I usually run 25-40 car trains aon my layout's mainline and 20-25 cars on the branch line to Shelton, or what will be, and I have no real trouble with the Accumates. The only gripe I have with them is the trip pins snagging on switches. In that instance I snip off the offending pin, since I don't use the magnetic uncoupling feature anyway.
Agreed. Working in information technology has burned in my psyche the potential disasters of inadequate testing, flawed customer requirements and other shortcuts that can ruin good intentions and doom customers to a substandard product. Here's hoping the 'mystery manufacturer' gets is right, but if they have not tested extensively, that will be a long shot. I would respectfully disagree with the post stating it's no big deal to re-engineer a coupler to do what we need and want in N, without extensive user input and testing. There are a host of needs around function, installation, interoperability with other brands, variables of track and equipment, etc. If it were easy, we would have had a cheap, good-looking standard coupler 30 years ago! Unfortunately, the lack of an influential advocate for N scale standards will guarantee we will continue to get one-off designs that will be new trade-offs of advantages vs. flaws, and added complexity in trying to get varied manufacturer's products to work together reliably. I pesonally would prefer spending more time focusing on the trains, and less time worrying about coupler conversion and compatibility! There, I'm done whining...
Some time ago I said that I am looking for suitable magnets. Today I think I found one which might do the job. It is sold my Märklin as a locomotive/car magnet, to be mounted under horribly oversized engines. They have several types, #7557 is long enough to be mounted under the rails, and strong enough to pull all couplers apart, Accumates and MTL. Further testing is required, but at least there is hope..
First- wig-wag, if these couplers are being developed in close secrecy, then those who are testing them would be required to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This is common practice. I've been on several software beta testing teams and had to sign an NDA everytime. BTW, the software industry's problem isn't not testing the new products in the real world. The software IS tested in the real world. The real problem is the companies being in such a hurry to launch a product, they force it out the door even thought the testers feel it's not ready yet. This tendency for this to happen is even worse if word is leaked out to the public during the development process. So I wouldn't worry if no one responds to your post. It may actually be a good sign. Second- several people have complained about accumate trip pins being too low and catching on switches. I'm curious as to whether any of you tried adjusting the pin using the MT trip pin height gage and if doing so alleviated the problem or had no effect. [ 18. October 2004, 13:40: Message edited by: greasemonkey ]
i've experienced the same problems as dangerboy. i have some older cov. hoppers with accumates that have a real problem uncoupling if running 40+ cars. The locomotives i have using accumates??? (kato 4400s & atlas sd60s) never have a problem. just in the rolling stock. i guess i need to break down and finish replacing them all.
That's fine for running a train in circles, but if you do any switching where the consist changes, then you'd need a spring on EVERY car. Then see how much motive power you'd need to budge the train!
