Coupling and Uncoupling

TrainPlayer allows cars to be coupled or uncoupled anywhere on the track.  You cannot couple if you are going too fast, but you can uncouple at any speed.

To uncouple, you indicate which cars are to be uncoupled, then issue a command from the menu or a tool button.  To couple, as in real life, you simply back one car slowly into another.

To uncouple:

1. Specify the uncoupling point by clicking the desired spot in the train window, or by clicking a car to select it.  Once the pin is positioned between two cars (not at the beginning or end of the train), you can uncouple.

For example, in this illustration, uncoupling will occur between boxcar and hopper:

2. Choose the Uncouple command  (a) by pressing Cmd-U; (b) by clicking the Uncouple button  on the control panel or toolbar; or (c) by choosing Uncouple from one of the Train menus.

When the train uncouples, you are left driving only part of it.  The uncoupled portion becomes a new train, no longer connected to your engine.  The following illustration shows the result of the uncouple operation begun above:

To couple:

1. Slow down and move toward the cars to be coupled.  For example, in the situation shown above, click into reverse so the train is moving to the right, toward the hoppers.
    
2. Bump gently.  The cars couple automatically, and the train is reassembled as shown in the top diagram. 

If you are going too fast, the trains will either pass through each other or crash, depending on preference settings.  You can adjust the speed below which coupling occurs, using the Coupling value in the preferences.  The default is 15 MPH.