BEEP operator's roll call and survey: how do you run yours?

[baltimoretrainworks]

On "short" trips!

[Anonymous]

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.

[Jumijo]

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

[CSXect]

I have two uncataloged BEEPS the Conrail and CHeesie beeps have no switches but have ran the beeps on o27 and o31 tracks with no problem yet. They look very odd next to my SD70M great for some one who is just starting out. May get another one or two someday.

[Anonymous]

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.

[otftch]

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

[brianel027]

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.