# cog line and couplers



## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

Hi all,
I've spent some of my Covid down time expanding my garden railway with an new loop of track (my wife calls it the Corona Valley Line) on a pretty steeply sloped section of yard surrounded by sidewalks. It's a simple loop with 10' diameter curves but the slopes are about 13% going up and down the straightaways. I have two cog locos running battery/Revolution that can each handle these just fine with the battery car and three normal DRGW passenger cars behind them (ala a Swiss Oberalp consist). I use LGB hook and loop couplers and that's really where the problem is because on the downhill portion, the cars are heavy enough to want to overrun the hook in front (and below) it causing derailments. It's not the underside of the hook/loop catching on the cogs so the special hook/loops won't make a difference it seems to me. I'm thinking that switching to a knuckle coupler would be a firmer connection for the downhills and it's only a few cars but thought I should ask you all for advice first.

So...let me have it!

All the best,

Mike


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Mike;

At the risk of sounding over simplified, I'm going to make a suggestion. You are probably aware of the black and dark gray packing foam that is used for making shipping cradles for delicate items. 
Why not try taking some of that foam and make snug (but not extremely snug) buffers to tuck between the the coach platforms and over the couplers? The dark color will help de emphasize the fact that the foam is there, and the foam buffers should prevent the cars from surging against each other when going down a steep grade.

It may work but if it doesn't, you have not lost much time or effort.

Best of luck, David Meashey


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

I recomend body mounted Kadee's on every thing.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Are you pushing the cars uphill or pulling them?? Cog railways always push uphill. What kind of wheels are on the cars? Hopefully not plastic as these in my opinion would be too light and could cause issues on curves.


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## Manhart (Dec 27, 2007)

Cog railways in Switzerland have the loco at the beginning of the train. See Glacier Express example:

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/720116/


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## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

*more data*

Hey all,

Metal wheels, 10 foot diameter curves (as big as will fit in the space), and yes, I'm pulling them like the Swiss Oberalp trains because it's a loop and if I pushed them like the the one way Pikes Peak or Mt. Washington, then it would be a free fall going down hill!..

Both locos have no trouble pulling the 4-5 cars up the 13% grade but going downhill they are pushing over the hook and loops at times. I've put some more ballast in to lower the slope on the down hill and will try the idea of creating a bumper of sorts and let you know...

any other suggestions are most welcome!

Mike


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## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

*success*

I had some success today. I put down quite a bit more ballast to even out the downslope and then also put more ballast under the bottom curve, which has the effect of flattening out the downhill as well. This seemed to help. As for the couplers, I ended up removing the hooks from my LGB hook and loops and then linking the two loops with a small zip tie pulled fairly tightly into basically a small ring. This keeps the loops from overriding each other on the down slope. It's not realistic I know, but neither am I!

Anyway, the rack loco worked well and made for a nice additional loop.

thanks all for your suggestions...it helped me to see what the problem was.

Mike


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## Brenda R. Smith (Jun 22, 2020)

amich35 said:


> Hi all,
> I've spent some of my Covid down time expanding my garden railway with an new loop of track (my wife calls it the Corona Valley Line) on a pretty steeply sloped section of yard surrounded by sidewalks. It's a simple loop with 10' diameter curves but the slopes are about 13% going up and down the straightaways. I have two cog locos running battery/Revolution that can each handle these just fine with the battery car and three normal DRGW passenger cars behind them (ala a Swiss Oberalp consist). I use LGB hook and loop couplers and that's really where the problem is because on the downhill portion, the cars are heavy enough to want to overrun the hook in front (and below) it causing derailments. It's not the underside of the hook/loop catching on the cogs so the special hook/loops won't make a difference it seems to me. I'm thinking that switching to a knuckle coupler would be a firmer connection for the downhills and it's only a few cars but thought I should ask you all for advice first.
> 
> So...let me have it!
> ...


Hello. I also think that the rotary clutch is more reliable. I read about it. Do you have photos?


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## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

*Rotary Clutch?*

I'm sorry but I don't know what a rotary clutch is. Can you please explain?


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

amich35 said:


> I'm sorry but I don't know what a rotary clutch is. Can you please explain?


Spam, I think. I reported the post.


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