Kaydee uncoupling magnet height?

Don't worry about the magnet height. Get some small "neodymium" magnets and put them under the ties. Works like a champ. When I say small I mean like .2 x .4 x .1.

Ok...I'll bite.....what are "neodymium" magnets and were would you find them?

I get mine from "All Electronics".

Cool....I've just ordered some to try. Thanks

Ah yes, the 44 tonner, good little machine. I had that very problem with mine. The uncoupling ramp was lifting it off the track just enough to stall it. It seems like early versions of the 44 tonner had truck bottoms that were too low. I called Bachmann and they very kindly mailed me a new pair of truck bottom clips, at no cost to me. Popped the old ones off and snapped the new ones in place, problem solved. This was about three years ago with the older 44 tonner, the model with twin powered trucks, a tiny motor in each truck to give 8 wheel drive. I heard there is a newer model of the 44 tonner with a more conventional single motor driving all 8 wheels thru gears. I would not expect this fix to be applicable to that newer model. But if you have the older model it's worth a call to Bachmann to see if they still have the upgrade parts. As far as mounting the magnets, I seem to recall a Kadee instruction sheet packed with the coupler magnet with a nice drawing showing clearances and tolerances all around. Unfortunately, I didn't file mine and that's the end of it. What ever it called for I did, and after doing the coupler bottom upgrade, I haven't had any trouble with low flying glad hands picking up an uncoupler ramp and derailing me.

David J. Starr

Ken Cameron wrote:

Measure the height of the magnet with a micrometer or good calipers and subtract 0.100" from that. That is how far the magnet should be above the railhead. The original above the ties magnets do stick above the railhead by a little bit. The later under the tie magnets, of course, are fully hidden by the ballast but they are a lot wider than the ties. The direction of the magnetic fields is across the rails so that the pins get pulled towards a pole.

-- Bob May Losing weight is easy! If you ever want to lose weight, eat and drink less. Works evevery time it is tried!

Well then, if you already know the trick, tell the ones who want magnets to install their own damn magnets. If I was in a club that required magnets I'll be cussed if I would have anything to do with the things.

Anyway, do whatever you can be conned into doing, just keep the magnet top surface about thirty thousandths ( 0.030 inches / 0.76mm ) below the top of the rail.

.......................F>