Monday, November 25, 2019

Code 75 frustration


A recent frustration has involved Code 75 Peco track and the ramps required to uncouple tension-lock couplings. The ones you find on the ends of all OO RTR locos.

Quite simply, how has something so fundamental not been made to work?

Peco sell two ramps, Hornby one. All will fit the track. All manage to uncouple wagons from each other. All will lift a locomotive off the rails, beaching it like a lowered sports car on a particularly nasty speed hump.

Come on chaps. Code 75 track is not new. Tension-lock couplings are universal. Where's the ramp for the finer track?

Yes, I know I could change the couplings or use some sort of funky electric ramp system but I don't understand why this is necessary.

4 comments:

James Finister said...

I'm sure I remember years ago reading an article about making your own uncoupling ramps using the clear plastic used to stiffen new shirts

Phil Parker said...

The problem is that for this particular project, it must be an out of the box solution. I can engineer something myself normally, and plastic ramps are high on the list, but not for this one.

matt scrutton said...

Chop out the sleepers maybe? I know its not entirely out of the box but I'd like to think if someone can lay code 75 flexi track they can manage that.

James Finister said...

I've never tried it, but could the Peco OO9 uncoupler be built with a longer wire? It wouldn't be automatic, though. This is of more than academic interest as I consider my next layout. Until I convert everything to EM and decide on a coupling that works for me I'm going to stick with the least obtrusive tension lock system I can find. The current choice, incidentally is between 3 link, DG or Kadees