Phoenix Automatic Uncoupler - Any Users?

LGB333

LGB333

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The Kadee #11220 automatic uncoupler is a no go on the LGB Uintah locomotive. Since it's a self-contained servo unit, it's too big to properly fit onto the coupler arm of LGB locomotives and rolling stock. It's designed for frame-mounting on a locomotive or train car, not the coupler arm fixed to a truck. For folks not seeing any of my previous postings about this project, I sold a brand new LGB Uintah to a person last December and he's now having me install a Massoth DC/DCC XLS sound decoder, a Massoth Flickering Firebox Light, and a Massoth Pulsed Smoke Unit, into the locomotive. He then wants me to install automatic uncouplers into the Uintah, front and rear, plus an uncoupler on one end of each of five Uintah rolling stock he's just bought on eBay. He's going to design and build an indoor shuttle modular (moveable) layout using computer controlled software for the coupling/uncoupling and switching operations through his Lenz Central Station. We've found several videos and photos of the Uintah Railway he'll use for modeling the layout with a switching yard and representative railroad buildings.......pretty interesting project.

So, the next two options that he and I are considering for the automatic uncouplers on the Uintah loco and five train cars are: 1. Phoenix Sound's Remote Knuckle Uncoupler with their Remote Uncoupler Circuit board, or 2. The Massoth automatic hook & loop coupler which appears very reliable. We think the Phoenix uncoupler system looks more realistic than the Massoth hook & loop, but we haven't yet found much information on the Internet about hobbyists using the Phoenix units. Does anyone on this forum have any experience, good or bad, reliability, etc, with the Phoenix uncoupler system........if so please share it.
Thanks
Tom
 
How about fitting ordinary Kadees on the loco and use servo versions on the cars?

Edit, sorry I've just re read the original post "It's designed for frame-mounting on a locomotive or train car, not the coupler arm fixed to a truck "
 
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Greg Elmassian said:
yeah, was afraid of that... body mount them, will look better.

nothing will look as ugly as hook and loop..

Greg
Click to expand...

Greg - Well, as the expression goes, "it's in the eyes of the beholder." I've been using LGB hook & loop couplers for 30 years and don't focus my eyes on them when operating my trains indoor or outdoors. The beauty is in the locomotives and rolling stock and movement of the consists and shuttle operations. And, from a cost standpoint and least work perspective, I've just continued to use them all these years, and they don't bother me. In fact, anytime I've ever showed my trains to folks, I've never had anyone say "gee, these are really beautiful except for those ugly couplers." Anyway, just kidding you a little, it's all about personal preference, just like buying an automobile. But please don't hold back on your thoughts......your points are highly valued!
 
To each his own, of course, and if they don't bother you that's great.

But as couplers go, if you look at them, they have NEVER won a beauty contest! That's my point.

But it seems the customer wants to retain truck mount couplers, so I'm guessing the tight curves and wanting remote uncoupling are really not compatible with anything but a powered hook and loop... does he have R1 curves?

Greg
 
You could use the LGB knuckle on the truck and use a servo to pull up the uncoupling pin. Servo can be body mounted and chain can have a spring to assist in the truck swing side to side. hide the servo in the coal bin and use a sting to a pulley to decrease the 'ugly' look.
 
Greg Elmassian said:
To each his own, of course, and if they don't bother you that's great.

But as couplers go, if you look at them, they have NEVER won a beauty contest! That's my point.

But it seems the customer wants to retain truck mount couplers, so I'm guessing the tight curves and wanting remote uncoupling are really not compatible with anything but a powered hook and loop... does he have R1 curves?

Greg
Click to expand...
STATUS UPDATE ON AUTO COUPLERS: KADEE V. MASSOTH V. PHOENIX
Hi Greg - My customer and I are now testing the new version of the Phoenix auto uncoupler. At the March 2019 York PA large scale show I bought four of these from a dealer there (they have a "6" marked on the coupler arm) and sent two to him with the Phoenix control boards and I'm testing two here. Phoenix always has a booth there too and I discussed their new coupler's features with Jim, one of their key folks handling their booth and display. There's some improvement on the reduced force needed to get two of them to couple together. But the uncouple function definitely works better on a light weight car than the Massoth auto uncouplers........there's a very nice separation without any hang up. I'm using the Massoth uncoupler on my layout and testing the same issue, uncoupling a light weight car like a flat car, after the Massoth coupler's arm was lowered, it still pulled the uncoupled car until I grabed and held it in place. This feature of the Phoenix auto couplers, along with the half inch additional protrusion with the Massoth uncouplers, and improved appearance over the Massoth hook & loop couplers, will probably drive my customer's decision to go with the new Phoenix units. He also applied a slight amount of oil to the Phoenix coupler's joints which improved locking......less friction I suppose.

If anyone wants the two iPhone videos I made of the Phoenix coupler tests, let me know. I can post them on my Website but the files are too large to post here.
 
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LGB333 said:
If anyone wants the two iPhone videos I made of the Phoenix coupler tests, let me know. I can post them on my Website but the files are too large to post here.
Click to expand...

Would be interesting to see these..
Could you post the links, please?
TIA,
PhilP.
 
LGB333 said:
STATUS UPDATE ON AUTO COUPLERS: KADEE V. MASSOTH V. PHOENIX
Hi Greg - My customer and I are now testing the new version of the Phoenix auto uncoupler. At the March 2019 York PA large scale show I bought four of these from a dealer there (they have a "6" marked on the coupler arm) and sent two to him with the Phoenix control boards and I'm testing two here. Phoenix always has a booth there too and I discussed their new coupler's features with Jim, one of their key folks handling their booth and display. There's some improvement on the reduced force needed to get two of them to couple together. But the uncouple function definitely works better on a light weight car than the Massoth auto uncouplers........there's a very nice separation without any hang up. I'm using the Massoth uncoupler on my layout and testing the same issue, uncoupling a light weight car like a flat car, after the Massoth coupler's arm was lowered, it still pulled the uncoupled car until I grabed and held it in place. This feature of the Phoenix auto couplers, along with the half inch additional protrusion with the Massoth uncouplers, and improved appearance over the Massoth hook & loop couplers, will probably drive my customer's decision to go with the new Phoenix units. He also applied a slight amount of oil to the Phoenix coupler's joints which improved locking......less friction I suppose.

If anyone wants the two iPhone videos I made of the Phoenix coupler tests, let me know. I can post them on my Website but the files are too large to post here.
Click to expand...
Why not post them on YouTube or perhaps Phoenix have issues with that?
 
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