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What 3 rail engine has the fastest top speed?

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What 3 rail engine has the fastest top speed?
Posted by Boyd on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 2:48 PM

Over at CTT do they test top speed on train engines? What length of track do they need to do this? 

Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.

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Posted by RockIsland52 on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 3:03 PM

Boyd

Over at CTT do they test top speed on train engines? What length of track do they need to do this? 

Boyd......I always wondered if anyone has ever measured and publicized top speed.  You'd need better than 45 feet to do that for some.  Maybe someone will repond to your thread.  Then we can get into which of our engines seems to be the fastest.

Jack

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Posted by dwiemer on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 3:41 PM

I don't think they test max speed per se, to see which is fastest.  I remember some discussion about building a "drag strip" for engines, but not that they test.  From my own experience, my fastest engine is probably a 1689E, that puppy will fly!  The more modern engines are geared for more realistic running speeds.

Dennis

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Posted by Frank53 on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 4:27 PM

Call me crazy, but I would not be surprised if the winner is a post war Lionel Scout . . .

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Posted by rtraincollector on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 7:39 PM

I use to have a 1688 and if it had wings It would fly. they get up and go acually had 2 different ones both the same.

I believe you will find it is between prewar or postwar engine the only exception might be a williams as there know to fly also.

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Posted by 3railguy on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 8:23 PM

Atlas Trainman Gator. Mean as it looks. Unless you harness it with a TPC 300, takes off like a rocket at 6 volts, hyperspeed at 12 volts, At 18 volts knocks a hole in concrete wall. Woa Nellie!

John Long Give me Magnetraction or give me Death.
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Posted by rogruth on Thursday, February 5, 2009 6:53 AM

CTT still lists low and high speeds in the loco tests.

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Posted by Warburton on Thursday, February 5, 2009 7:45 AM

Back in the 1990s Lionel made a series of cheap-o small switchers with can motors using the shell from the postwar motorized unit switcher (like the Air Force switcher). I honestly could barely keep these babies on the track using the lowest setting on my transformer! They literally FLEW down the track and usually took off into the air at the first curve.

I would put their speed up against anything Lionel ever made!

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Posted by Bob Keller on Thursday, February 5, 2009 8:18 AM
I believe the highest speed we've ever measured was 252 scale miles per hour with K-Line's original six-motor F7 rig (nov 97 CTT).

I have a 20+ foot straightaway on two sides of my layout (with O-72 curves running into them) for the high-speed tests. All published review speeds are "running light" though I'll go crazy and run them wide- open with a 30 car train in tow (and occasionally leaving rolling stock flying off the end of the train as it whips through curves.

Bob Keller

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Posted by anjdevil2 on Thursday, February 5, 2009 8:55 AM

I'll put in a plug for my 1990's vintage #2000 Blue Jersey Central 2-4-0.  I swear that thing is fast.  I like to do the drag race thing with it, it just flys....!

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Posted by kpolak on Thursday, February 5, 2009 8:57 AM

Bob:  LaughLaughLaugh  ROFLMAO  When do we get to see that video?

Kurt

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Posted by anjdevil2 on Thursday, February 5, 2009 8:57 AM

I'll put in a plug for my vintage '90's #2000 Blue Jersey Central 2-4-0.  It's all plastic and just FLYS!!!  I'd love to drag race that thing, it really gits....!

I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.
I am the venom in your skin  --- Breaking Benjamin


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Posted by Bob Keller on Thursday, February 5, 2009 9:26 AM
Alas, that was pre-web days. It was quite a rocket, though.

Bob Keller

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Posted by runtime on Thursday, February 5, 2009 9:33 PM

Among my stuff, I would say the No. 50 Gang car, or the No. 4 (Prewar Electric).

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Posted by dwiemer on Thursday, February 5, 2009 10:12 PM

Bob, I think I have one of those sets in Lackawanna.  Will have to do a little test....

Dennis

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Posted by Wes Whitmore on Friday, February 6, 2009 6:37 AM

Ogaugeoverlord
I believe the highest speed we've ever measured was 252 scale miles per hour with K-Line's original six-motor F7 rig (nov 97 CTT).

I have a 20+ foot straightaway on two sides of my layout (with O-72 curves running into them) for the high-speed tests. All published review speeds are "running light" though I'll go crazy and run them wide- open with a 30 car train in tow (and occasionally leaving rolling stock flying off the end of the train as it whips through curves.

 

As I read this topic going down through the posts, I'm saying to myself that nothing is faster than my Kline F7...it's unusably fast.  It launches off the layout more than any other engine I own.  It's metal and heavy, and goes fast at 5 volts.  Each unit has 2 motors.  There is no creap along speed...

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Posted by EIS2 on Friday, February 6, 2009 10:36 AM

 TTOS has races at their Cal Stewart meet in Pasadena.  A few years ago, there was an old Marx engine that absolutely flew by all of the competition.

Earl

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Posted by baberuth73 on Friday, February 6, 2009 2:19 PM

Although it's not O gauge, I had an Athearn Hi-F drive engine that used to scream. When I was about 10 years of age I used to remove the shell and pretend it was a AA fuel dragster. It was faster than my Marx 400.

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Posted by Wes Whitmore on Friday, February 6, 2009 3:43 PM

Here is a "not so scientific" video of a MTH 4-4-0 general with cruise control vs and a K-line F7 dual can A unit.  As I pan across to the transformer running both trains(and past a beeeuuutiful John Deere boxcar!), you will notice that the throttle is probably at some 25% of max.  The F7 is pulling 9 cars, and burning up the 0-54 track...the MTH is barely moving at the same voltage pulling no cars at all. It needs some serious regearing.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4044067746925881346&hl=en

Wes

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Posted by RRCharlie on Friday, February 6, 2009 3:53 PM

My new PWC GG1 really flew around the dining room when I was giving it a break in run.

Mel Hazen; Jax, FL Ride Amtrak. It's the only way to fly!!!

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Posted by Boyd on Saturday, February 7, 2009 11:57 PM

 Maybe Lionel should sell train sets with large banked curves, loop-de-loops and lap counters for the kids that just can't get excited with what Lionel sells now.

Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.

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Posted by billbarman on Sunday, February 8, 2009 10:24 AM

 

I have a williams amtrak locomotive from 1980. not sure what type it is as im not into newer locomotives as much but boy can that thing fly. It goes faster then most engine on the voltage it takes for a modern locomotive to start up...

"No childhood should be without a train!"

Dub
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Posted by Dub on Sunday, February 8, 2009 2:49 PM

Marx 490 is my guess. Small simple Light.Scout with the plastic motor second. That's not tampering with the pole windings.

Bob
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Posted by cpsteamer on Sunday, February 8, 2009 4:03 PM

Right on!! A marx loco - will generally blow the doors off all comprtition!

Ken

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