Cutting or Bending Trip Pins

Kadee makes a tool for this: #237 Coupler Trip Pin Pliers.

the tool works fine on Kadees.    And the pins also cut very easily with wire cutters.   It is pretty soft wire.     MicroMark also makes/sells a similar tool.

Now, the new Atlas knockoffs of the original Kadee 805s and have some sort of super hard trip pins.    They do not bend easily at all and are also hard to cut.    I was able to bend one for clearance with a couple pairs of needle nose, but it was a real struggle.    Also, even they look identical, they don't seem to work as smoothly mixed with Kadees.    All that Said, they are big step up for Atlas and usable with the kadees.    I replae the springs with Kadee springs.

Cut them off if you want.  Some guys do.  I kinda' hate to have to go that far, however.  I simply adjust them with a pair of trip pin pliers.

You'll chew up the cutting face of pliers pretty fast if you try and cut the trip pins off with them. As observed, they're pretty hard. A dremel would be a better choice even though its messier.

If you really can't live with them, get yourself a music wire cutter by Xuron. It's designed to cut hardened wire.

Personally, I would never do such a thing to Kadees. I like the magnetic operation, and removing the pins destroys that feature.

Stwa posted:

I wish manufacturers would stop adding trip pins to their couplers.  I would like to cut mine off, but with what, a blow torch. 

Protocraft couplers don't have attached trip pins.  They look and work like real couplers.  And you don't have to lift 80 pounds if you break a knuckle.  

Dremel tool with cut off disc. Cut mine off the the front of the locomotives. Takes less than a second

I second the Protocraft.

Simon

Laidoffsick posted:

Dremel tool with cut off disc. Cut mine off the the front of the locomotives. Takes less than a second

I did not have a cut off disc and they wanted six bucks for a pack of 20 at Home Depot.

But I did have a dremel grinding tool. It took more than a second, but worked nevertheless.

Just nip them off with this

Right through a 12p nail like butter,

The Rockford O Scalers cut off all of our coupler trip pins from everything on the layout as we don’t use magnetic uncouplers and the low hanging pins can impact on highway grade crossings, etc.  Not to mention that the pins themselves are grossly over sized, assuming they are meant to simulate an air hose.

Branch line switching is a major design objective for my railroad and hands off magnetic uncoupling is a must due to reach issues - thus I need well adjusted trip pins.  Using two needle nose pliers it is relatively easy to bend the pins to whatever shape/height is required for reliable operation.

I also use the trip pins for remote uncoupling. I also cut them off locomotive fronts if that unit will primarily lead.

I leave them on, even though I don't use magnetic uncoupling. I like the 'air hose' impression, even if it doesn't bear very close scrutiny, and also I can't be sure that I'll never use magnetic uncoupling - what would happen if I decide it would be useful in the future, but all my stock is sans trip pins..?? 

Protocraft couplers wouldn't tolerate my rough, Short Line style track; besides, they cost a lot too - even more when adding shipping to the UK & 20% 'VAT' tax!! ("Value Added Tax", also known as "Rip-Off Britain"     Sorry, rant over.

I cut all mine off with a decent pair of side cutters have done for years and just done a stock take on my rolling stock there are at least 300 cars.

Photo: Home built Slab car with St Charles ingots and no Trip Pins !