Trains.com

Are toy trains made to be run fast?

2226 views
9 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    July 2002
  • From: A State of Humidity
  • 2,441 posts
Posted by wallyworld on Friday, April 23, 2004 10:45 AM
When I have company over and they want to see the trains I run them at a prototypical speed so they can appreciate the realism and blah blah... Then as soon as I hear their footsteps fading away, I slowly and discretely close the door behind me and immediately lash up a GG1 to a full string of coaches and let er rip at an impossibly fantasical warp speed with the horn blaring as the wheels nearly fly off the railheads.Yeah man, look out...she's coming through on fire. Whoa, coupler broke free...damn these couplers...ooooh look out ..I'm headed for a cornfield meet with my own train...a smokin emergency stop....now! As my dazed and disoriented model passengers debark from my whirling NASA centrifuge with only a reasonable amount of serious spinal injuries, I breathe a contented sigh of relief .Another catastrophe averted. Whew.. maybe I should crazy glue these couplers together....

Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, April 23, 2004 12:44 AM
I run my frieghts pretty darn slow. It comes from being stuck in traffic all my life watching them grind almost in reverse! But as for my passenger service--ZOOOOOOOM!! As fast they'll take the 072 curves!

I can't wait for that Acela! I'm gonna run the flanges off the wheels!! My goal is to make it go so fast that the Lionel speed sensor on the walkover malfunctions! [:p]
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • 1,786 posts
Posted by cwburfle on Thursday, April 22, 2004 6:11 PM
Certainly. Time is money!
  • Member since
    October 2002
  • From: US
  • 183 posts
Posted by fjerome on Wednesday, April 21, 2004 12:43 PM
i run mine pretty slow. even the streamliners, while moving faster than the freights, are probably not doing more than 40 smph.

i especially like to run my lionmaster challenger at slow speed so the engines are out of synch...love that sound!

[:D]
Fabulous Forrest at the Brewer Avenue & Pacific
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Fremont, CA, USA
  • 213 posts
Posted by macdannyk1 on Wednesday, April 21, 2004 11:03 AM
Yeah, and who ever heard of running a Pennsy Turbine at low speeds...ridiculous, I say! :)
Dan Member and Webmaster, Golden State TTOS
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 21, 2004 10:12 AM
I like them fast. Ever try running a Marx 333 or 999? Will fly right off your layout.

pax[C):-)]
  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Over the Rainbow!
  • 760 posts
Posted by eZAK on Wednesday, April 21, 2004 10:04 AM
I like to run 'em slow too.

But I think they run 'em fast for the kids.

When I have kids over to watch the trains I always hear "Is that as fast as they go?"
Then I turn 'em up rather than explain proto to them.
Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Home Brew!</font id="size2"> Pat Zak</font id="size3">
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Watkinsville, GA
  • 2,214 posts
Posted by Roger Bielen on Wednesday, April 21, 2004 9:56 AM
I run my freights as slow as reasonable, no Oddessy, without having to fiddle with the throttle and my passenger consistes a hair faster. In prototype you usually don't see trains much over 50 mph except maybe commuters or freights in the desert.
Roger B.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 20, 2004 2:39 PM
Like you, Dave, I prefer slower speeds.

The toy store down the road that carries Lionel and other stock has a TMCC layout. It's small; maybe 6x8. The train department man, though, runs the trains at something like 60 scale mph, which to me is way too fast. I generally run mine, which are all traditional, as slow as they will go, and that means around 20 smph, more or less. It varies with each locomotive, of course.

I find the high-speed approach a little nerve-wracking, but, as has been said many times in these forums, set them up and run them the way you like them.
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • 6,434 posts
Are toy trains made to be run fast?
Posted by FJ and G on Tuesday, April 20, 2004 1:50 PM
I often attend the local Greenberg shows and I gotta tell you, they, meaning the hi-rail club and the "tinplate" tracker club, and even the S toy train club, run their trains fast; often 80+ smph.

Like other visitors, I stoop down to watch the train go by and before you know it, it's gone in a flash. No chance to really see it because it's moving so fast. I suppose it looks more spectacular going pedal to the metal (throttle to the metal)? Also, these layout are usually much bigger than our home layouts so they get a longer run.

But cranking up the speed on a smaller home layout, often makes the train appear to be chasing it's tail, if the layout is oval in shape. I've been told that toy train motors are even geared to go faster than scale trains, at the expense of slower speeds.

I run the trains as slow as possible to increase the illusion of vast distances. Nothing against anyone running them fast; I just get dizzy seeing them spinning around the room. When they crash onto the concrete floor at breakneck speeds, however, I must admit that it is much more visually spectacular.

dave vergun

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month