Watch the video demo ... amazing

Really, that's it?

We have seen this before on MRH. Very interesting, but a "great innovation"? Not so much.

The innovation is ...

This idea has been kicking around some forums for a few years but it's just been a novelty.

Now it's coming to market as a widely available product for HO, N, and other scales. It's going from a curiosity to a commonly available product like magnetic couplers.

While a few in-the-know may be aware of this, the masses have not known about it, nor could they get it.

That has all changed, and that part IS a BIG DEAL.

And How much?

I have over 700 cars on and off the layout.  I'm sure this is more for the folks with small fleets of cars.  I could not imagine adding this to 700+ cars at few bucks each that could be a few big bills.

HO would be cool with O & On30 would be better.  But in N that is  another small small thing to get broken or lost on the layout.

What keeps the free end of a house from catching stuff at track level.  Or track nail heads the people use in both HO an N scale?

I'm in the process of removing stuff from the car that normally gets broken or abused during operations.

It is very cool to see but will folks bend down to eye level and look?

Cost?

They're $2.50 per car, available in sets of 10 pair for $25 USD.

If they catch on, they'll probably start coming with the cars from the higher-end manufacturers just like knuckle couplers now do.

Cost

From their web site:

	NARC - HO Scale - High Performance MagnaLock Brake Lines - 10 Pair Conversion Kit 11-AIR-10H	$24.98
	NARC - N Scale - High Performance MagnaLock Brake Lines - 10 Pair Conversion Kit 11-AIR-10N	TBD

So that is $2.50 per car. For 700+ cars OUCH, but I suspect that you could phase them in over time or to new cars only. Their web site says they are Kadee compatible.

Dick

Hmmm

A bit Anal retentive don't you think? How close would you have to get to actually see this happen? Great idea, but......................... hmmmmmmm???????

I Like it!

I like it!

It's better than a Segway!

George

Amazing to me

I very much like the look as well as how they operate.  It will be interesting to see them on on N-Scale for sure.  

I'm curious about magnetic uncoupling setups and the impact of these on setups with them.  I was researching magnetic uncoupling today coincidentally for my new N-Scale layout......

They aren't for everybody

But if you like that detail and want to foot the bill for it, its pretty cool and very doable.  So many people are trying to get to the realism level on every detail, and this is just one more that is vastly superior to the trip pins.  Coupled with Sergeant couplers, it looks very realistic.

I just don't understand why some feel the need to crap on something that they themselves don't find value in.  I can tell you after talking to PWRS today, the demand for these things is sky high.  The main reason PWRS took over is because the initial one man operation could not come close to meeting the demand on his own.  He was overwhelmed in about 45 minutes from orders.  Now they will be manufactured in large quantities to meet the demand.  So obviously a lot of people find value in them.

Question...

These look and work seemingly quite well; however, if you don't use the wooden stick uncoupler but instead have the below track uncoupling magnets, would it still function correctly? Just curious...

Al

I don't use them

But my first thought would be that it wouldn't affect them too much as the proximity of them and how they are magnetized may actually make them repel the under track magnets.  I might have an under track magnet around, now that I think about it.  I'll look around and respond with my findings.

Backstory on the MagnaLock self-coupling air hoses

The story of these self-coupling air hoses goes all the way back to 2000 when David W. Davis was writing about how he experimented with these air hoses in the 1990s and early 2000s. In Great Model Railroads 2001, on page 12 in a sidebar the text notes that David details his equipment to a level not often seen in the hobby, including air hoses made from transmission wire and "tiny glad hands punched from kitchen magnets".

It is reported that David also wrote about these air hoses in Railroad Model Journal. It doesn't appear David's air hoses would self-couple, however.

Along came Cameron Foodikoff of Fairway Park Models in B.C. Canada, who refined the idea further to create tiny self-coupling air hoses that were not affected by magnet polarity (either end of the car worked equally well) and could be manufactured commercially. Cameron began selling his creation on eBay but quickly became overwhelmed with orders. As a one-person shop, he just could not keep up with the demand.

North American Railcar, a division of Pacific Western Rail Systems, has picked up Cameron's air hose line and is ramping up production to keep up with the demand. Even before the air hoses were announced, the stock of thousands of these air hoses has sold out. More are being manufactured and the production is being ramped up to match demand, which is expected to be quite high.

We thank John Longhurst of Winnipeg for filling us in on the backstory. You can find more on John's blog here: 

cprailmmsub.blogspot.ca/2013/02/update-on-self-coupling-air-hoses.html

That link should probably be:

http://www.cprailmmsub.blogspot.ca/2013/01/even-more-about-self-coupling-air-hoses.html

However the ones discussed in Europe RM Web, S4 Forum, CLAG and  E4um in the meantime definitely self coupled. The home made ones were a single strand cut from a bungee cord and a tiny button magnet firmly fixed to the end. David's idea of using discs cut from magnetized sheet is much better for 180 degree car reversal without the polarity issues.

Look alot like this thread I started 3 weeks ago!

I showed these 3 weeks ago after I found a set on e-bay. Don't know if it's the same manufacturer as the link is dead, but looks the same!  Do I get a "finders fee" Joe?

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/self-coupling-air-hoses-ho-scale-12192230

Nelson ... check the backstory

Nelson, check the backstory a couple posts up from yours.

Yes, these are the same as the ones on eBay. Basically, the eBay guy got totally swamped with orders and could not even begin to keep up. One thing lead to another and he sold out to a real model railroad manufacturer who had the resources to make these and do the mass market thing.

So with this development, these neat little items have gone from an interesting niche novelty to what will probably be mainstream with a real manufacturer and the number 2 hobby marketing engine involved (MRH).

PWRS is giving us the exclusive on this one, so we're thrilled to be bringing this cool development to the attention of the masses through our marketing channels - and to know there's a manufacturer behind it that has a chance of keeping up with what will likely be huge demand with some serious marketing now taking place.

So yes, you did find these puppies first, but it took the rest of the developments to play out to bring it to everyone's attention.

Thanks Joe.

I had a feeling that when the website went dead and the ebay listings stopped that something had happened.  At least now a major player in the market can produce these as they are a neat detail item.  Price and availability is key in anything!

Installation video is very informative.

Just watched the installation video on their web site and it covers how to install them very well!  They stress attention to detail and the video shows why.  This should turn out to be a nice detail item!

Too much detail?

I don't know that I'll ever be to the point that I want that much detail but the guys who do have got tbe drooling. That looks really cool! LIke someone else said though, I wonder how close down you have to get to see it and have it really mean anything.

Michael

When Installing the new hoses:

The first step is to cut off the wire affected by the under the tie uncoupling magnet.  Therefore you have to use the uncoupling sticks.  Your installed magnets are rendered useless.

Of course!

You won't be using the trip pins with these hoses, so the under track magnets will be pointless.  I guess its not for those that use uncoupling magnets.

...

Wow - talk an "innocent" about a snowball!!  GOOD JOB NELSON!!!

I say this because he found it and threw it up here - and how many read the forums, 5,000, 10,000?  Enough to make a difference, I'm sure!!

The guy gets swamped so he sells out - I just hope he got himself a great contract, because he deserves it!!!

I hear the people balking because they have 500 or 1000 or 3000 cars.  Well, so what?  I remember the guys complaining because they had 100, or 500, or 1000 engines, and if they adopted DCC they'd have to add a decoder to every single locomotive - hence, they declared DCC was a bad idea and not going to happen.  We see where that argument has ended up!

You don't have to convert everything.  Indeed, most model railroads of modest proportions can perhaps only hold a couple hundred cars at a time in the first place; these bedroom 10' x 10's can only hold maybe 100.

It's a cool little idea - and maybe they'll find a way to get the price down as they continue manufacturer!!

I think he did OK, Benny

I had a short conversation with Cameron on the phone a few days ago and it sounds like he did OK.  He sounded quite pleased with it, at least.  I know all of my cars and locos will be getting them.

I'm not sure "what" was "deserved" or sold here

http://www.p4newstreet.com/articlePDFs/Update%2042%20pipes.pdf

Here's the 2007, or thereabouts, unrestricted and published article in one of the major UK model model magazines.  Including the automatic coupling/uncoupling and 180 degree reversal. Also apparently independently reinvented then, as there is no reference to Dave Davis.  (I didn't know about Dave either, as this article is where I remember it from). I'm only linking to the article, as I'm not sure of the copyright issue of displaying it.

Which of course means that any hobbyist or other manufacturer is free to make as many as they like. And the parts cost is relatively peanuts. (Flex plus magnets plus glue). I know because I stocked up back then, and still have them ready for my own cars.