Model Railroading > Will it Roll with Electro-magnet?

I have a slight incline on the layout where I would like to uncouple a way car from the end of a train and let it roll downhill. If I install a Kadee Electro-magnet uncoupler under the track there and push the button, will the car uncouple and roll, or do I need slack?

Thanks in Advance



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/15 21:14 by wabash2800.

Normally as long as you have tension on the couplers, they (usually) will not open. You would have to temporarily chock the car over the electromagnet allowing some slack between the car and engine so that the couplers can "push" into each other and open up. However, you should experiment to comfirm. I was a member in a club that had replaced the metal sides in a Kadee eletromagnet with heavier metal sides because the mounting distance below track level rendered the standard Kadee electromagnet anemic in performance.

The newer, under the track electro-magnets should have plenty of power. I suppose I could uncouple when I have slack on level track and then push it to the downhill track and let it go?

Either that or install some paint brush "brushes" in the area of the uncoupler that will cause the car to gather slack with what is pushing it. The brushes of course would be "weeds" in the track! You would have to determine exactly where to place them to make it work right.

Thanks. that's an idea.

Some folks have installed a post or similar that is retracted under the table using rachet with a formed garden spigot handle. The idea being to simulate setting and releasing a handbrake.