# KD remote uncoupling



## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

KD has a new product to remotely uncouple cars:
http://www.remoteuncoupling.com/html/kadee-rc.htm
Looks like they will have a starter set


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

If your present decoder supports a servo, then the servo mounting kit is a nice option for us and can work with couplers other than KD.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Kaydee's uncoupling system looks pretty neat, but it looks to me like it is for the rich and wealthy!!!!

Ed


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

To quote the kid at the end of every episode of the American Flyer TV programs back when I was a kid: "Boy, oh boy, oh boy!!!!" 

This is perfect for me. I'm new enough to G scale that I haven't installed Kadees on my A-C and USAT rolling stock yet. That was going to be my big project this winter. I've invested some money in a stock of (what turns out to be) probably the wrong Kadees for what I need - eBay here I come. 

I love this new system. Thanks, Enginear, for posting the info. But....it's not yet useable with DCC. Glad I noticed that. I have a problem thinking about running trains with my DCC controller in my right hand, and the Kadee controller in my left. I'm not the most ambidexterous person in the world. Fact is, my left hand doesn't coordinate well with the rest of my body. Two handhelds would be difficult to handle, so I'd be juggling them around to make my right hand do all the work. Not good. 

This leaves me wondering how long until Kadee can come out with a G-compatible system. Should I live with the factory-equipped couplers - largely useless with a large switching yard at ground level - or should I equip my rolling stock with normal Kadees so I can actually do remote switching next year? 

I have that de ja vu feeling like this could turn into another Titan situation. Anybody got a crystal ball I can borrow? 

JackM


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Maybe no crystal ball to borrow, but how about a time machine?

You might want to check out the discussion on this over a year ago on MLS:

*http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx*

Yes, really silly to not set up with DCC... I can guess they want to reach the largest audience, so the logic would be a separate remote that everyone can use.

WRONG.

I doubt anyone really wants to carry a second remote. And who in the community wants remote control of such a detail? The people using manual turnout throws and sticks to open couplers? Nope.

The answer is people who pretty much already use a lot of features by remote control, the DCC guys, who already have decoders in the loco ready to do stuff like this.

(I know there will be exceptions, but look at the big picture where the main market is)

Regards, Greg


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## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

I would have hoped it would have a way to uncouple each end. Yes, most engines with command have this capability, so it should also have a version to connect to them. It always seems to be a problem of incompatabilty between competing companies. I think KD set out to have a complete package. It may sell as that's it's edge.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

You could put two on each car. How much do you want to spend.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

The Zimo MX69X series decoders have 4 servo outputs and would just need the KD box and a servo or mount your own servo in some manner and the decoder can have function key assignments up to f19. 

MX645 and MX646 have 2 servo outputs. 

If an inexpensive decoder is available with 2 outputs for servos, the 2 servos can be mounted in cars.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

If the servo couplers use a standard servo signal you will also be able to use them with my RCS Digital Proportional R/C systems. Simply plug them into any spare channel on the RX. Add a "Y" servo cable to have a coupler at each end of a loco controlled by just one channel. 
Any idea on the costs of the servo/coupler combos?


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Hmmmm.... 

I looked at the earlier discussion of these. I still like the idea, but.... 

My first thgouth was installing these (presumably DCC) couplers on each end of each car that lives in my eight-track train shed - about 30 cars. It wouldn't make any sense (to me) to have it on only a few cars and one engine. No fun hooking up the same series of cars every time. Let's see: 30 cars, times two couplers, at - let's be optimistic - $20/coupler. That'd be about $1200. I could put my disposable income together to afford that. It's not like I have a life or anything. So, it's in the high range of "doable", except that I doubt my $20 guesstimate is anywhere near what the actual cost will be. 

Even if I'd want that special handheld controller shown in their website, how does it work? Do I punch in the number of the two couplers that I'll be joining or unjoining? I've got 60 couplers out there! I'd have to put very unprototypical numbers on their roofs to know what I'm doing. 

Gee, it sounded like such a great idea yesterday. Guess I'll just install the more traditional Kadees - an excellent product all these years - and operate just like I did in HO. Go with what works. 

JackM 

Rats! It'd be really cool.


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## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

I thought it said it would hook up to their couplers? Most change to KDs already I figure. They outperform many other brands. When I order a USA car, I order KDs with it. Their couplers are too low to match all my other brands anyways.


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Watch their videos online. Explains a lot. Not everything, but a lot.

*Kadee Remote Uncoupler Videos *

Can do two couplers with one servo (each end).

I would think, if it fits, that installing the remote coupler on a locomotive is all you need. Unless you want to selectively uncouple cars within a train.

Yes hooks up to existing already installed couplers. However looks to be body mounted only.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Right idea, wrong execution.

The servos are unnecessary, add to the complexity for the end user, and unnecessary cost. The decoder should simply send a signal to activate a solonoid to pull the trip wire. The solonoid would be far smaller making them easier to place and cheaper than a servo. Plus, Kadee would farm out the solonoids to a third party and have an exclusive.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Actually, I would prefer something less than the snap action of a solenoid, but the Kadees would handle it so I agree with Todd. 

Although today the dang servos are so common, they are really cheap, vs. a limited production run of specialized solenoids. Also the micro servos are intended to have a flexible system of linkages and they come with different arms, etc., while solenoids often are "bare" with no mounting tabs etc. 

Greg


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Saw this while doing more searching,

Kadee Remote Coupler 

So looks like they make, or will make, a built in remote coupler as well as the big servo version. Not sure how strong and reliable that little chain will be? 

I might try one of these for my main use steam loco. I wonder if the Kadee receiver would work via Airwire. Sure would be nice if it would.


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## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

I saw that coupler too. I didn't realise it is a complete pkg. That would operate with our engine's decoders???


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## rpc7271 (Jan 2, 2008)

I think Kadee has the right idea for a start. Yes there are probably several ways of making a system like this work. The thing that bothers me is that it looks like the DCC system that it is designed to work with is the up and coming new Kadee system. I have 3 DCC systems now. I don't need a forth. Stan Cedarleaf how long until you have this working with the Aristo Revolution system?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Looking closely at the pictures of the coupler with the servo inside, seeing 3 wires, seeing the servo arm, and seeing that they will also offer a large servo, makes me believe this is a normal servo setup. 

So you want a system that will handle a normal servo. Many DCC decoders will handle servos, as well as proprietary systems like Tony's and also Dave Bodnar has figured out the hardware for a servo interface for the Revolution (although it will take extra $$). 

So there's many options for operation. 

The little chain should be fine Matt, since you are just pulling when normally a magnet will do. 

For Airwire, you could probably add a servo decoder to the G2/G3 stuff, but then you can't have sound. 

I don't think AirWire has any direct servo control solutions. 

Greg


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I want to see a set-up that works with the existing Kadees.

A small solonoid mounts to the existing coupler housing, so tracks with the coupler, whether it be body or talgo-mounted. When the solonoid receives power, the plunger protrudes out toward the tang, that may or may not need a bit of bending to get the position just right. The end of the plunger includes a magnet that attracts the tang and retracts the knuckle. It would retrofit and there are no cables or chains attached to the coupler to deal with.


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

small solonoid mounts to the existing coupler housing, so tracks with the coupler, whether it be body or talgo-mounted. When the solonoid receives power, the plunger protrudes out toward the tang, that may or may not need a bit of bending to get the position just right. The end of the plunger includes a magnet that attracts the tang and retracts the knuckle. It would retrofit and there are no cables or chains attached to the coupler to deal with. 


that sounds harder not easier 


I have had remote couplers on locos for years now 


they must modify the coupler so it will work becouse a stanard kadee needs both sides loco and car open to work


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I looked at the Kadee site pages... seems that the solenoid is not in the coupler housing (which I could not figure how it fit), but you get a large servo in the $50 kit. 

So the coupler box with the modified coupler, little arm and the servo is the unit of measure. So if you were to use on a loco that had servo outputs, doing both ends of a loco means $100 more each loco. 

That's a lot of cash. I would think that the "large servo" does not need to be that large... or maybe the scale is off in the pictures. 

I don't believe they modify the coupler, I believe I read that they not only pull enough to open the knuckle, but move it over to the "delayed" position. 

May do some experimentation myself. Looks pretty easy to hook a chain and screw a small servo arm on the side of the coupler box. 

Greg


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

when i played with them years ago the "hook" for lack of a better turm on the inside face of the coupler grabed the other coupler ...... I don't know if you have to back up while uncoupling or if you cut the "Hook" if you will have trouble with it while running on the layout


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

If you need to uncouple and back up to uncouple, then the Zimo waltz function would work perfect here!! 
Does anyone know if other decoders have this capability?


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

I looked at the video demonstartion on the Kadee website and I'm pretty sure the loco has to reverse a bit in order to release the pull between couplers. Then BOTH couplers retract, allowing the cars to separate. This is why I presume you'd need to install these couplers on both ends of every piece of rolling stock you have if you want a fully functional $y$tem. 

Somebody please check the video and see if that's actually what I saw, or if I THINK I saw that because that's how standard Kadee couplers work. 

JackM 

(I believe that's known as "confirmational bias".)


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

went and looked at the vidio .... without a doubt there is a back up move the remote uncouple then fwd move but only one coupler moved


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Great! I have five locos each requiring two coupler/solenoid sets at $50 per set at Greg's price = 5x2x$50 =$500. I can save my pennies and be ready for them (hopefully working with my NCE system) when they become reality. That would be very cool. 

JackM


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## Seawhisp (Feb 16, 2012)

Dicalimer - I do not use Kadee couplers - I run Live Steam only and use Bachmann couplers or link and pin
and I have no wish to hyjack thread.

But, I did a quick test, just for proof of concept

Here is a Kadee 830 and a


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Price is already set: 

Starter kit (transmitter, body-mount coupler kit and receiver kit) is $379.99. Transmitter is $269.99. Receiver (radio receiver, 4-cell AAA, and wiring) is $169.99. Body-mount coupler kit (#906 coupler, trip pin linkage collars, linkage rods, shims, large servo kit, mounting screws and hardware) is $49.99, and large servo kit is $26.99. 

Definately not for the feint at heart or of wallet.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I watched both videos, only one coupler needs to be opened. 

Yes there is an internal lip on the couplers... it's there so that a train passing over an uncoupling magnet does not separate cars, as long as there is tension the lip keeps them together when moving over the uncoupler. 

Relax the tension and give some slack and the lips are no longer engaged and they will uncoupler over a magnet. 

$50 is a bit of cash for a single $5 coupler and a servo and the simple mods to the coupler. $5 servos are easy to find, so even if they hit you for $10 for the servo and $5 for the coupler, that leaves $35 for the mod and the little chain. 

A bit too pricey for what you get. 

Us DCC track power guys have have the power worked out. Massoth or someone must make a small decoder that runs servos, and many DCC decoders for locos have servo control, like the Zimo. 

Greg


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Does QSI have the above mentioned servo output? 

Dirk


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

No, I don't believe so in the current incarnation. 

Good question though. 

Was hoping to hear from the Massoth guys on a small function decoder. 

But you got me thinking, maybe a function output can be used to trigger a servo. 

Will research since I have a number of QSI. 

Greg


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

they seem easy to build ... and work well 

my servo is a little big but i had it on hand .... I am driving it with picaxe which you could triger with anything ... dcc fuction .. radio .. even infered


video


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott that is so very cool.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I would think you could graft a micro servo onto one at least for RC'd Locomotives. 
Who needs a servo just to lift the pin (or move a Kadee lever aside) ? 

My Aristo C-16 still has a remote uncoupler that I built from an electromagnetic coil, stolen from an Atlas HO switch machine. The coil is mounted vertically inside the air tank on the rear tender pilot deck and pulls up a piece of stiff (piano) wire that protrudes through the rear beam over the pin. 

The coil is energized by a reed switch from Radio Shack fed from an Aristo accessory relay unit (the Aristo contacts won't take much current, so I had to drive the external relay/reed switch.) The accessory is triggered by button B on my Aristo TE (original 27Mhz unit.) 

This Kadee system seems like a clear case of overkill.


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg, you asked about the Massoth decoders--they make a very small function decoder - the 8FL that can run two servos as well as various light functions. All their loco decoders can run servos as well. You can set each servo to run on an end-to-end type operation or you can actually control it with the throttle proportionally. They are also coming out with a new special servo decoder that can run I think 6 or 8 servos. 
You're right in that it's easy for us DCC guys as lots of decoders can already run servos so like the new Massoth uncouplers, you just plug them in and away you go. As for the Kadee with the servo/chain, people have been doing that for years, so nothing new there. 

Keith


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Keith... do you know the street price? Unfortunately it also needs a 6v regulator added to power the servo. That should be cheap but too bad it's not on board. 

Pete, no offense, but running a coil from a reed relay from an aristo relay board from a 27 mhz receiver may seem simple (and technologically it is), but a whole lot of components to do something that a small bit of electronics can do too. 

I will though, agree that the Kadee system is not really cost effective, but overkill? Normally you use that word for "over doing" some functionality. Well, it's pretty much as basic as it can be, it needs some form of addressing and it's connections are simpler than what you are doing. 

Maybe you mean overkill because it has a separate remote. I would not call that overkill, I would call that inconvenient. 

I think that's the biggest mistake here. I would wager that anyone that wants remote uncoupling ALREADY has remote control of the loco. The remote uncoupling should be INTEGRATED into the existing remote control system. 

Greg


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Greg, sorry don't know the street price of the 8FL. I believe their new servo decoder has the power regulation on board, so that will be a very handy unit. It's interesting to watch how all the battery/non dcc alternates are trying to reach dcc functionality. When you look at the current capabilities of modern decoders such as Zimo, ESU, Massoth etc., with onboard regulated power, servo control etc., I think it's a great time to be running dcc. 
If I was using knuckle couplers instead of hook and loop, I would do as Pete suggests, and just use a solenoid with a linear pull---nice and simple. 

Keith


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, I do have a laugh many times as people constantly batter DCC, but then strive to re-invent the same list of functionality. 

Just like the learning curve Aristo is going through with it's products. 

It may not be perfect, but it is a good workable base to handle new features and capabilities. 

One thing I don't like about solenoids is the big current spike when operated and also the "snap action" as opposed to the controllable speed of a servo, but that's just personal taste. 

Regards, Greg


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

There are ways around needing a strong solenoid, and this is best demonstrated by the very clever design of the Krois uncoupler for hook and loop. Rather than have it hold/move the hook itself, it has a tiny pin that moves with a small solenoid and that lets the hook pivot so there is never a real load on the solenoid. The same could be done here, but even then I don't think the load on a small solenoid would be much more than 200mA and given it's a short term load I can't see it being an issue. The secret is to have the solenoid just release a locking mechanism rather than being tied to a moving part of the coupler. 

Keith


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

thats has been done .... that is how the lionel coupler works ....


I think the problem with remote uncoupling comes down to two problems 

ease of mounting and hookup 

and total cost per loco or car 



to me the loco part is easyer becouse a lot of power pickup and control is there to start with ... I have great fun droping a string of cars and swaping motive power out with out touching anything 


and to me we are at a point where having a few key cars with couplers could add to that fun


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

So why won't a tiny 'micro servo' work here!?? 

Less room needed and lower cost. Like a Hitec HS 55 micro... with a short arm - mounted next to the coupler with short pull stroke attached to the angle block on the pulling face side - pulls both the face open and swings the entire coupler to the opening side.. glue in place / remove the tiny mounting tabs to make it easier to install also.. use silicone to make removal easy down the road for replacements.. 

would be a nice addition on locos.. 

Dirk - DMS Ry.


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

looks like the massoth 8152001 8FL goes for like 42 bucks 

the ones i have need other stuff to make it work .. and the pdf for the showes the same


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

So why won't a tiny 'micro servo' work here!?? 

Less room needed and lower cost. Like a Hitec HS 55 micro... with a short arm - mounted next to the coupler with short pull stroke attached to the angle block on the pulling face side - pulls both the face open and swings the entire coupler to the opening side.. glue in place / remove the tiny mounting tabs to make it easier to install also.. use silicone to make removal easy down the road for replacements.. 




that is just what i used .... mounting it in the coupler box ........ and only did that to try and make it more compact and easyer to mount 

the big problem i see with the kadee style in the box mounting is that the box is almost too big to start with and adding the servo arm makes it worse ... there are cars that will not take this style and still let the truck turn


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

here is just a rough idea of what i shared above! 

Of course the arm needs to be changed to a single short arm, a small wire to pull or the 'chain' so as not to limit coupler swing movement in use. 

 

This is set into My SD90 frame for this example, and is along side the previously cut - down pocket.. With increased swing radius on the shank.. 

Dirk - DMS Ry.


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

I think it would be better to just use picaxe and interface it to a fuction on a stanard decoder 

though if you are not dcc you could also hook it up so a lazer pointer or something else would be the trigger 


a unit like this one would run one servo and have inputs for trigger and is very small 


PICAXE-08M SMD


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

dirk 

you betta ...... in a case like that the servo on the side would be much better 


this all depends on room ..... i am sure kadee was just trying to make it as drop in as they could


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes Kadee was just trying to keep everything compact, in the same way the new Massoth one has the linear actuator/servo built in a very tiny package.


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Now, bare in mind that this whole concept in My loco has only come into play from this thread, and in no way was designed previously outside this discussion!! I was just lucky it fit in at all! 

With a scale I-beam frame construction, which is also narrower than a typical frame, there is less room then on a 'Ready-To-Buy' loco in a box! At this point a system could fit in and go to work. So it may be considered in the build, as long as control issues are not a problem.

Dirk - DMS Ry. 
http://dmsry.blogspot.com/


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

Dirk 


are you dcc ... dc  .... battery ....pull string










becouse the trigger is the real rub not the servo


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Scott, 

Battery, 
DC, 
DCC, 
chain,... 
........the rub will be if Greg can solve the Airwire - QSI syndrome as an interface mechanism!! 

Go Greg!! :~ } 

Dirk - DMS Ry. 
http://dmsry.blogspot.com/


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

working cut levers anyone?


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

If the air wire can output a DCC signal, then just connect the 8FL decoder to it and run the servo from that. The 8fl has to get 5V power from the air wire or onboard source. Program the 8fl to same address as the air wire and it should work.


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

the g2 board has 4 outputs on its own for lights .... fwd rear and fa and fb 

if thouse are not used you could map fb to f3 and have it trigger the servo tru a picaxe board and get clank sound at the same time if you use a dcc sound system 

on would open the coupler and off it would be closed


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, but if you are using AirWire, your DCC output probably already has a sound decoder attached. No data if you can wire 2 decoders in parallel... maybe you can, but if it supports service mode to the external decoders, that would probably be a no. 

Greg


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

I was thinking if you are useing dcc and you wanted to put the coupler in a car why not use a switch machine decoder so there is no need to pull up a new loco adress 

was thinking something like this


http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/produ...coder.html


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

The Airwire board itself _only_ supports service mode programming. You can "fine tune" (to use the instruction's wording) auxiliary boards connected to it using Ops mode, and not affect the Airwire board. I'm pretty sure you can hook two decoders in parallel. I've not done it myself, but that seemed to be the consensus from other users when I was investigating whether I could use multiple decoders in addition to the Phoenix to drive a pulsed smoke unit and other cool effects on a loco. Then I decided against adding all that stuff that I'd probably use once in my lifetime, so I dropped it. (That, and the new Titan has outputs which would do what I needed all on one board, so I can easily go back and use that instead if the bug ever bites again.) 


But even with that, you're looking at having automatic couplers only on the locomotive. "Way back in the day," before we converted to Kadees, I hooked a servo to the hook-and-loop couplers on an LGB switcher. It worked great, but only when I needed to couple or uncouple to the locomotive. From a practical standpoint, that ended up being around 1/3 of the time on average, so I still spent a majority of my time reaching between cars to uncouple them manually. After that, I never gave it another thought.

Later, 

K


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By East Broad Top on 08 Nov 2012 01:10 PM 
The Airwire board itself _only_ supports service mode programming. You can "fine tune" (to use the instruction's wording) auxiliary boards connected to it using Ops mode, and not affect the Airwire board. I'm pretty sure you can hook two decoders in parallel. I've not done it myself, but that seemed to be the consensus from other users when I was investigating whether I could use multiple decoders in addition to the Phoenix to drive a pulsed smoke unit and other cool effects on a loco. Then I decided against adding all that stuff that I'd probably use once in my lifetime, so I dropped it. (That, and the new Titan has outputs which would do what I needed all on one board, so I can easily go back and use that instead if the bug ever bites again.) 



K 

I control the ditch lights on my SD70's using NCE D808 decoders (overkill but I had them leftover from my DCC days and they do a great job controlling the LEDs) in parallel with a Phoenix PB8 and a P5. I program the D808's before installation.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Service mode is the only mode you can read back values of CV's... Since the AirWire system is not a bidirectional system (transmitter only), maybe using 2 decoders in parallel is fine even in service mode. 

Jim, can you program the P5 and the D808 when connected to the Airwire decoder? That's the question I would like answered. 

(I don't like systems where you have to take it apart to program it)

Greg


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 08 Nov 2012 05:51 PM 
Jim, can you program the P5 and the D808 when connected to the Airwire decoder? That's the question I would like answered. 








Greg, I haven't tried programming the D808 while connected to the G2, since it was easier to use my Digitrax System.


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11015 

Thats all you need you can activate the solenoid with any remote on the market(aristo/RCS/airwire ) 

Manfred


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

and how is that going to hook up and work the coupler ?

have you got one working to show us ? becouse im not sure it has the power to work the same way as the servo does


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Another option is to use the new Massoth uncoupler and just remove the hook/loop section to use it as a linear actuator. It is built to separate anyway for installation so it would be very easy. It's got all the circuitry to self center/protect itself and gives a nice slow push/pull.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Manfred, the one you show is 5 volts, 4.5 ohms... Ohms law gives 1.1 amps current draw? 

Uhh... you have a DCC decoder with 1.5 amp function outputs? 

Trigger a few at the same time and watch all the trains stop? 

I think that solenoid belongs where it was designed for, power eject releases for CD/DVD drives. 

It would also have one **** of a BEMF kick too! 

Greg


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

There is another coupler option that I briefly played with. I use Kadee #1 scale couplers. The MTH O scale electric uncoupler is about the same size. With a little filing to the knuckle it will mate with the Kadee's. All it needs is a pulse to open it. Just thought I'd toss this out there.


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

sure ... and lionel has one too ... plus one that is g scale coupler size talked about them back in 09

http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx


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## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

Hmmm, I'm running their boards already. I have their O gauge couplers sitting right here...... I'd better get a file.....


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

if you are not dcc but battery or dc track and want a car to uncouple useing the servo I just found this place to trigger the deal with a lazer ponter 


http://www.unionvilledepot.com/


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## bdp3wsy (Mar 14, 2008)

I use Dave Bodnar's interface for the revolution to control two servo's one for the front of engine and one on the rear works great on my Aristo B&O 2-8-0 as a switcher. Jac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G_FlOu6GpM


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