COUPLER FAILURE

Happens all the time with long trains. It sounds like you may have too much weight toward the back. Take the car that broke the train and move it to the back. While you're at it, move all heavy cars to the front. Depending on the style of coupler, you may be able to tie it closed.

If the knuckle didn't open, look for a coupler height mismatch and then a bump in the track. That could have caused it.

Long trains expose weaknesses in a variety of systems. Remember, just because you can get them moving, they don't stop on a dime. The longer you make them, the more they behave like real trains.

Yardmaster96 posted:

Now that I have had so many replies to my "introduction" post, I feel comfortable asking all of you a question.  I ran a 30 car train one afternoon around my back porch, it was the only place in the house that would let me set up a train that long.  My Locomotives pull 30 with no problem, but what I thought was a mid range speed setting suddenly became a full sprint.  I looked up and saw that 15 of my cars were sitting still.  The coupler on the lead car of the 15 stalled cars had failed.  It opened and let go.  So the speed setting I had that was fast enough for my taste suddenly became 90 mph.  I managed to stop the train before it plowed into the back of the stalled cars.  I checked the coupler.  Pin was fine.  It just seemed to let go.  I've seen a video on you tube where a guy pulled over 200 cars on a public layout.  It was slow, but his couplers didn't fail.  Ideas?

I use 4" cable ties and snip them close to the tab underneath the coupler.  My clubs layout when set up is not perfect and is prone to much up and down movement of the couplers which under load can cause the pins to drop down and cause cars to uncouple.

I tie all my couplers shut using the small black electronic plastic tie wraps that can be found at any of the home improvement stores or electronics supply houses.   I've seen them in packages of 25,  100,  and 800.    When running long trains from 30-100 cars during our club's display setups,  it is imperative to physically force the couplers to remain closed otherwise the weight drag overcomes the strength of the small spring and the coupler pops open.   Other members have different methods but this works for me and can be reversed without damage.

EDIT-you guys beat me to it!

Nick   

YM96,

   I recommend you come over tho the Tin Plate Train side of the house, we have no uncoupling troubles, especially with the early Latch Type Couplers on our Tin Plate Rolling stock, don't have any problems with my Box Couplers either.  Got to get you into the real stuff, that was made for little boys rough house play! 

PCRR/Dave

we do not do any switching operations so

we use grooming rubber bands. 

they last along time.

and can not been seen, if you get black.

You really don't need to tie them all shut, just the ones that are giving you trouble. No need for fancy tie wraps either. Just take a piece of stranded wire, strip off the insulation, then take a single strand and twist it tight.

The little rubber bands that orthodontists sell for use on braces also work well.

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

Happens all the time with long trains. It sounds like you may have too much weight toward the back. Take the car that broke the train and move it to the back. While you're at it, move all heavy cars to the front. Depending on the style of coupler, you may be able to tie it closed.

If the knuckle didn't open, look for a coupler height mismatch and then a bump in the track. That could have caused it.

Long trains expose weaknesses in a variety of systems. Remember, just because you can get them moving, they don't stop on a dime. The longer you make them, the more they behave like real trains.

I thought that might be the case.  Especially the spring failure due to pull.  I have an old Sunoco tanker with some sort of truck system that is, to me, the best I've seen.  The entire under side of the coupler is a plate that is, to say the least, SPRING loaded.  It's tight.  I don't think an uncoupler track piece would touch it.  Would love to know what brand it is, and how I can get my hands on 102 of them.

machinist posted:

I tie all my couplers shut using the small black electronic plastic tie wraps that can be found at any of the home improvement stores or electronics supply houses.   I've seen them in packages of 25,  100,  and 800.    When running long trains from 30-100 cars during our club's display setups,  it is imperative to physically force the couplers to remain closed otherwise the weight drag overcomes the strength of the small spring and the coupler pops open.   Other members have different methods but this works for me and can be reversed without damage.

EDIT-you guys beat me to it!

Nick   

A friend of mine told me he uses or has used braces rubber bands.  He got some from his orthodontist.  He said they are just small enough to fit tightly without need for doubling over.

John

Army National Guard.  Blackhawk Crewchief.  Operation Desert Storm after show.  Sep to Nov 1991.

Number 90 posted:

The little rubber bands that orthodontists sell for use on braces also work well.

Funny you should say that.  A friend of mine told me that at a his Christmas display in Frankfort.  I just told the machinist that same thing.  He uses the small wire tires.

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

You really don't need to tie them all shut, just the ones that are giving you trouble. No need for fancy tie wraps either. Just take a piece of stranded wire, strip off the insulation, then take a single strand and twist it tight.

hadn't thought of that one.  I did however think of moving the cars around to where the weak ones go to the rear. 

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

YM96,

   I recommend you come over tho the Tin Plate Train side of the house, we have no uncoupling troubles, especially with the early Latch Type Couplers on our Tin Plate Rolling stock, don't have any problems with my Box Couplers either.  Got to get you into the real stuff, that was made for little boys rough house play! 

PCRR/Dave

Now you are my kind of train guy.  Granted, I am too far into plastic and die cast to switch over, but we think alike.  Back when you played with trains they built them to work, now they build them to impress.  They sure don't build them for budgets.  The model train hobby is getting to be a rich man's hobby.  Rich is a relative term, but when you can't buy an old electric locomotive unless you use ebay, and the box stores sell the new ones for $600 and up, yet we have coupler failure issues, that tells me the bells and whistles are all they care about.

Heck I've had à 3 car train have problems with couplers that wouldn't stay closed doesn't matter what brand.  I use black wire ties that come with some cars.

Try to make it look like air line.

Jushavnfun posted:

Heck I've had à 3 car train have problems with couplers that wouldn't stay closed doesn't matter what brand.  I use black wire ties that come with some cars.

Try to make it look like air line.

Now that is what I call innovative.  Not only does it solve a problem, but it is functional from an artistic point of view.  You may want to share that one with the others.  Good work havnfun.

In past years I would pull a 50 car consist of box cars with my Big Boy on our club layout in Antioch, Illinois.  I began by first a "trial and error" method in my apartment to put the heaviest in front, lightest in back section.  After pulling for a long time and determine the best order not prone to fail, I placed each boxcar in a paper lunch bag, each bag labeled from 1 to 50.  When we set up the modules anywhere for display, I knew what order to assemble the consist without any failures.

Jesse    TCA  12-68275 

texastrain posted:

In past years I would pull a 50 car consist of box cars with my Big Boy on our club layout in Antioch, Illinois.  I began by first a "trial and error" method in my apartment to put the heaviest in front, lightest in back section.  After pulling for a long time and determine the best order not prone to fail, I placed each boxcar in a paper lunch bag, each bag labeled from 1 to 50.  When we set up the modules anywhere for display, I knew what order to assemble the consist without any failures.

Jesse    TCA  12-68275 

Good idea.  I'll probably do the same once I get the track set up and get used to the remote system.  My DDA40X Union Pacific will probably pull all 51, but for now, my 10 car consists of varying types for five different locomotives will have to do.  But thanks for the idea.  Much appreciated.

Number 90 posted:

The little rubber bands that orthodontists sell for use on braces also work well.

X2 - I get them from Amazon.  100 in a pack for $5 & change depending on the size.

Wild Mary,

Yike more rubber and plastic!

PCRR/Dave

Yardmaster96,   For transporting the BC consist to club outings with the modules set-up, I purchased a large trunk, seems it was at Wally World.  It was really inexpensive, made of light gauge metal, and just right for all 50 BCs to fit in, the paper bags providing protection from getting scratched and banged up in transit, along with a lining of foam rubber sheets to eliminate any slack in packing.  This even included K-Line/Atlas BCs and reefers with all the small details and opening hatches, etc. 

Jesse     TCA

Coupler tolerances vary in 3RO, and that should not be. But it is. Your opening coupler was at the low end of the tolerance range; the pin probably deflected, or is a hair shorter than spec. Probably placed a few cars back and it wouldn't have opened.

That being said, twist-ties, zip-ties, hot glue are all good only in a train show layout setting, and at that only in emergencies. Rubber bands, etc, impress no one in the audience ("why doesn't the man's stuff work?") A real layout at home or at a club should have cars whose couplers work.

So, don't Band-Aid (someone has probably tried this) your nice, expensive O-scale equipment: fix it or replace it. You'll be happier. 

BTW, there is nothing wrong with placing certain equipment at certain places in a train in consideration of its handling characteristics, mechanical characteristics, unusual weight (high or low) or safety concerns - real RR's do it all the time. 

D500 posted:

Coupler tolerances vary in 3RO, and that should not be. But it is. Your opening coupler was at the low end of the tolerance range; the pin probably deflected, or is a hair shorter than spec. Probably placed a few cars back and it wouldn't have opened.

That being said, twist-ties, zip-ties, hot glue are all good only in a train show layout setting, and at that only in emergencies. Rubber bands, etc, impress no one in the audience ("why doesn't the man's stuff work?") A real layout at home or at a club should have cars whose couplers work.

So, don't Band-Aid (someone has probably tried this) your nice, expensive O-scale equipment: fix it or replace it. You'll be happier. 

BTW, there is nothing wrong with placing certain equipment at certain places in a train in consideration of its handling characteristics, mechanical characteristics, unusual weight (high or low) or safety concerns - real RR's do it all the time. 

Normally I place the problem car at the rear with my caboose.  Yes, I still use cabooses.  My trains are billboard theme and the caboose adds to the look.  As for the replacing, do you recommend any certain truck or possibly body placement box coupler that's out there?

rockstars1989 posted:

"Rubber bands, etc, impress no one in the audience" NOBODY is watching-Zip tie them shut. Your problem is not an "isolated incident" When you run consists that long, your going to find MANY of your cars are  "at the low end of the tolerance range"  Nick

Here's an idea I thought of several months ago.  Nobody says a train has to "pull" the cars around the track.

Works every time !!  It's how the real railroads do it.

wild mary posted:

Works every time !!  It's how the real railroads do it.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME (LMAO) to coin texting brevity.  This actually works?  If that's the case, I want every ratchet strap made.  If they can keep a train hooked together, imagine what that thing can do for a wagon load of hay.  This has late night television commercial written all over it.  "Are you having coupler failures?  Are your trains pulling apart at the most inopportune times?  Then you need GADGET STRAP." 

One method I use on old postwar coil couplers and might work on later couplers, I tear off a bit of expandable foam ear plug, compress it, and cram it in the throat of the coupler.  It expands and keeps the coupler open. It's invisible when running, is removable when desired, and works without altering the existing coupler.

If you have a troublesome coupler, while it's open put a drop of super glue into it, then close it and keep it closed with a piece of tape until the glue dries.  Once the glue dries remove the tape.  I did this to a few heavy freight cars and those couplers haven't opened in 20 years.

Traindiesel posted:

If you have a troublesome coupler, while it's open put a drop of super glue into it, then close it and keep it closed with a piece of tape until the glue dries.  Once the glue dries remove the tape.  I did this to a few heavy freight cars and those couplers haven't opened in 20 years.

Now that's decisive.  "fine, you want to keep coming open, try opening now you piece of crap"  Not that you think your car is a piece of crap, but it just has that ring to it.  I think mine was a combination of track that was tied down, so it moved a bit in the corners, porch carpet, and the ever ongoing problem of nature causing my porch to sink ever so slowly and I hit a low spot.  It always seemed to happen at those points.  But truthfully, let's be honest, rolling stock is like a trailer or wagon behind a tractor.  If you don't hook it up or get your son to do it for you, the trailer isn't going to hook itself.  So whether or not the locomotive has electrically fired couplers that open and close at the push of a button, only means that your very first car has to have its coupler open for this to work.  The other 99 can be glued together to stay closed and you can do it the way I have done it all along, pick up the car and set it down.  The only problem I see it causing is if you have one of those uncouple track pieces.  Because we don't have the luxury of actual people working in our layouts, coupling and uncoupling is still a operators job.

If the rubber bands or tie wraps don't work for you a roll of black duct tape will last a life time.

Yardmaster96 posted:

Traindiesel posted:

If you have a troublesome coupler, while it's open put a drop of super glue into it, then close it and keep it closed with a piece of tape until the glue dries.  Once the glue dries remove the tape.  I did this to a few heavy freight cars and those couplers haven't opened in 20 years.

Now that's decisive.  "fine, you want to keep coming open, try opening now you piece of crap"  Not that you think your car is a piece of crap, but it just has that ring to it.  I think mine was a combination of track that was tied down, so it moved a bit in the corners, porch carpet, and the ever ongoing problem of nature causing my porch to sink ever so slowly and I hit a low spot.  It always seemed to happen at those points.  But truthfully, let's be honest, rolling stock is like a trailer or wagon behind a tractor.  If you don't hook it up or get your son to do it for you, the trailer isn't going to hook itself.  So whether or not the locomotive has electrically fired couplers that open and close at the push of a button, only means that your very first car has to have its coupler open for this to work.  The other 99 can be glued together to stay closed and you can do it the way I have done it all along, pick up the car and set it down.  The only problem I see it causing is if you have one of those uncouple track pieces.  Because we don't have the luxury of actual people working in our layouts, coupling and uncoupling is still a operators job.

That’s when you just use your handy 0-5-0 switcher. 

Traindiesel posted:

Yardmaster96 posted:

Traindiesel posted:

If you have a troublesome coupler, while it's open put a drop of super glue into it, then close it and keep it closed with a piece of tape until the glue dries.  Once the glue dries remove the tape.  I did this to a few heavy freight cars and those couplers haven't opened in 20 years.

Now that's decisive.  "fine, you want to keep coming open, try opening now you piece of crap"  Not that you think your car is a piece of crap, but it just has that ring to it.  I think mine was a combination of track that was tied down, so it moved a bit in the corners, porch carpet, and the ever ongoing problem of nature causing my porch to sink ever so slowly and I hit a low spot.  It always seemed to happen at those points.  But truthfully, let's be honest, rolling stock is like a trailer or wagon behind a tractor.  If you don't hook it up or get your son to do it for you, the trailer isn't going to hook itself.  So whether or not the locomotive has electrically fired couplers that open and close at the push of a button, only means that your very first car has to have its coupler open for this to work.  The other 99 can be glued together to stay closed and you can do it the way I have done it all along, pick up the car and set it down.  The only problem I see it causing is if you have one of those uncouple track pieces.  Because we don't have the luxury of actual people working in our layouts, coupling and uncoupling is still a operators job.

That’s when you just use your handy 0-5-0 switcher. 

When he's old enough I'll probably let my GS10 1000 rpm switcher handle it.  My grandson.