Some thoughts on the "longest" train

[FJ and G]

Nothing beats a long long train, esp. a unit train with either hoppers or tank cars. Not all of our layouts can handle such a long train (say dozens of cars), except maybe Elliot's or on modules at toy train shows.

I don't know the record for "longest" but the "longest" I've ever heard of is 325 cars at a 2-rail O layout: http://www.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=36226

In additiion to lack of space (not to mention lack of $$$ to buy all of the cars needed), the other obvious problem is couplers opening up. I don't know if the problem is endemic but it is on my layout, and various "fixes" have been proposed ranging from bending the spring back to using twisties. Also, I understand that some of the more modern couplers have largely remedied the problem.

My guess is that the 2-rail layout was using kadees, which can also be fitted to toy trains. The problem with kadees is that if you like to manually uncouple cars, it is somewhat harder.

Anyway, I just thought I'd chime in with this topic. BTW, what's the longest train you've ever run. I think 30 cars on one of my previous layouts, pulled by an F-3 from MTH.

[Jumijo]

The only reason I run "long" trains is to increase the smoke output of my steamers. I don't own hundreds of freight cars. I don't even own dozens. I'd guess the longest one we've run is somewhere in the neighborhood of 15-18 cars. That's long enough for our layout.

The train in your link is astounding in it's sheer numbers and length, but as I said yesterday, pretty boring to watch. All the cars are the same, and I'll bet they're crawling along. Give me a short, colorful O-27 train that's hauling you know what any day.

Jim

[FJ and G]

Jim,

If you want BORING, try viewing a unit train of empty TOFC/COFC cars!

As to short trains, the shortest I've seen are the early 1970s Amtrak trains on the Water Level Route running an F-3 with 2 passenger cars. I have the images somewhere in a box at home.

[Anonymous]

I like passenger service mainly running 4 cars plus a mike car and mail car.seems long enough for me.Frieght service is usually 5 to 6 with the caboose. Local freight only, need to keep the line clear for the passenger service[2c]

[pbjwilson]

A guy who ran a graphic arts store in Wilmette ,IL had a train layout that circlled his store. It was a 2 rail O set-up. He ran a train of about 60 cars in length. It sounded like a waterfall when he ran the train. Very loud and very cool to see. He had a massive articulated engine that crept along pulling a very long string of cars.

[mickey4479]

325 cars?!!! I can recall seeing a hundred or so cars on an actual train and that is a long train. 325 with one loco is amasing to me. No grades for sure. I run 7 MTH premier heavy weights with a Lionel PRR K4s on 2.25% grade with no problem. That is a nice size train and I would say somewhat prototypical. Any more than 7 and I would have to dig deep for another K4s to double head. For freight, I have hauled 12 to 14 cars with a PRR Mountain or a consolidation. Usually, 8 freight for me for each loco. Shifting a couple of reefers with a B6s is always fun.

[laz 57]

The largest consist I have run was forty freight cars and like you say gets to be a bore and can't see whats going on over the rest of the layout.
I now only run no more then 20. I like to pull lots of coal cars or beer reefers and that is a nice number.
But I do recall the words of the infamous JIM DUDA. run your frieght car no bigger then the longest straight a way you have. That seems to be a pretty fair statement.
laz57

[dbaker48]

Long trains can be fun, no matter what the consist. I like to see what the engines can do. The most I've done is 16 so you can see I have the opportunity for a lot more. What is really neat is a few reversing curves and watching the train "snake" thru really gratifying. Why is it so popular at train meets for the races? I would think it would be more sifnificant for a pulling power contest. Maybe a engine pull similiar to the tractor pulls.

[thor]

The problem my friend and I always had when we tried running very long trains - in H0 - was that on curves the rolling stock would tend to derail because the torque and weight caused the train to lift and tilt, perhaps because the Tri-ang hook and bar couplings were fixed to the bodies not the bogies. I think 48 was the greatest number of rolling stock we had including coaches and short trucks and my Hornby Dublo 'City' a metal bodied loco with no traction tires was our best puller.

A fishermans spring scale is a good way to measure your locos tractive effort.

[otftch]

At home I run ten to twelve cars generally.Thats one reason we started our club here in Ocala,Fla.On the shop layout we can run twice that.I have fifteen Santa-Fe passenger cars (Lionel) and the only time I have run them all together was on the club layout.
Ed

[tschmidt]

The longest train I run is about 13 or 14 cars behind the tender. I guess the length of the train depends on the cars you run. Mine would be considered a typical consist of boxcars, tank cars, car carriers, etc. Three ore cars are about the same length as a heavy weight passenger car.

Tom S

[twaldie]

It sounds like the perfect length depends on the eye of the beholder. I used to have a 4 x 8 HO layout with a mainline around the outer edge, my son would add cars until the last car was about 1/2 a carlength in front of the lead engine. It looked strange to me, but he just wanted to see cars going by so it made him happy!

Tim

[mackb4]

The longest train I ever run was 272 coal loads with three 4 axle emd's.Oh..that was at work on the NS [(-D] really.I used to run about 18-20 or so on my old layout as a kid.But on this little 4x8 temporary layout I only run about 12-15.It pulls off the rail if I try to put more than that [sigh].

[mpzpw3]

OK. Found this little bit of trivia in the "Greenberg's Guide to Lionel Trains 1970 to 1991 Volume II". To sumarize, the longest train (at least at the time), was ran at Rickenbacker Air Force Base July 26th, 1980. Powered by 10 Lionel engines, 750 Lionel 9400 and 9700 series boxcars, and one 9289 C&NW caboose, made the Guiness Book of World Records as the most cars run. This beat the record of 501 HO cars pulled. The really sad part of all this is, I can barely program my VCR, but my mind holds thousands of worthless facts like this one!!

[Anonymous]

to change the question-what is the longest train with one engine and which engine from what company-ten engines can pull a lot of cars but what engine and again what company such as a big boy from either mth or lionel

[lionelsuperotrack]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mpzpw3

OK. Found this little bit of trivia in the "Greenberg's Guide to Lionel Trains 1970 to 1991 Volume II". To sumarize, the longest train (at least at the time), was ran at Rickenbacker Air Force Base July 26th, 1980. Powered by 10 Lionel engines, 750 Lionel 9400 and 9700 series boxcars, and one 9289 C&NW caboose, made the Guiness Book of World Records as the most cars run. This beat the record of 501 HO cars pulled. The really sad part of all this is, I can barely program my VCR, but my mind holds thousands of worthless facts like this one!!

Worthless!!<LOL> Certain of us train people find this interesting. I have copies of a series of articles on this endeavor. Will tray to scan and get together. Imagine the problems keeping the cars from uncoupling!!! The answer................

Very best, Mike Spanier

[phillyreading]

The longest train that I have run to date with one locomotive was 29 frieght cars(average size) being pulled by a Williams 761 S-2 steam locomotive.
With two diesel locomotives, SD 45's, I have pulled 42 frieght cars.
Have not tried passenger cars as they use power in their light bulbs that takes away voltage needed to run the locomotive.
Lee in West Palm Beach FL

[Jumijo]

I'll bet that Williams 671 had plenty of power left to pull much more than 29 cars.

Jim