Scale Shelf Layout & coupling

If you are running with DCS,TMCC or Legacy, the engines have a remote coupler. As far as the cars, you would have to install uncoupling sections if you don't want to do them by hand. There should be a tab, or thumb tack on the 3 rail coupler to release the knuckle without having to pick the cars up. The tab is on the side of the coupler shank, and the big thumbtack is on the bottom of the coupler shank. 

 

It just depends on whether you want to switch "hands free" or uncouple manually by hand. 

Just about every O gauge freight car has a small tab on one side of the coupler. Depending on manufacturer, you either press the tab down or push inward toward the car body to open the coupler. Many O scale operators "shovel type" use coffee stirrers, small screwdrivers, or even filed down chopsticks to manually open couplers since they get into those small spaces better than our fat 1:1 fingers. As Doug said, under command control (and even conventional using a bell/horn combination), MTH locomotives can uncouple remotely.

 

Post photos. We love switching decks here.

Matt
Thanks for the response. I've got all MTH cars and I see the small tab, I just can't seem to get a release. I just repackaged them for Xmas, so I have something to open with my son. Ill give it another try.

Also, I understand the remote coupling with my engine, but it's the decoupling between cars I wanted to do manually.

Awesome layout by the way!

This is one of the reasons I removed the large lobster claw couplers on my freight cars and replaced with Kadee #805's. Ease of uncoupling without having to resort to lifting the car up and potentially shorting the track when I set it back down. Furthermore, electro couplers on engines couple just fine with this version of Kadees.

I do not yet have a solution for passenger cars which are close coupled and have diaphragms in the way of the coupler. Most folks don't switch out passenger cars, but I like to pull off head end cars and sleepers and route to REA and sleeper tracks.

Thanks. The tabs on the newer MTH cars are easy enough to uncouple using the tools I mentioned above. Just slide the tab toward the car end sill and they'll let go. You don't have to lift them. They also sell uncoupler magnet track sections which pull a flap underneath the truck (which is connected to the tab). The only down side about those is that you have to spot the car right over it.

 

Kadee couplers are used by scale operators in several scale and they use a slightly different principle. The uncoupler magnet pushes the "hoses" apart, releasing the coupler jaws and the couplers swing to the side so you can push the car to a spot.

 

That said, many operators just prefer to uncouple manually as is done in prototype operations.

Some of the new MTH rolling stock uncouplers are a little stiff. I recommend cycling through the uncoupling mechanism several times before operating them(Slide the tab on the coupler towards the car body). You might need to help the couplers open i.e. pull GENTLY on the claw while sliding the tab toward the car body. 

Underneath the coupler there is a little notch. I like to squirt some graphite in there from time to time. It definitely keeps my cars uncoupling smooth.

 

Gently!!!!! Do not force the coupler open! If it still won't open take it to your local train store and have them help you out.

I put kadee 805's on all freight cars and I keep the electro couplers on locomotives, like Gregg said.

 

Laidoffsick uploaded some very interesting videos on the subject.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQPsTQRxlYo

 

 

Here is another great link on how to uncouple O gauge kadee couplers

 

http://rices-rails.blogspot.ca...2/02/uncoupling.html

 

Pat