electric hitch?

I'm not a total newb, but I saw a description for a flat car on ebay that has been upgraded with an "electric hitch."
I asked the question to the seller and he said it allows the train to be coupled/uncoupled just by backing cars into it....
Just wondering if anyone has heard of this, my initial reaction is woo woo woo? but then again I still have a little newbness left......:tb-tongue:

 

Is it possibly an electronically controlled coupler? I've seen DCC controlled couplers added to a box car. It is a stretch to do that to a flat car, not much room for electronics or mechanical modifications, but I'm sure it can be done. Whether that's what is going on here, I don't know.

 

Here's the ebay auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110655612898&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

And here is the answer to my question of "what is an electric hitch"?

"the electric hitch allows you to couple and uncouple train cars by just backing the train into the other car.
so there is no manual hooking up of cars...
let me know if that doesn't make sense..."

Not trying to make fun of him, just figured it was something someone here would have heard about, because I sure haven't and after converting 50 or so cars to Kadees I've been all over the Kadee website and not noticed anything like that. :tb-confused:

He has another offering of a flat car with a lumber load that also has an "electric hitch".

 

Couldnt help but notice the seller has one (1) total feedback rating....

Seems to be the seller has no idea what they are selling and are just making it up as they go along hoping some sucker will buy the BS.

 

He probably confused the electromagnetic uncouplers you need to mount under the track for the kadees to work ( or any magnet for that matter)

 

Yeah I did notice that too...didn't inspire much confidence:tb-rolleyes:
I sent him another message and let him know it still "doesn't make much sense."

 

Looks like knuckle couplers (maybe Kadee) to me. He probably just has the terms confused.

 

Yes the mystery is solved:

"Hi
Train enthusias refrer to the hitch as an "electronic" hitch but basically is uses a magnet in the track to upcouple the cars. I have found a link below to show what this is.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=ho+scale+train+couplers&bav=on.2,or.&wrapid=tlif129933586857610&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=6089670438673858597&sa=X&ei=2UpyTaP-LsKqlAeO7Jlz&ved=0CHMQ8wIwAw# "