Using neodymium magnets between the sleepers

Bought 100 for $15 including postage;  about £9.60.

using 15 per at the maximum,  means 6 magnets whereas to buy Kadee magnets is two for $9.50.

[user=95]Sol[/user] wrote:

Not bad then as the item location is in my home State.

I thought it might be a bit nearer for you! :thumbs

There are also quite a few other suppliers on eBay in various locations.

Perry

[user=95]Sol[/user] wrote:

Bought 100 for $15 including postage;  about £9.60.

using 15 per at the maximum,  means 6 magnets whereas to buy Kadee magnets is two for $9.50.

:doublethumb

Perry

Perry any chance of one of your videos showing operation or are you still in T&D mode?

My magnets arrived today - so small they could be easily be mislaid BUT there is a warning on my packet which says:

Keep magnets more then 30CM/ 1 ft away from credit cards, software or another magnetic storage media. The strong magnets can wipe the information clear.

Now at first glance, I thought " Hang on, what about decoders?"  but I suppose decoders being in close proximity with motors in our locos, they should not be affected!

I will ask on a larger 8000 plus member Forum to see what gives.

[user=450]wogga[/user] wrote:

Perry any chance of one of your videos showing operation or are you still in T&D mode?

I'll try to do one just as soon as the rest of the magnets arrive and are glued into position.

Perry

[user=95]Sol[/user] wrote:

My magnets arrived today - so small they could be easily be mislaid BUT there is a warning on my packet which says:

Keep magnets more then 30CM/ 1 ft away from credit cards, software or another magnetic storage media. The strong magnets can wipe the information clear.

Now at first glance, I thought " Hang on, what about decoders?"  but I suppose decoders being in close proximity with motors in our locos, they should not be affected!

I will ask on a larger 8000 plus member Forum to see what gives.

I had thought about this too, but seeing as the under-track magnets from Kadee are pretty strong and the fact that the decoders are often fitted right on top of a magnet inside the loco, I don't think there's much to worry about.

Perry

Sol I have large neo magnets in my x04 motors they have not had any effect on my decoders,
lol::cool:

A few replies from the other forum - no problems.

Anyway, I spent the afternoon fiddling round with them & I must say, I don't have the same success as Perry.  My vans are not NEM versions but Kadee #5's and the  coupler boxes have to be perfectly centered.

I use Code 75, tried them in strips like Perry separated by one sleeper & some styrene between the opposing sides  & almost level with the top of the sleepers & found that while the glad arms would swing as soon as they encounterd a magnet, once past & sitting over the sleeper, they returned quickly to normal then encountered the next magnet. raising them up like the Kadee bar magnet helped a bit but not ideal so I then tried this



Almost level with rail head, pulling wagons through them, the couplings jiggle for each magnet but stay coupled. Now pushing, there is very small space that you have to stop on & if the magnets are not equally spaced from the rails & the coupling are not centered, then the side with the strongest attraction pulls both glad arms to the same side with no uncoupling. I did finally get magnets & couplings in the correct locations but not  always successful in uncoupling.
The magnets are certainly small & hard to hold as they are shiny slippery metal - Supa glue takes a while to set with them. I will keep trying.

They can take a little bit of fiddling about to set up, but I am finding that three rows of five magnets with a sleeper between each row works on Code 100 track.

By using the pairs as you are, the length of the magnetic area is a lot shorter. My uncoupling areas are effectively about 18mm long. This makes locating the wagons over them a lot easier.

I'm occasionally getting wagons refusing to uncouple, but I'm fairly sure this is down to the adjustment of the couplers rather than the magnets.

Perry

OK, I did the 3 rows as mentioned ( certainly not much clearance tween magnets & rails) and that was better - even stronger than the Kadee unit.
Wheels sets like Gibson & such with metal axles - a real bummer - magnet draws them in. In fact pushing them towards the magnets, the wagons try to jump forward & of course the couplings stop them. They jerk their way towards the magnets.

 Bachmann & new Hornby appear to be better. The existing Kade magnets in the tracks ( 3 of) will remain as I had to cut sleepers out completely so I then had to provide a new base due to Code 75 but will use the magnets in other locations.

Fiddly but once painted, won't look as bad as the Kadee unit which is twice the length. Yes I know the Kadee can be cut.

Another method of uncoupling Kadee - thanks Perry

You can slip cut down sleepers into the gaps left when you take out the magnets, Sol.

It's a pity that replacement wagon axles made of brass don't seem to be available. Strong and non-magnetic, I think they would be rather useful in a situation like this.

Perry

Steam Era Models replacement wheel sets have brass axles and nickel silver wheels, Perry.  Non magnetic, I just tried them with a large neo magnet. 

They come in varying diameters and axle lengths.    There should be something similar available in the UK, no?  If you can't find them, I can send you some.

http://home.waterfront.net.au/~sem/     Here they are.  It's a start at least.

Thanks, Max. :thumbs

I research for suppliers over here in the UK initially.

Perry

I discovered something very interesting about wagons being drawn to magnets whilst searching the internet. :shock:

Apparently, many wagons are weighted with steel. If these steel weights are replaced with lead or some other non-magnetic substance, the magnetic attraction can be seriously reduced. Perhaps it's not solely the wheels and/or axles that are causing the problem after all.

Food for thought. :hmm

Perry

This is what happens if you use steel coupler bolts.  I've since replaced them with brass - obviously. 

[user=450]wogga[/user] wrote:

Perry any chance of one of your videos showing operation or are you still in T&D mode?

Here you go:



Avant d'accéder à YouTube

Perry

[user=17]Perry[/user] wrote:

[user=450]wogga[/user] wrote:

Perry any chance of one of your videos showing operation or are you still in T&D mode?

Here you go:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwSKR336ik0

Perry

Cheers Perry very good, two more questions if i may:

I will be attempting to do this with Traincontroller, can the length the magnetic field is effective over be extended by adding more magnets?

Secondly i take it coupling mounting height isn't as critical as if you were using the Kadee magnets since i assume you have greater clearance above the magnets.