Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Backdate the HO Athearn/Roundhouse 4-4-0

562 views
3 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Joizey
  • 1,983 posts
Posted by SteamFreak on Thursday, May 10, 2007 4:52 PM
 hminky wrote:

Flywheels are the most overrated device in model railroading. There is no difference between having a flywheel and not, with skew wound armature motors.

Harold

Agreed. Cogging is not an issue with these motors, so the most a flywheel can do is provide some coasting effect to keep a loco moving when it hits a dead spot, but the effect isn't really noticeable except in the larger diesels and electrics where there's enough room for two large flywheels. Large wheelbase locos like that are not likely to have pickup problems; conversely, the smaller an engine is, the greater its likelihood of stalling, yet there's less available flywheel space. It's the law of diminishing returns.

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Dover, DE
  • 1,313 posts
Posted by hminky on Thursday, May 10, 2007 4:18 PM

Flywheels are the most overrated device in model railroading. There is no difference between having a flywheel and not, with skew wound armature motors. The motor wasn't dropped to keep it out of the cab but to mount the boiler over the mechanism.

Harold

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Joizey
  • 1,983 posts
Posted by SteamFreak on Thursday, May 10, 2007 3:41 PM

Harold,

Nice work, and a very interesting kitbash. Did removing the flywheel affect the performance much? Did such a small flywheel have much effect to begin with? Was it necessary to drop the motor to keep it out of the cab?

Thanks,

Nelson

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Dover, DE
  • 1,313 posts
Backdate the HO Athearn/Roundhouse 4-4-0
Posted by hminky on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 4:13 PM

I have a "what-I-did" about merging an IHC oldtime 4-4-0 with the new HO Athearn/Roundhouse 4-4-0 at:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/1879/locomotives/4-4-0_merge/

Thank you if you visit
Harold

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!