Does anybody out there remember the original Kadees that were uncoupled mechanically by the diamond uncoupler ramp? The ramp was a diamond-shaped metal casting, quite inobtrusive, that sat down low between the rails, and was activated, at least on the layout that my Dad built for me when I was a kid, by pushing a button on the control panel. A mechanical linkage of wires and a lever/fulcrum arrangement lift the uncoupler and it in turn spread pins which hung down from the coupler knuckles. No false uncoupling, but also no delayed action, and still only in a fixed location. I still use those couplers on my maintenance-of-way equipment, with the pins removed, of course. Even with the pins, I always thought that they looked better than the Magnematics with the fat curved "airhose". I use the magnets only on sidings that are difficult to reach, and in the staging yards, where they are indispensible for uncoupling passenger cars equipped with diaphrams. Otherwise, since I use walkaround throttles to control the trains, I use the Rix uncoupling wand with the two magnets. One of these days I'll get around to making one of those skewer-type uncoupler stick thingies and give it a try. I won't put uncoupling magnets anywhere on the mainline simply because of the chance of accidental uncoupling, particularly with pusher locos.
Wayne