Model Railroading > Magnetic couplings for MU and Train Line Hoses

Awhile back I posted a question if Model Railroad Technology had progressed enough to have the train line and MU hoses connect realistically to each other. Someone here posted the answer with the magnetic coupler connected to a small rubber tube. While it's a step in the right direction, my suggestion to the manufactures would be to maybe one day have the magnetic ends shaped in the form of the glad hands as seen on the real things. Not complaining, just a thought for the future.

Already been done. There's a manufacturer out with magnetic air hoses and glad hands in HO scale, though I don't recall the name of the manufacturer or the product. It was discussed here on Trainorders.com, and I've seen promotional videos.

Art House

There's even been an article in Model Railroader in the last six months about these.

The magnetic "MagnaLock" train line hoses are sold by PWRS under their North American Railcar Corp. (NARC) line. The article in MR was by Pelle Søeborg. While I really like the concept, I think the magnets could be made a little smaller than the cubes that are mounted to the ends of the rubber hoses. I'd also like to have the angle cock and other details integrated into the hose as one part, more like the rubber hoses from Hi-Tech Details. Pelle had to glue the rubber hoses to the plastic angle cock on his models, which seemed a little tedious and possibly fragile in the long run. I'd like to experiment with just gluing small slivers sliced off a magnet to the glad hands on the Hi-Tech hoses to see how that would work. I believe Dave Davis, who used to write articles for RMJ, did that on his layout.

Dave

drolsen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The magnetic "MagnaLock" train line hoses are sold
> by PWRS under their North American Railcar Corp.
> (NARC) line. The article in MR was by Pelle
> Søeborg. While I really like the concept, I think
> the magnets could be made a little smaller than
> the cubes that are mounted to the ends of the
> rubber hoses. I'd also like to have the angle cock
> and other details integrated into the hose as one
> part, more like the rubber hoses from Hi-Tech
> Details. Pelle had to glue the rubber hoses to the
> plastic angle cock on his models, which seemed a
> little tedious and possibly fragile in the long
> run. I'd like to experiment with just gluing small
> slivers sliced off a magnet to the glad hands on
> the Hi-Tech hoses to see how that would work. I
> believe Dave Davis, who used to write articles for
> RMJ, did that on his layout.
>
> Dave

Shoot your idea by the guys at Hi-Tech. They're just crazy enough to give it a try.

In your previous post, I gave you a youtube link to the above reference item. I guess you didn't see it.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,3499224,3499224#msg-3499224

You guys obviously didn't read and/or comprehend the original poster's message very well. He indicated that he did see the rubber hose with the "cube" magnet on it and that it was a step in the right direction. He was wanting something where the magnet could be shaped like the glad hand and couple more realistically.

While I do agree with this thought, I'm not sure that such an idea is practical. It would sure be sweet if it were!

I was going to try the cube magnet method myself but deemed it a bit clunky. I also have far too many freight cars to apply it to and not nearly enough spare time.

Lee Ryan - Rio Grande Fan
Denver, CO

Are you saying the "magna-lock" system is too clunky?