Onboard uncoupling with DCC

[Cliff George]

Was planning on getting my garden railway going today but the constant rain put an end to that idea. Instead I did an experimental install of a digital uncoupler into one of my wagons. I've had the parts knocking aroung for a while awaiting a rainy day.

Here is a not very good photo:

After a bit of adjustment it works quite well. I'll have to see how it hold up to the passage of time.

Its made with a 8027 coupler kit from Bertram Heyn plus a Uhlenbrock Digital servo (a servo with built in DCC decoder). Coupler kit was ?10, servo £27.18.

I think the biggest problem is going to be finding sites to locate the servo. It fits quite nicely on two axel wagons but some locos and other wagon look a bit more challenging.

 

[jameshilton]

I've seen this on shunting locomotives and it looks very effective. The brass bits could be easily blackened with Carrs brass black solutionor similar if you wanted to disguise some of the workings a bit more.

 

[shropshire lad]

This looks interesting I've got some Zimo powered couplings to try when I get chance

 

[steinz]

That looks really cool ...
Any chance of bringing it along to the next 'meet' ??

 

[Cliff George]

I've seen this on shunting locomotives and it looks very effective. The brass bits could be easily blackened with Carrs brass black solutionor similar if you wanted to disguise some of the workings a bit more.

Thanks for the suggestion James. I was going to try and see if a black permanent marker pen would work, if not I'll follow up your suggestion.

This looks interesting I've got some Zimo powered couplings to try when I get chance.

I think Zimo sell both the Heyn version that I installed and the Krois ones. Have you got the Krois ones? I'd be interested in how you get on with them. I believe they can only be open for a limited time or risk being burnt out.

Any chance of bringing it along to the next 'meet' ??

Yes I will if I can get there, Simon.

 

[shropshire lad]

It's the Krois ones I've got Cliff. There is a 2 second maximum trigger time on them or they become smoke generators!
I'll let you know how I get on with them