Faulty Lionel couplers

A number of us use micro hair bands to hold couplers closed--available at any drug store. You want it tight enough to hold the coupler closed in use, but loose enough you can still manually uncouple. Try different sizes, and 2-3 trips around.

@Ken Wing posted:

A number of us use micro hair bands to hold couplers closed--available at any drug store. You want it tight enough to hold the coupler closed in use, but loose enough you can still manually uncouple. Try different sizes, and 2-3 trips around.

Thanks for the tip!

I use “Orthodontic Elastcs” (little rubber bands). Works like a charm.

I found some small black rubber bands in a Dollar store, they're good and don't stand out around the coupler shank.

@ToledoEd posted:

I use “Orthodontic Elastics” (little rubber bands). Works like a charm.

I followed Ed’s suggestion and picked up orthodontic elastics.. I chose a  4mm 3/16 pack. When they came I was apprehensive that I bought the wrong size. I tried them out today. I was amazed how much they stretched over two fingers and slipped over the knuckle. The PRR LIMITED was on the layout headed up by PRR 2-10-4  6510. I placed the two NYC cars in the consist and sent them on their way. Here they are after 25 successful loops. The BMT Brighton Line looms overhead. Thanks Ed, and everyone else that offered suggestions.

I am guessing, that unless you have gotten the bands to a perfect tension, that they no longer work with a UCS track if you actually do want to uncouple them. Right? Anyone tried that?

Greg

@cngw posted:

I am guessing, that unless you have gotten the bands to a perfect tension, that they no longer work with a UCS track if you actually do want to uncouple them. Right? Anyone tried that?

Greg

UNCOUPLE???  No self-respecting 3-rail loop runner would ever uncouple anything! 

There is a tension sweet spot. Some of the first bands I put on were so tight, I couldn't push down the tab to make them uncouple by hand, let alone UCS track.

The vast majority of my intentional uncoupling is by hand, during switching--just like with real trains. I only use uncoupling magnets where access is poor. I can't remember a specific failure on a UCS due to a band, but I never specifically tested a banded car either.

I started this thread because I had a problem; with couplers on new passenger cars. I again thank all those that offered solutions; while understanding the solution might not be for everyone. It goes back to something that's repeated here many times. It's your railroad/layout; run it as you wish.

@Bob posted:

UNCOUPLE???  No self-respecting 3-rail loop runner would ever uncouple anything! 

I get dizzy watching the trains run in loops all the time. I have log loaders, coal loaders and milk can emptiers....I would like to have a working cattle corral, but the cattle keep committing suicide getting on the car. So, with the DCS, which to me is as close to running a real train as I can get, I make up trains, move milk, coal and logs around, and generally find ways to entertain myself besides loops.

I run loops for guests, but stop to dump whatever happens to be on the trains that can access the log/milk/coal equipment, when I can. As one adult said, "They entertain the 'older' kids that visit also." So yep, I have 4 ucs tracks, and I use them.

I actually backed a consist of 13 PW cars around my outer loop yesterday, without a derailment on either switch. But running in forward, a consist of 19 cars would make 3 perfect loops, and then "throw a shoe" at one place or another - and sparks flew! For no reason. Always a different car also. Good thing Mike put that great circuit breaker on those Z1000 bricks!! I think I wore mine out.

Greg (no one ever said I was self-respecting!!   EDITED: WORKING CAR VIDS ADDED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxqVc4SZEHw

https://youtu.be/7MO6k62xaqU

https://youtu.be/F4IRSU7yXOs

https://youtu.be/e5Fxg9-G0i4

https://youtu.be/iYOA5_ccwRs

@pennsyfan posted:

I followed Ed’s suggestion and picked up orthodontic elastics.. I chose a  4mm 3/16 pack. When they came I was apprehensive that I bought the wrong size. I tried them out today. I was amazed how much they stretched over two fingers and slipped over the knuckle. The PRR LIMITED was on the layout headed up by PRR 2-10-4  6510. I placed the two NYC cars in the consist and sent them on their way. Here they are after 25 successful loops. The BMT Brighton Line looms overhead. Thanks Ed, and everyone else that offered suggestions.

The 3/16 orthodontic bands come in medium and heavy.  Which one did you buy?

Thanks,

John

@pennsyfan posted:

I think it was back in the early 90s. The coupler tabs were made out of Delron and it was weak. At the time the TCA museum hosted meet and greets with Train manufacturers on the Thursday before York. So I brought up the subject of the weak couplers to the Lionel representative and asked him when they were going to make a coupler that worked? He didn’t have an answer. A fix that went around at that time, was to heat the tab and then bend it upwards. That seemed to work well. Now they’re made out of steel and they do the same thing when you’re running the train the tab drops down and the coupler opens for no apparent reason. I encountered this on a set of LIRR passenger cars that I bought new on close out. Not sure when they were made. When I contacted the dealer he suggested gluing the coupler closed.

I've had to semipermanently close all the couplers of my 21" passenger cars, the 20th Century Ltds, the North Pole Centrals and I'm sure the Doom Liner cars that are on the way. It's easy with 4" cable ties. They don't show and they don't interphere the the transversing of the couplers. Those $250 cars have couplers as weak as tissue paper! The cable ties can be easily snipped off if need be. But it works just fine. It's just a little more difficult to couple and uncouple those spring loaded couplers. Lionel doesn't seem to have couplers figured out quite yet. But give them another 125 years and I'm sure they will.

@pennsyfan posted:

I followed Ed’s suggestion and picked up orthodontic elastics.. I chose a  4mm 3/16 pack. When they came I was apprehensive that I bought the wrong size. I tried them out today. I was amazed how much they stretched over two fingers and slipped over the knuckle. The PRR LIMITED was on the layout headed up by PRR 2-10-4  6510. I placed the two NYC cars in the consist and sent them on their way. Here they are after 25 successful loops. The BMT Brighton Line looms overhead. Thanks Ed, and everyone else that offered suggestions.

Rubber bands dry rot after a while and break. Cable ties never wear out and work very well.

Pennsyfan, you’re welcome. Glad they worked out. I’ve had the ortho rubberbands last for years. I’m sure they’ll need to be replaced eventually, but it’s eazy-peazy.