10-13-18
10-14-18
Thanks again to Andy and Jane for everything!!
Just asking, is there a reason the train is moving so slow along the main line? I am in no way asking for Lionel speed, but just wondering
Hey Matt,
Great video! You really do capture the experience.
Pete Lassen said:
Just asking, is there a reason the train is moving so slow along the main line? I am in no way asking for Lionel speed, but just wondering
Pete, good question. Lots of curves, lots of hills, track is in pretty good shape for such a large railroad. You can run slow, about 25 on a Revolution controller or you can spend the time running faster and re-railing the cars, after “clotheslining” them. 24 to 25 cars seems to be the max without derailment. Its usually the Kadee couplers or a light car that gives. If you do derail or uncouple, its amazing the amount of weight you realize as you get it back together. Remember there are no brakes on the cars to keep the slack out of the couplers. Best to have 2 person crews, watching the front and back. Always best to know what the last car looks like, if there is no caboose. Trains are long enough there are many places you don’t see both ends at once. And many times, the amount you start out with changes from the amount you finish with, if you aren’t paying attention.
As I said, Good question.
Pete Lassen said:
Just asking, is there a reason the train is moving so slow along the main line? I am in no way asking for Lionel speed, but just wondering
Pete, I don’t require the crews to run at a certain speed… That is all determined by the engineer… Most of the folks who operate with me also operate on other scale layouts such as HO… Most also run narrow gauge steam on their own G-scale layouts…
The train operation orders do not list any speeds…
Matt great videos. Nice to see my 2032 and 2033 on your videos.
I had a great time too over the weekend. Even the the crabby yardmaster was in charge!!
Hey TM, you do know Jan is the Yardmaster. Be careful. Be very careful.
So sorry Rick. Completely forgot that.
I “personally” have NEVER seen Jan crabby with anyone other than Andy and especially Ric ! This is EXACTLY why I personally don’t care to do operations and would rather build models that go roundy round while I take “pictures” of them which is all part of a hobby that we share !
Great stuff Cousin Matt ! …you have totally captured the “Essence”
Ric, Andy, Thanks for the answers, looking at Matts videos I can see that there are a lot of curves in the layout , which gives more interest and some really coool picture/video oppertunities. This has to be on my list of places to visit one of these days. Thanks to Matt for the videos too!
Great pictures, Matt. It was a really fun weekend of operations!
Your welcome guys! Glad you enjoyed the videos.
Just to add to the speed question, most guys run at a scale speed. I do too, but more the my eye than the speed on the controller.
Very impressive Matt, the videos were well worth watching. Regarding speed, well, I try to run at a slow speed it avoids tail chasing. I achieve it most times, however young visitors - luckily only a few - do seem to want everything moving at the speed of light. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
The slow speed was rather impressive, and much more prototypical, considering the length, and curves of the line.
Fred Mills
Ric Golding said:
Pete Lassen said:
Just asking, is there a reason the train is moving so slow along the main line? I am in no way asking for Lionel speed, but just wondering
Pete, good question. Lots of curves, lots of hills, track is in pretty good shape for such a large railroad. You can run slow, about 25 on a Revolution controller or you can spend the time running faster and re-railing the cars, after “clotheslining” them. 24 to 25 cars seems to be the max without derailment. Its usually the Kadee couplers or a light car that gives. If you do derail or uncouple, its amazing the amount of weight you realize as you get it back together. Remember there are no brakes on the cars to keep the slack out of the couplers. Best to have 2 person crews, watching the front and back. Always best to know what the last car looks like, if there is no caboose. Trains are long enough there are many places you don’t see both ends at once. And many times, the amount you start out with changes from the amount you finish with, if you aren’t paying attention.
As I said, Good question.
Andy or Ric, has consideration ever been given to adding a third locomotive to the end of the train, to help control the slack? BNSF seems to do it frequently, here in the Columbia Basin of Washington with 100+ car oilcan, granger and coal trains. I’m not suggesting that you increase the number of cars that you handle on the BS as it seems about right for the layout, but you could if you wanted to. That third loco will also reduce uncoupling. Speed is just right, walking speed for us geezers.
Ric and I tried that up at Stan’s. Had one on the front and one on the back. Boy, was that a PITA! Then again, Stan’s RR is all DCC, so I couldn’t keep an eye on the coupler slack at the back of the train due to the controller jacks. If I would have used one of my own Bat/RC engines things may, I say MAY have been different since I could have walked beside the engine and kept an eye on the slack or lack thereof. So, of course, Ric and I have a jaundiced view of that kind of arrangement.
It’s not really a problem at Andy’s, just something you have to keep a lookout for. Which is another reason for a conductor.
Matt Russell said:
Your welcome guys! Glad you enjoyed the videos.
Just to add to the speed question, most guys run at a scale speed. I do too, but more the my eye than the speed on the controller.
About half of the guys in the HO clubs I belong to run at nice reasonable speeds. The other half run a tad fast…I calculated that the president of the SHMRRC likes to run his coal train at close to 90 SMPH.
If speeds are kept slow, I don’t think that “'clotheslining”" is a significant factor… Have had trains of 40-45 cars being pulled up out of Evansville around the curve during cleanup trains and they have not clothslined…
Most if the clotheslining now I believe is due to a slight gust of wind that hits just at the wrong time… I maintained a 20ft diameter curve on the mainlines, and a 15 ft minimum curve on the branch lines…
Also was striving for no more than a 2% grade… But one little jerk of the cars could also clothesline the train… Only takes one wheel to contact a small pebble to make the cars studder…
These are two GREAT videos. It’s hard to find a better time than being at one of Andy & Jane’s operating sessions ! There are also a lot of knowledgeable people to operate with.