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Model Forum / General / Railroads / August 2009Magnet Problems...
Hmmmm... Problem #1. Turns out that the magnet is so powerful that it turns the entire steel weight under the flat car into an extension of itself and *that* grabs anything magnetic on the track at least 2" before the car gets there, and then pulls the junk beneath the wheels of the leading truck. Instant derail. Looks like the future holds a custom-built wooden or styrene flat car with non-magnetic wheelsets and couplers, and brass screws to hold the trucks on. I'll have to experiment with the length to make sure the magnet can't snatch anything until the front truck has already passed by, but right now I'm estimating 50-60 HO feet should be enough. Problem #2. Undertrack uncoupling magnets proved to be a problem: firstly in that the magnet on the flat car tries to pull them -and the track above them- right up out of the layout, and secondly in that opposite polarity causes the flat car to be pushed *away* from the uncoupling magent so powerfully that no HO loco can force it forward, and matching polarity is worse in that it causes the two magents to be pulled rapidly together no matter *what* the loco wants to happen, and, once there, cannot be seperated except by sheer force... To be continued. Suggestions and hysterical laughter welcomed. ~Pete Hi, looks like your magnet is just a tiny bit too strong ;-) > Hmmmm... > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Instant derail. I would think about a car built much like those snow-plows (with a shield in front of everything) and the magnet just behind that shield - so that the stuff from in front of the wagon does not get into the leading truck - and it might be a good idea to enclose the leading truck sidewards also, to prevent stray metal coming from the side derailing the car... It might be necessary to build the shield flat (seen from above) and tilting backwards (seen from the side), to prevent the metal stuff sliding to the side and from there into the truck ;-) side view: /-------\ Dump | / MAGNET |-------------| Plastic shield, top and dump space /---T-----BALLAST-----T----C Underframe / O---O O---O Trucks ---------------------------------Track Top view ---------------------------- Sidewall | | || | | | || Dump |-C | | || | ---------------------------- Sidewall That setup has a "dump space" behind the magnet - probably just for looks ;-) There are side walls projecting over the actual body to prevent bits and pieces being "pushed off the side" and I'm not sure whether the amplifying effect should be used for the "shield" or not, but probably the magnetic ballast is beneficial (as long as you can work around the uncoupling magnet problem). > Problem #2. Undertrack uncoupling magnets proved to be a problem: ... Not sure about it, but would it work to have a non-ferrous metal below the car to deflect the magnetic field lines? Or to use two magnets (in conjunction with the magnetic ballast) like a U-Magnet aligned to the front or upwards (with the least force acting down). Try putting two magnets on a piece of scrap metal (with a plastic or wooden dowel to prevent them sliding together). Lay this on your flat car and try how you need to align it to get the least down force but still sufficient cleaning ;-) Thanks for sharing the experience ;-) . > Suggestions and hysterical laughter welcomed. Well, you COULD get some smaller or less powerful magnets and try the same idea. Bwhahahaha! (there ya go!)  SignatureSteve >> Suggestions and hysterical laughter welcomed. > > Well, you COULD get some smaller or less powerful magnets and try the same > idea. > > Bwhahahaha! (there ya go!) Can't wait for the flatcar results. Helpers? LOL! > > Suggestions and hysterical laughter welcomed. > > Well, you COULD get some smaller or less powerful magnets and try the same > idea. Too easy. To uphold the true spirit of Usenet I can't admit to having been wrong about anything, and therefore must keep piling more mistakes atop the first until either the whole thing collapses of it's own weight or I move to Oz. > Bwhahahaha! (there ya go!) No, no! I said *hysterical* laughter, not *evil*! (Snidely Whiplash would be proud of you, though!) ~Pete > Hmmmm... > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > with non-magnetic wheelsets and couplers, and brass screws to hold the > trucks on. Flatcar? You think it will move? Stainless steel rails? Kadee magnets under the track? Frogs? >Flatcar? You think it will move? Stainless steel rails? Kadee magnets under >the track? Frogs? Does stainless steel get used for HO rails? Nickel Silver doesn't seem to be very magnetic, if at all. Track pins and metal scenery could definitely get you in trouble though. * Signature* PV Something like badgers, something like lizards, and something like corkscrews. On 8/26/2009 10:32 AM PV spake thus: >> Flatcar? You think it will move? Stainless steel rails? Kadee >> magnets under the track? Frogs? > > Does stainless steel get used for HO rails? Nickel Silver doesn't seem to > be very magnetic, if at all. Hey--brain flash*: if the rails were somehow magnetized, you could build your own scale model of a maglev train! *Or more likely brain fart. So here's where I get to ask you about your mysterious handle, "PV". How is it "Something like badgers, something like lizards, and something like corkscrews"? Just curious. SignatureFound--the gene that causes belief in genetic determinism >So here's where I get to ask you about your mysterious handle, "PV". How >is it "Something like badgers, something like lizards, and something >like corkscrews"? PV is my initials, which I've gone by for several decades. As for the quote, google is your friend. * Signature* PV Something like badgers, something like lizards, and something like corkscrews. > * PV Something like badgers, something like lizards, and something > like corkscrews. Do remember that most accidents happen in the home, and falls are a major cause of accidental* death of the elderly (* unless of course, they're pushed), so do be careful where you sit. SignatureSteve On 8/27/2009 9:04 AM PV spake thus: >>So here's where I get to ask you about your mysterious handle, "PV". How >>is it "Something like badgers, something like lizards, and something [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > As for the quote, google is your friend. * Ah, so. Thanks for clearing that up. Slithy toves, indeed. SignatureFound--the gene that causes belief in genetic determinism > On 8/27/2009 9:04 AM PV spake thus: > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Slithy toves, indeed. And little lambsy divey ... On 8/25/2009 10:28 PM Twibil spake thus: > Hmmmm... > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Instant derail. Heh; got to admit I got a pretty big chuckle out of this story (a little model-railroad schadenfreude?) Bernard's suggestion sounds good, similar to what I was thinking: push the cleanup car at the front of the consist and somehow keep the junk from piling up around the leading truck. (Plus a less-powerful magnet.) SignatureFound--the gene that causes belief in genetic determinism >Problem #1. Turns out that the magnet is so powerful that it turns the >entire steel weight under the flat car into an extension of itself and >*that* grabs anything magnetic on the track at least 2" before the car >gets there, and then pulls the junk beneath the wheels of the leading >truck. Ha! Called it. Your best best is either a weaker magnet, or some distance between the business end of the magnet and the track. Double the distance, quarter the pulling power. The weights you can switch to lead. * Signature* PV Something like badgers, something like lizards, and something like corkscrews. |
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