OO Tension Lock Decouplers

[truckersteve]

I'm currently using strips of clear plastic as decouplers on my layout "Buxton Road". Anyone who's seen the videos I posted in the Members' Layouts forum will see that they're rather hit or miss.

One of the problems I have is that the layout is not perfectly flat. It's freestanding 2400mm by 1200mm on carpet which is laid on a floor which is nearly 100 years old. It has to be freestanding because it is shoved into a corner and may need to be lifted out to rectify any problems in the far corner. As a result trains can compress when running slowly down an infinitesimally slight gradient and come apart when you don't want them to or stretch when running up and not come apart when you do want them to.

I'm thinking of installing remotely controlled decouplers and am looking at either the Hornby R8244 or the Gaugemaster TLU.

The Hornby one looks a bit of a lump. I assume that a Peco PL10E extended pin point motor will operate it from under the baseboard. The Gaugemaster looks as if it may be possible to disguise it in its lowered position by cutting away the sleepers below it so it rests level with the sleepers and ballast, painting it to match the ballast with false sleepers painted across it.

Has anyone any experience with either of these products or can anyone come up with another option?


Steve.

[Son of Triangman]

Another option is a small 2mm pin with a small plate on it controlled by an electromagent, it has been suggest in many forums over the years and has been used successfully on some layouts. This option has the benefit of having the opertating pin hidden in a pin hole in a sleeper giving a nice disguised uncoupler.