Coil and Magnetic Couplers - Classic Toy Trains Magazine

kgstones

Ahhhh, so the coil couplers are on trucks that have the shoes that also operate the dumping mechanism? 

Not necessarily.  The the 3469 & 3461 cars do not have coil couplers.  All coil coupler cars, operating or not, do have them.

kgstones

Are all coil couplers on trucks with shoes then?

No, the 3469 & 3461 operating cars , and dozens of others, do not have coil couplers.

kgstones

Can you uncouple say a 3459 without dumping the load?

Yes.  The controller directs the same voltage(whether track voltage or accessory voltage) to both shoes, activating the couplers, which are grounded to the chassis.  The solenoid activating the dump mechanism gets the difference the difference(potential) in voltage between the two shoes, which would be zero.

kgstones

One of the things I don't like about having a 6019 or similar uncoupling track on a main line is that every time one of the cars with the shoes goes over it the shoes are touching and rubbing on those extra sections of rail.  Sooner or later that's got to wear them out.

It takes a long time.  I have several cars, in use on the layout now since ~1971, & many more, and I've never had to replace the shoes.  It's easy to do, though(they break before they wear out, usually).

kgstones

I guess that's what the 6-65149 uncoupling track is for.  But then you can't uncouple a coil coupler at that spot.   Do I have this right?

Thanks, Mickey

Yes.