i'm just getting into this train stuff. bought a whole bunch of track and started buying cars. my layout is going to have some 2% grade. maybe just a hair steeper. i've always liked the look of a long train, and have my heart set on steam locomotives. Question is, which locomotive? i've noticed the aristo rodgers 2-4-2 has a dual can motor. is that enough? Everything i've picked up so far is1:29 scale. but i really like the look of the aristo classic locos. would they look too odd? any suggestions would be helpful. thanks a lot, bob
Bumpah:
First, let me say
Secondly your choice of engine seems to be a good one to me. Aristo claims a scale of 1:29 for the Rodgers which matches up with what you say you have already acquired. Now for the disclaimer: Even though a manufacturer claims a certain scale, most of them are off by a small bit in their different equipment. I've got a couple of Aristo cattle cars and box cars (claimed to be 1:29) they really come closer to 1:27.5, the passenger cars (also claim 1:29) come in closer to 1:30. They still look very good together.
Second Disclaimer: Garden railroading is not for the rivet counters. At least the ready to run stuff, as it never comes in exactly true to the claimed scale, but really close. Close enough that when applying the ten-foot rule (how does it look from ten-feet away?) it looks good. Rivet counters are forced to either build their own (both kit and scratch) or pull their hair out in frustration.
Around here, everybody will tell you to follow one simple rule. It is your empire, do what you want and enjoy, and let others visit the devil if they do not like what you are doing. We also have a second rule, try your best to keep grades under 2%, Following this rule creates the reasoning and desire for bridges and viaducts. Each has its own positive visual impact upon the appearance of your empire. Some of us have even brought in dirt to build up an area to create the need for a few bridges.
Since this is your first post here, I would advise reading through the older posts as there is a wealth of information here. Don't hesitate to ask any question, the folks here are happy to put in their two cents on any issue. Also the folks here enjoy seeing photos of others efforts, we all love photos!
Happy train driving.
Tom Trigg
The 2-4-2 Rodgers will only handle a few cars. If you are into 1:29 standard gauge, go with an Aristo 2-8-2 Mikado ("Mike"). Its a very stong puller and will handle at least a dozen cars at grade. Also expect the Aristo standard gauge 2-8-0 later this year (hopefully).
I love the AristoClassic 2-8-0's but they are 1:24 narrow gauge models. I have two. They will handle 4-5 cars on a 3% grade but I usually run mine double headed -
-Brian
thanks for the welcome, sorry if i came of as a rivet counter, i' m not. that's why i was willing to go with the classics if it would pull. i've also raised the ground around my pond by 1' sofar to eliminate as much grade as possible. if i buiid it up any more i'm going to have to deal with the boss. it is, with some more work to posibly lower the back end, and will if nessesary. but for now iwant to try and pull the grade. i've read quite a bit so far and will keep doing so. the mike was another engine i was interested in. i'll probably be building all summer, so there is no rush. looking forward to more responses, thanks.
Hi Bob, I have an Aristo Mallet and I can easily pull 18 to 20 freight cars up about a 2% grade. You probably don't want to go to that large of a steam engine, but it sure looks impressive to me. It hardly slows down and all and I'm sure I could pull more cars if I was ambitious enough to get them all out. Part of my train storage is in the back porch where I can just drive the trains out. But my storage area isn't big enough to hold everything. I'm going to add additional storage this summer.
Glad to have you here, enjoy
Bob in Kalamazoo
Hi Bob and Welcome,
We are a great gang of train runners who love to see like mined people joining us. Enjoy running your trains we are all helpful and give good advice or can point you in the right direction. You can go on to any of the makers web sites and look at the seck of a loco this will tell you what you can and can not do. Just remember that over loading a loco can be costly if you strip the gears and loco is away 3 to 6 weeks being repaired. Hope this helps
Age is only a state of mind, keep the mind active and enjoy life
i would go as big as a mallet, if that is what i need to do. i bought 250' of track, and plan on using most all of it. i don't think a big locomotive would look out of place pulling a bunch of cars. by the way, I've been collecting brewery billboard cars and tankers. this is gonna look great.
bumpah thanks for the welcome, sorry if i came of as a rivet counter, i' m not.
OOPS! I was not trying to imply, I meant it only as an anticdotal (comedic) comment. If you took it that way, I most sicnerely appologize.
Bob:
Just a quick question. You have not yet said what your planned minimum curvatures are going to be. Most here would suggest keeping your curves as large a possible, thus allowing for grater variety of equipment capable of negotiating your layout. So far you have talked about the Rodgers which requires a minimum of 4 ft, and the Mallet which requires minimum of 8 ft. As a good rule of thumb go bigger than the minimum if at all possible. The minimum requirements are what the equipment will negotiate and still stay on the rails. Most folk agree that running on minimums looks funny, entirely too much "overhang" on the inside of the curve. Tight curves also limit the number of cars that can be pulled. If the curve is too tight and a long train with long cars can cause an underweight car to tip over on the inside of the curve. Especially true if the curve is a full 180 degrees. Increasing your curves by 25% ~ 50% above the listed minimums will solve the problems and enhance the overall appearance.
Look at me! Here I told you to do whatever turns your fancy and to the devil with those who speak differently. Now it looks as if I'm lecturing. Not really, just trying to give a few suggestions, passing along previous "lessons learned the hard way." A good number of us (myself included) ignored that little tidbit until it was too late.
trigg
apology not nessesary, i didn't take it as an insult, i've been going to these forums long enough to know that people just want to help. and i do appreciate it.
as far as my turns go, i have one section of track where i will go into a 8' radius turn for about3', then it straightens out for 4' then 3' more of 8' turn. this is to go up behind my waterfall and start coming back. all other turns will be at least 10', most are 20'
i've done a lot of reading,and am trying to do this right the first time. but there is no better teacher than experience. my biggest problem is trying to convince some unwanted help of how it has to be
bumpah behind my waterfall
Waterfall? Waterfall! He said WATERFALL! Now there's a man I like.
Does that mean we go fishing? Waterfalls make a statement that no other piece of scenery can make.
ttrigg bumpah behind my waterfall Waterfall? Waterfall! He said WATERFALL! Now there's a man I like. Does that mean we go fishing? Waterfalls make a statement that no other piece of scenery can make.
WOW!!! That's gorgeous! Thanks for the inspiration!!
Altterrain, thanks for the great pics; love the double-header!!
bumpah i'm just getting into this train stuff. bought a whole bunch of track and started buying cars. my layout is going to have some 2% grade. maybe just a hair steeper. i've always liked the look of a long train, and have my heart set on steam locomotives. Question is, which locomotive? i've noticed the aristo rodgers 2-4-2 has a dual can motor. is that enough? Everything i've picked up so far is1:29 scale. but i really like the look of the aristo classic locos. would they look too odd? any suggestions would be helpful. thanks a lot, bob
Are there any real-life (aka "prototype") railroads/railways that have captured your interest? I was always fascinated with western desert railroads (Tonopah & Tidewater, Las Vegas & Tonopah, Bullfrog Goldfield, Carson & Colorado, et al) that are long gone, but being able to explore their remains and find the occaisional artifact has inspired me to carry on their legacies in my future GRR. Their later (post-USRA/WW1) locomotives really caught my eye, and I planned on modifying available LGB & Bachmann locomotives to better represent them, especially the well-kept BGRR 2-8-0 & 4-6-0 locos.
BUT THEN, I discovered the Beyer-Garratt type of locomotives used by Rhodesia & South Africa, and that was it - I was hooked! So I had to find a way to incorporate them into my garden railroad, which I have by scaling everything to 1/24. That way, the "Cape Gauge" of 3ft 6in scales out perfectly in 1/24th scale using G-gauge (45mm) track. South Africa also used 2-foot gauge Garratt locomotives, so by using 0-gauge track (handspiked for my layout) in 32mm, this actually scales out to 30-inch gauge in 1/24-scale, but is close enough for my purposes. Something about big locos pulling long trains along twisting, winding track really fascinates me...the articulation of the Garratt-type locos fits perfectly into my planned layout, so all I have to do after scratchbuilding the locos is to add a few "Americanized" details to make them fit into the Nevada desert lines.
I don't mean to go on & on about me, I was just trying to help find out what inspires & interests you...the advice given above by other posters is excellent, especially about too much weight stripping gears on locos.
Good luck!
I was afraid to go too small, and have to buy another one. so I went with the mallet. she sure is impressive. can't wait to be up and running.
bumpahI was afraid to go too small, and have to buy another one. so I went with the mallet. she sure is impressive. can't wait to be up and running.
I love my Mallet Bob. Since I got it I run it more than any of my other loco's. I have seven presently. More than I can run at one time but I know there are people who have a whole lot more than I do with a layout that isn't any bigger than mine.
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