers?*

Jerry


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Jerry, I apologize for helping to continue a derailed thread. I have never considered remote uncoupling of Aristo couplers (which I use exclusively), but I too am very interested to hear if anyone has any ideas about this.

Again, I apologize for helping to get your thread off track.

Ed


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I send the brakeman! 

Having a walk on railroad makes it easy for me to; bend, squat or kneel and use my fingers. I leave my cars out, so I'll fudge the realism and slightly part the cars to be sure the coupler has opened. (airborn dust and raindrop splashes gets grit inside 'em). 
Nothing to it! 


There's a hole in me bucket, dear Elisa, there's a hole! 

John


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 12 May 2010 08:01 AM 
Jerry, I apologize for helping to continue a derailed thread. I have never considered remote uncoupling of Aristo couplers (which I use exclusively), but I too am very interested to hear if anyone has any ideas about this.

Again, I apologize for helping to get your thread off track.

Ed


Hi Ed,

If there had been a conversation going regarding remote uncoupling, getting the thread off track would have been objectionable. In this case there have been no comments other than George's (about REMOTE uncoupling) so there really was no thread to get off track.

The comments about reverse loops evolved from the coupler issue but again the remote uncoupling discussion was not going anywhere.

There is no need to apologize. I was just curious how long it would take before the discussion turned to battery power (they always do). It takes a great imagination to see how battery power has anything to do with uncoupling mechanical couplers. I think I could start a topic about how to make tapioca pudding and battery power would soon be brought up as the best thing since tapioca pudding.









*Perhaps the off topic discussions will keep the topic active long enough for others to comment on how they may be REMOTE uncoupling Aristo-Craft Knuckle Couplers. **To clarify what I mean by REMOTE uncoupling - I mean to ask how members uncouple Aristo knuckle couplers when they cannot possibly reach those couplers to manually uncouple them.* 

Regards,

Jerry


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

I think if it were doable Jerry someone out there might have answered by now, If you swithched over to kadee or MTH proto couplers it can be done.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Nicholas Savatgy on 12 May 2010 10:34 AM 
I think if it were doable Jerry someone out there might have answered by now, If you swithched over to kadee or MTH proto couplers it can be done.










Hi Nick,

Actually the LGB Uncoupler that I modified seems to be working quite well. I am in the process of making four more so I will have one on each of the switching yard tracks.

I was mainly interested in finding out if there was something out there that I was not aware of.

My back up plan is that I may end up moving some of my LGB 10560 Electric Uncouplers from an inside switching yard where I don't use them to the outside switching yard after modifying them (if necessary) to work with the Aristo knuckle couplers.












I am satisfied that it CAN be done. It is just a question of which way is going to work the best.

Kadees don't work for me. They don't stay coupled on my steep ramps or sharp curves. Besides the Aristo couplers are free and I could buy a lot of LGB Electric Uncouplers for a LOT less than Kadees or MTH couplers would cost me.

Jerry


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

After my last post I became curious about the LGB 10560 Electric Uncouplers. I wondered if it was possible that they would work with the Aristo-Craft knuckle couplers so I took a couple of new Aristo freight cars with the Aristo knuckle couplers and put them on that layout and tried them with the LGB 10560 Electric Uncouplers.

Unfortunately they too did not work with the Aristo knuckle couplers. As with the LGB 10520 uncouplers I would apparently have to modify them to fill in the center gap that allows the uncoupler tang of the Aristo couplers to pass without being pushed up. 
Still, the LGB 10560 Electric Uncouplers would offer the advantage that since they are electric, the uncoupling bar could be lowered when uncoupling is not desired.

Jerry


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By chuck n on 09 May 2010 05:47 PM 
Jerry:

If I read your thread correctly, you are pushing cars onto sidings and want to then uncouple the engine for further use. Have you considered using an idler car? A short car with an hook and loop on one end and your Aristo coupler on the other end that will mate with the engine. This would let you use the new engine, and still use the H&Ls. 


This type of car has been used on many railroads. In the case of the D&RGW it permitted mixing standard gauge and narrow gauge cars in the same train. I have seen videos where idler cars have been used to move freight cars on to barges and into sidings where the engine couldn't go. 


Chuck N 



Going back to Chuck's suggestion of using idler cars I went ahead and bought a few Aristo-Craft boxcars that match the railroads of the GP-40 and SD-45's that will be used as pushers. These boxcars will be used as idler/conversion cars (Aristo-Craft knuckle coupler on one end and hook and loop coupler on the other end).

After they arrived and I thought about it, it became obvious that since the boxcars would be used primarily in switching operations I might as well throw in an inexpensive battery to give the locos the option of running under battery power. I will add that the batteries are 14.4 volt Ni-Cad batteries that came in Shark vacuum cleaners I bought at a salvage store for $15 each including the batteries and chargers. 
The added weight from the batteries should help prevent the boxcars from derailing as they go through the curve into the sidings - especially when backing (pushing) cars into the sidings.


I doubt the batteries will be used often but since they were just sitting on a shelf they can sit just as easily in boxcars. I'll just have to remember to recharge them once in awhile.

Good idea Chuck. 

Thanks,

Jerry


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