Given the success of the RMT BEEP and the multitude of road offerings, many must own them. I know Allan Miller is a big fan of them. But the experience I had with mine (refer to the following prior post) http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/1137051/ShowPost.aspx brings me to this point of curiosity. I've searched previous posts and found some info, but since the BEEP appears to be so popular, I'm wondering....
1) How do your folks run your BEEPS: just running on a loop like under the CHRISTmas tree, or switching. If just mainline running, do you run it through switches, reverse loops or crossing tracks?
2) And what kind of track do you use? More pointedly, what type of switches be they 027 by Lionel, MARX, K-Line or Standard 0 or MTH, Gargraves, FasTrack, etc.
3) If you have made a modification, what is yours? Bobby Ding stated on the above linked prior post that he had added a Lionel vertical pickup to his BEEP. Some have linked their BEEP to a second trailing car wired to a pickup on that second car. Others double head their BEEPS.
As stated at greater length in my BEEP review, my problem was shorting out and not stalling over 027 switches, especially when running into the curved side of the switch. In my mind, adding a second car with a pickup, double heading the BEEP won't eliminate the shorting problem I ran into due to the design of the pickup arm of the BEEP.
The BEEP did do better running through switches from the straight side. Of course, this somewhat limits the full operating potential of such a nicely done, smaller sized loco like the BEEP.
My rebuilt BEEP is still running just fine and better than it ever did as was. I since have added a little more weight to the chassis and shell and it pulls a 10-12 car train with ease.
Anyways, just curious. Might be useful info to many.
brianel, Agent 027
"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."
I got tired of any small unit stalling over switch tracks and MTH loco sounds engine going through the start-up sounds while running.I finally installed a loop of track into my layout that meanders around which has no turnouts.I can run any size train on it now while running the others normally.This is the only place I've tried my beeps.
Ed
The first happy day was when I bought my BEEP. The next happy day was when I sold my BEEP. Mine never did want to run correct from the first day. It hated most switches and the wheels would clog with grime and dirt so fast that I was cleaning it after ever run.
I could never figure out where all the grime came from since the track was clean and every thing else ran fine. But those steel wheels just got dirty fast.
Though I'm not a BEEP fan I know there is a strong crowd that loves them to death. I guess I just couldn't find a way to love my BEEP. I know I couldn't make the changes to my layout to make it a solid runner.
However I still find them a nice looking engine and the person who bought mine still likes it. Who knows even I might attempt a BEEP again.
So as a X-BEEP owner I would say run them with no switches and enjoy them.
We have a B&M Beep. It runs fine on FasTrack. Slow, but fine. No probs on the switches. Ours always was a little loud. Sounds like a blender on low.
Jim
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
I run mine primarily on my inside oval of 0-31 with 0-22 and 072 switches. It does fine most of the time. I attach a couple of PW operating cars that benefit from the high voltage and add a few of the featherweight MPC cars for looks.
Incidentally, mine has gotten a little loud and whiny. Any lubrication tips other than the obvious of the axles? Thanks.
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
I run my beeps on both a 027 loop (Atlas O track) and on my main line through swithchs (Fastrack). No problem with the switch unless I slow it down to a real crawl...then it will stop on the switch when going through the straigh. Never any problems on the curve. I've also run them over Ross switchs at my club with almost the same results. No stalling problems at all if I lash 2 or more together.
Mods...I'm thinking about adding a sound board and a becon to one.
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
That's okay Chief. I've never forgotten your act of kindness during what was an absolutely horrible time for me and certainly a test of the extreme. And now that I have some form of prosperity (not man's definition!) I inturn have taken that gesture and given to total strangers in need.
And besides Chief, all that southern-style cookin' has warped your sensibility on trains!!! So you run scale ... oh well... guess I have to cut you some slack. Maybe one day you'll come back around!
Folks, I appreciate all the replies here. I will at some point forward a link to Walter at RMT with the results here along with my original post. Maybe Walter comes over here too, but just doesn't post the way he does on the OGR forum. But in light of Lionel's good job on the Docksider (witnessed by the other current on-going thread), it's too bad the BEEP for all it's otherwise good qualities, is such a comporomised runner on 027 switches.
Small locomotives do have a operational liability due to their short wheelbases. On the otherhand, I have had no such problems with other small locomotives that I did with the BEEP. I truly believe it is the design of the pickups that is the major problem. The wheelbase of my current revised BEEP is shorter now than it was as is, and I do not have the problems now I originally had.
Here's something that I noticed about my NYC Beep, that I do not quite understand. I will share this with you guys...............
There are 2 motors in it. One on each truck. BUT, there is only one traction tire on the engine. On one of the trucks. The other has no traction tire. My Beep will pull about 3 or 4 cars without slipping. That is all it will pull. After cleaning the wheels, thoroughly, I find no difference in it's pulling traction. Is this common??
Chuck
Blueberryhill RR wrote: Here's something that I noticed about my NYC Beep, that I do not quite understand. I will share this with you guys...............There are 2 motors in it. One on each truck. BUT, there is only one traction tire on the engine. On one of the trucks. The other has no traction tire. My Beep will pull about 3 or 4 cars without slipping. That is all it will pull. After cleaning the wheels, thoroughly, I find no difference in it's pulling traction. Is this common??Chuck
There are a few factors to think about when making a train with a beep loco......
1. How easy do the cars wheel sets roll(plastic versues metal)
2. weight of rolling stock(diecast, plastic and weighted plastic)
3 what speed are you running the beep at.....I find when it slips sometimes it will "grab" the rails if you bump up the voltage a bit asuming track and wheels are clean and dry.
I have pulled 5 post war cars with little effort on a level grade(2 tankers a gondola, horse transport car,and caboose.)
hope this helps and not start a knockdown dragout fight
I am not going to be a lot of help here. I own two of them, one has never been out of the box, the other has made a few laps around the layout on Realtrax. I had three but sold one of them recently as it was a roadname I decided I was not going to collect. I have a kit to convert one of them to TMCC so will find out it's faults after I do that.
BTW, I love the buddy, have two & one has been converted to TMCC. They run great & have four pickup rollers, two on each truck.
Got the first ones out at YORK and they were JUNK, couplers were too stiff and kept on derailing.. Sold mine to a guy who wanted it for display. Called company and sent emails and they didn't return call or emails, so the heck with them. Never again from that Co.
laz57
I have a few of them, but haven't run any of them yet. I like the look and it is an inexpensive way to get some modern road names.
I'm thinking of trying to double-head them in pairs wired together and controlling both BEEPs with one mini-commander, and having an electro coupler on the front of the first unit and another on the back of the second unit. Maybe have the mini-commander in one engine, and the BEEP sound unit in the other engine. This should overcome the switch stalling problem, although double-heading switchers probably isn't very prototypical. Although I could lash up a BNSF and a Sante Fe, and a Union Pacific and a Southern Pacific.
Has anyone tried anything like this?
trestrainfan wrote: I have a few of them, but haven't run any of them yet. I like the look and it is an inexpensive way to get some modern road names.I'm thinking of trying to double-head them in pairs wired together and controlling both BEEPs with one mini-commander, and having an electro coupler on the front of the first unit and another on the back of the second unit. Maybe have the mini-commander in one engine, and the BEEP sound unit in the other engine. This should overcome the switch stalling problem, although double-heading switchers probably isn't very prototypical. Although I could lash up a BNSF and a Sante Fe, and a Union Pacific and a Southern Pacific. Has anyone tried anything like this?
No, but I HAVE run the combination of a BEEP followed by a K-Line Plymouth Switcher, which works just fine. The improvement in performance is noticeable. I am not an electronics guy so your option - which sounds interesting - is beyond me.
What's a mini-commander, incidentally?
I've got four of these incredible little Beeps. I swap them out periodically during the day, as they run off a "push button" control, and weave about the 3rd level 25 foot loop (no switches). The e-unit is locked into forward, and the Beep usually drags around 4 small coal cars and a Bobber caboose at the end. With a little maintenance on the wheels & rollers, I find the Beeps are very reliable.
Regards in trains ...., Dave
RaleighTrainFan wrote: trestrainfan wrote: I have a few of them, but haven't run any of them yet. I like the look and it is an inexpensive way to get some modern road names.I'm thinking of trying to double-head them in pairs wired together and controlling both BEEPs with one mini-commander, and having an electro coupler on the front of the first unit and another on the back of the second unit. Maybe have the mini-commander in one engine, and the BEEP sound unit in the other engine. This should overcome the switch stalling problem, although double-heading switchers probably isn't very prototypical. Although I could lash up a BNSF and a Sante Fe, and a Union Pacific and a Southern Pacific. Has anyone tried anything like this?No, but I HAVE run the combination of a BEEP followed by a K-Line Plymouth Switcher, which works just fine. The improvement in performance is noticeable. I am not an electronics guy so your option - which sounds interesting - is beyond me.What's a mini-commander, incidentally?
I mispoke on the mini-commander. It is actually for accessories and operating cars.
Electric Railroad Co.
http://www.electricrr.com/index.htm
makes the mini-commander, but they also make a product called a BEEP commander. It is specifically designed to convert a BEEP for TMCC control. I haven't used anuy of the prodicts they make yet, but hope to in the future. They get good comments on the board.
Don
I have one, run it on TMCC with sound using one of the great Electric Railroad Co. upgrades.
The little lad loves the beep, beep horn sound
Nick
I run my BEEPs on O-27 (Chessie, Conrail, and Santa Fe).
The Conrail and Santa Fe typically doublehead together. The Chessie is almost always run with a Lionel Chessie Ore car and a red caboose.
I have only run them on track without switches so far. They are a good value for the money, the only issue is that they are slow.
So many scales, so many trains, so little time.....
baltimoretrainworks wrote:On "short" trips!
On short and slow trips.
Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum.
Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..
Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR
TCA 09-64284
I have a couple of UP Beeps and LOVE them, so far the Christmas Tree, Carpet and Western consists of a 4 track main line on the Christmas Tree Sub-Division and a single track mail line on the Carpet Sub-Division, all laid with MTH Real Trax and no grades or turnouts yet. mine run very nicely and will pull about 10-12 modern cars with fast-angle wheel sets.
laz 57, I am Sorry that you have had a bad experience with these little guys, I have had excellent luck with mine, I hope that you give them another chance. I have written Walt a couple of times, the replies were a little slow, but he did reply each time and was very pleasant to communicate with. I am hoping that he takes my request for the BEEFs in UP and Santa Fe warbonnet schemes( how could the warbonnet not sell as fast as they could build them?)
One thing about the Beeps is that they are a good match for the CW-80 transformers, most other transformers don't have a low enough minimum voltage to smoothly start and stop them, the same is true of the K Line Porters and I would imagine the K Line Plymouths also, though I don't have any of those yet.
Some have written about the Beeps slow speed, as if it is a bad thing, the Porters are about the same speed range. I DON"T feel that the slow speed is bad, but rather like it, it is excellent for training new younger ENGINEERS, as they will not go fast enough to commit suicide at the first curve that they encounter, and their economical price also makes them great for training younger engineers.
Doug
May your flanges always stay BETWEEN the rails
I often run my conventional beeps in a A-A format. Turned the shell on one so they are back to back. They really are the only way to have enough room for multiple engine lashups on very small layouts. Plus they run alot better over switches. I think the Beeps make fantastic 027 sized "mainline" power. I modified all my 027 switches with center rail metal into the plastic frog and the Beeps crawl through them. .
Jim H
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