Wiring a American Flyer Pre-War Uncoupler

Which one? Are there colored wire leads, or just posts? Photo or a better description would help some. But...

The ones I remember.(would have to look up numbers)

Maybe...  Two black wires uncoupler to controller, from controller two yellow wires to 15v constant.

Or... two wires of different colors to controller.   

Here's is a photo of one of the un-couplers I have. There is only one post on the un-coupler. The controller has two post underneath. Hope this helps.

Bruce

Well Im unfamiliar with that one. But it only has one post that should be good news. The post will go to one side of the control, if painted likely black. The other controller lead to the constant voltage or (track voltage if that's all you have). If it doesn't work try reversing controller leads only. Still doesn't work? Try controller going to common/base instead of constant, but that would mean it worked off track power only, not likely.

 Whats happening: The track is going to supply half the power(common,base to the outside). You must supply the other half to activate it. The switch lets that power through(either com./base or var./fixed). An incorrect wiring(ie, hitting a wrong rail) should not harm anything, power just wont flow.

Hold up! It is possible to smoke a DC voltage motor with AC volts, is it a coil, magnet, or motor inside?

It should be just a coil inside to raise the uncoupler mech, these are very low tech.

Either AC or DC would operate the coil, AC would usually be supplied by the power transformer fixed power not variable track power.

You would normal want to stop the train over the uncoupler first, then use the controller to operate the uncoupler mech.