Coil Couplers in conventional mode!!!

Lionel did this with some of their steam switches in the prewar days from 1939-1941 by putting a whistle/horn relay in the tender wired directly to track and the coil couplers. This is sometimes referenced as  "Teledyne" couplers.

The Electric Railroad Company has great detail on DIY or prefab boards. Go to their webpage, and select "Hobby Corner" from the menu on the left, then in the main pane, select Teledyne coupler.

http://www.electricrr.com/

There is also this schematic showing how to wire in a Horn/Whistle Relay floating around the interwebs:

Folks have been using Post War whistle relays for years. Just wire the relay contacts to the couplers and they will open when you press the whistle button or horn button. 

Pete

Another option would be an electronic board that would respond to the bell control so you still have the whistle available. 

You could also use one of these remote control modules for $7 shipped to operate the coupler.

DC 12v 10A relay 1CH wireless RF Remote Control Switch

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Another option would be an electronic board that would respond to the bell control so you still have the whistle available. 

You could also use one of these remote control modules for $7 shipped to operate the coupler.

DC 12v 10A relay 1CH wireless RF Remote Control Switch

Awesome advice! Thanks! Much more in tune with what I am looking for. I don't want anything Postwar.

john - do you / or can you make something like the first mentioned. My thinking was if it responds to two quick bell taps, or a long hold on the bell button - you either get the coupler without the bell coming on, or it does come on with the coupler, but you can also turn on the bell without firing the coupler top if you hold it a shorter length. Either way it makes sense because I'm sure they'd really ring the bell when coupling and uncoupling to real consists in the trainyards. 

I don't make anything that performs that function.  Truthfully, most of my stuff is targeted to command operation as that's what I run.  I'd consider the little relay control, you can pretty easily find a AC-DC 12V supply to provide power for the module, and you'd be using track power to power the coupler.  One issue with electrocouplers is they don't always trigger well on lower voltages that you'd commonly find running in conventional mode.

Here's a 1+2 DC 5V RF Wireless Switch Delay Relay Time Timer Remote Control that uses 5V power, probably easier to generate using conventional track voltages.  It comes with two receivers and a 2-channel transmitter.  If you automated just one coupler on your locomotive, you could equip two locomotives and use one control.  A 5V supply from track power would be easier to manage for conventional operation.

Lots of ways to skin this cat.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I don't make anything that performs that function.  Truthfully, most of my stuff is targeted to command operation as that's what I run.  I'd consider the little relay control, you can pretty easily find a AC-DC 12V supply to provide power for the module, and you'd be using track power to power the coupler.  One issue with electrocouplers is they don't always trigger well on lower voltages that you'd commonly find running in conventional mode.

Here's a 1+2 DC 5V RF Wireless Switch Delay Relay Time Timer Remote Control that uses 5V power, probably easier to generate using conventional track voltages.  It comes with two receivers and a 2-channel transmitter.  If you automated just one coupler on your locomotive, you could equip two locomotives and use one control.  A 5V supply from track power would be easier to manage for conventional operation.

Lots of ways to skin this cat.

This is awesome advice, thanks!

do you think there's a way, given the item you posted to rework something to make it respond to the bell button as opposed to having to carry around a second remote to activate it? - this way it can fire from the transformer bell either at a stationary transformer or from a cab-1 remote via TPC, etc. ? If there is a way, I'm going to try and pull it off. Thanks!

@DdotCdot, just wanted to make sure you say the already designed boards that do what you are asking from The Electric Railroad Company posted in the first reply. Will work with all prewar, postwar, and modern couplers. Depending upon the build, it can respond to whistle/horn and or bell

http://www.electricrr.com/Hobby/CC-Ctlr/CC.htm

The issue with this board is it usurps the whistle or bell control for the coupler.  So, every time you toot the whistle, you uncouple.   I think the idea is to be able to still use the bell and whistle independently of the couplers.

I'm curious about "carrying around two remotes".  You're running conventional, aren't you using a transformer?

Bite the bullet and go for command operation, no issues with operating the couplers.

You know, adding ERR (TMCC) is a pretty straightforward proposition, and not jury-rigged...you get Lionel Command (one wire to install on the layout), all the functionality you would want, and it even opens your couplers!

And, once you run your engines, rather than running your track...you never look back. It makes a surprising difference.

D500 posted:

You know, adding ERR (TMCC) is a pretty straightforward proposition, and not jury-rigged...you get Lionel Command (one wire to install on the layout), all the functionality you would want, and it even opens your couplers!

And, once you run your engines, rather than running your track...you never look back. It makes a surprising difference.

Well aware and I like TMCC, but the cost is the problem - for the functionality I want - TMCC isn't necessary

How much space do you have for this widget?  And what's your budget?

If you had unlimited space and budget you could simply use a PS engine board-set whose sole purpose in life would be to fire the front and rear couplers using existing 1 bell followed by 3 or 4 whistle protocol.  The idea would be to find some cheap un-repairable board sets where the motor control, smoke control, or something un-related to couplers failed and are sitting around waiting to be cannibalized for parts.

Otherwise, if such functionality is not already available, I'd think it would require dozens of hours of design effort to engineer a circuit, write the software, fabricate boards, prototype, document, etc..  In other words thousands of dollars.  The raw parts cost is modest - say less than $10 in small quantity.  But it's the custom labor that is the wildcard unless you can find a suitably skilled hobbyist who takes it on as a personal challenge or whatever.

stan2004 posted:

How much space do you have for this widget?  And what's your budget?

If you had unlimited space and budget you could simply use a PS engine board-set whose sole purpose in life would be to fire the front and rear couplers using existing 1 bell followed by 3 or 4 whistle protocol.  The idea would be to find some cheap un-repairable board sets where the motor control, smoke control, or something un-related to couplers failed and are sitting around waiting to be cannibalized for parts.

Otherwise, if such functionality is not already available, I'd think it would require dozens of hours of design effort to engineer a circuit, write the software, fabricate boards, prototype, document, etc..  In other words thousands of dollars.  The raw parts cost is modest - say less than $10 in small quantity.  But it's the custom labor that is the wildcard unless you can find a suitably skilled hobbyist who takes it on as a personal challenge or whatever.

I actually did just what you suggested with an old PS1 board that quit operating motors, but was good every other way here. This was a successful project because I had the space and an entire dummy unit to dedicate to PS1 and coupler (plus added smoke in both): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYSER3EoCYU

The problem with the engine in question is that it's an RS-3 and it's so small, I hardly had room to add smoke. There's no way a PS1 board would fit in this engine, even if it was completely good. Plus don't want to change the sound. The sound is great.

bmoran4 posted:

@DdotCdot, just wanted to make sure you say the already designed boards that do what you are asking from The Electric Railroad Company posted in the first reply. Will work with all prewar, postwar, and modern couplers. Depending upon the build, it can respond to whistle/horn and or bell

http://www.electricrr.com/Hobby/CC-Ctlr/CC.htm

 

So where do I buy this teledyne board? Can't find it anywhere..

You make the board, you're in the "hobby" section of ERR.

Note that you need about 12VAC on the track for the couplers to actually activate.

I've looked at this board before, but there isn't sufficient interest in couplers in conventional to go to the trouble of laying one out.  It's a simple board, should be an easy project.