eBay

spottzz · ‎07-02-2004

In a double or triple header, which engine should be first? Powered "B" units do NOT go first.

beastranger · ‎07-05-2004

Pete I have been casting iron at work for 25 years, ever hear of Vermont Castings wood stoves? I haven't seen that article yet but I do have a bunch of books on the subject. Kind of funny or sad depending on how you look at, but I took a couple of shells into the pattern shop at work and even though the parting lines were pretty clear they still couldn't figure out how to make a pattern for them. Guess they have been looking at stove parts for too long. The Mallet stalls out with five cars on 2 %, I'm beginning to think that maybe the wheels have some oil on them it does so poorly. It does run nice though. Doug

trmwf · ‎07-05-2004

The Mallet should do much better then 5 cars. Mine will do 12-13 on 2%. Mike

ginzokid · ‎07-05-2004

Vermont Castings stoves and I are old friends. Used to specify them in custom homes I designed. Mike and I both get about the same number of cars up the 2%. Your 3% is a killer old boy. Those LLs just do not weigh enough, but I'll bet Mike could fill us in on the real pulling capacity of the Y3 which is what I believe the LL are supposed to be as opposed to the heavier Y6b. What about it Mike. Do the LL Y3s parallel the prototype? And Doug, clean the track and your wheels. Not just on the engine, but also the cars. Dirty wheels cause drag too. It really is that 3% grade that is killing you. You better plan on double-heading up that baby. Pete Ain't this group grand?!

beastranger · ‎07-05-2004

Pete With the exception of the E 8s +6s and the Mikado I have to MU everything else. The back side of the grade is 2% and that is where it stalls, even on level track it will only pull 10 cars even after weighting. Yes it is time for a major wheel cleaning project. One of my casting projects is to try and make a brass or pewter replacement shell for the Mallet. Doug

flaretired · ‎10-18-2005

When you hook up two diesel engines together, why is one forward and the other backward? Do they ever put engines in front and back of a train? I have never seen two steam engines hook front to back. I guess there is a reason for that. I have seen a three engine hook up and they were all facing the same way. Just wondering. Chuck 🙂

ginzokid · ‎10-19-2005

Chuck, Diesels are hooked up front to back, back to back, front to back to front, almost any way concievable. They are also sometimes put into the middle of a train or at the rear as "helpers". Steam engines were also cut in the middle of a train or at the rear as helpers in the past. As for front to back steam engine hookup, I have no knowledge of that. My guess is that both or more steam engines would have to be hooked facing in the same direction so the engineers could see clearly to adjust their locomotive to the others when doing multiple lashups. Remember, diesels can all be controlled from the front loco by one engineer with all the electronics involved, while steam engines had to be under the control of one engineer for each unit. I also believe that if it bacame necessary, steam locos could be hooked together front to back to pull a train. Remember "The Great Locomotive Chase" of the Civil War? It was true you know. The Texas running backwards actually caught the General running forward. So it is possible for the steam engines to run just as fast in reverse as forwards. However, it is not as safe.

untabubba · ‎10-19-2005

As for model railroads, I'm still dithering over whether to put the slower or faster in 1st position. I'm talking close here. I know better thsn to try to run two that are vastly different. What is the current thought of the group? Marc

flaretired · ‎10-19-2005

Lucky for me my layout is small so I can use dummies. Don't plan on having a train any longer than 15 cars. Good luck with your problem Marc. I do have an opinion though. I would put the faster in back because if the slower one is in the back then the fast one would have a drag on it and you could possibly put a strain on the motor. With the faster in back it is helping the slower one and maybe since they are so close they would run easier together. Would be like putting a no load on the slower engine. Again just my opinion. Chuck 🙂

montanabud0 · ‎10-19-2005

Marc: For what it is worth, I have a fellow N Scaler here in Ottawa who has an Electronics background in the Air Force. He claims that if you lash-up a couple of locomotives that run at different speeds and let them run around for some time, eventually the different speeds will sychronize. I haven't tried it yet as my Katos seem to work together well - I've had four of them in tandem and they are almost identical in speed. It makes quite a sight to behold! Bud.

ginzokid · ‎10-19-2005

Short and sweet. My opinion is like Chuck's. Faster in the back for all the same reasons. Run them a while and they will sync? I wonder if it really works. All I know is that when I had multiple lash-ups they did a little push-pull dance but ran best with the fastest at the rear. B-)

beastranger · ‎10-19-2005

My opinion and experience has been to put the faster one in front to keep from pushing the lead engine off the track especially through any turnouts. Also I agree with Bud's friend based on my experience which has been mainly with LL engines. First I will run the engines by themselves around the track starting about a foot apart to see how close they are in speed and which is faster. Obviously if they are way out of sync they just won't run together. Once I learned how to do the Codfadda conversion for LL B units, I made several up from NEW engines and broke them in together with the A unit. They all run great and will pull your house down with their power. Punk