The new Blue Line Big Boys are very much same mechanically as the PCM Big boy except the new ones have traction tires mounted.
The PCM Big Boy would pull over a hundred cars on level track without the traction tires since they are very heavy. How many cars do you think this new one will pull with the addtitional traction tire mounted. 150?? 175?? 130???
We will find out what the tractive force is.
This is something I've been wondering my self. I can quite honestly say that i do not get it why they decided to do it. Then engine pulls like a team of oxen's anyways and when one runs out(which never have happened to me) just ad another engine!
My guess is that this will break the 200 barrier!
Magnus
With about 3lbs. of weight on 16 drive wheels and I'm guessing 2 tires, my guess on traction would be about 250 cars.
Lillen, with your 25 PCM Big Boys, I bet you could pull a string of over 2,500 cars! The only problem is getting the 2,000+ feet of track needed for that.
_________________________________________________________________
Darth Santa Fe wrote: Lillen, with your 25 PCM Big Boys, I bet you could pull a string of over 2,500 cars! The only problem is getting the 2,000+ feet of track needed for that.
It would be fun to see! Maybe when I get my new train room done I can really start to see what these babes can pull. To bad I will never get to see them all pulling at once! Just the BB's alone are 465 inches long!
Lillen wrote: Darth Santa Fe wrote: Lillen, with your 25 PCM Big Boys, I bet you could pull a string of over 2,500 cars! The only problem is getting the 2,000+ feet of track needed for that.It would be fun to see! Maybe when I get my new train room done I can really start to see what these babes can pull. To bad I will never get to see them all pulling at once! Just the BB's alone are 465 inches long! Magnus
From past experiences with long trains, two PCM Big Boys can cause major trouble with a 100 plus car train on grades and wide curves. I can't image more than two or three, let alone 25 on a train since the length of twenty five Big Boys would be an equal length to a 60 car PFE reefer train.
I would guess that a Kadee coupler set would have some problems with a four or five hundred car train unless slack was taken carefully. I read someplace that the record prototype train length was done by the N&W twenty years or so ago and it was about 500 plus cars long. The fact is railroads do not have sidings and other facilities to run trains that long without special handling even on the level.
Let us know if anyone tries this combination.
sabaj wrote:Think about this in real life a Big Boy could pull 4 and a half miles of rail cars in Nebraska. In HO that is 270 feet of train. The 800 series Northerns (844 -8444) could and did regularly pull 145 cars alone in Nebraska.
Part of that could be a result of going downhill. I think most of Nebraska has a very slight rise going west, so a train going east could easily be very long.
Darth Santa Fe wrote: sabaj wrote:Think about this in real life a Big Boy could pull 4 and a half miles of rail cars in Nebraska. In HO that is 270 feet of train. The 800 series Northerns (844 -8444) could and did regularly pull 145 cars alone in Nebraska.Part of that could be a result of going downhill. I think most of Nebraska has a very slight rise going west, so a train going east could easily be very long.
As far as recorded history of the Union Pacific, the long train talked about in the model advertisement was never actually tried. It sounds like one of those legends that grew out of crews talking about possible train lengths, but the early draft gear would not allow a steam engine to take that much slack and start the train in on piece. I am not sure the double compound air pumps could have pumped air on a train that length without some additional help unless every car was perfect. When they were new, they were set up and broken in worked west on 100 car empty reefer trains on their way to Ogden.
I have watched a N&W A start a two hundred and twenty five car train alone after the helpers were cut off and it takes some effort to rock the train into motion. The Big Boys worked from Ogden to Green River for most of their service life and in the last days worked Sherman Hill only. They were not used east towards Omaha and none of the turntables to the east would turn them. They had to be turned on the Y at Denver, which did see one occasionally on Eastbound trains from Laramie to Denver. The Union Pacific normally ran train lengths accross Nebraska of one hundred plus cars but the Big Boys were not used for that division.
- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's
Hi everybody,
here is a burning question that I have had for a long time. The new big boys have traction tires while the previous version did not and already pulled 100+ cars. So the new one will pull that much more, BUT what about the motor. These little motors that are in todays locomotives can only handle so much load. How do you know when you have reached the limit of the motor in the big boy, or any other locomtive for that matter? What are the current ratings for the motors? I would really like to know.
Thank you
Frank
"If you need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm."
da_kraut wrote:Hi everybody,here is a burning question that I have had for a long time. The new big boys have traction tires while the previous version did not and already pulled 100+ cars. So the new one will pull that much more, BUT what about the motor. These little motors that are in todays locomotives can only handle so much load. How do you know when you have reached the limit of the motor in the big boy, or any other locomtive for that matter? What are the current ratings for the motors? I would really like to know. Thank youFrank
I think when I see a hole in the top of the boiler and the Shuttle's radar detect a UFO, I think it was a little much...
For an engine like this I hope the entire drive train is rock solid because users are sure gonna give the engine a workout.
If its running and you smell smoke, it might be too much because its overheating and it might start slowing down the engine at the same speeds and voltage you expect out of it.
Whoa! Die-cast AND traction tires? Sorry, but that seems like a bit of overkill to me. I mean, I can see traction tires on lighter plastic locos like the Proto 2000 steamers, which need all the pulling help they can get, and possibly on the Hornby Allegheney, at least until the 'polish' wears off of the drivers, but a die-cast Big Boy hardly seems a candidate since without them it's rated at 100+ cars to begin with.
And, jeez sorry, fellas, but except on a club layout, where are you going to have the room to run 100+ cars, anyway?
Weird. Just weird, IMO.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
twhite wrote: Whoa! Die-cast AND traction tires? Sorry, but that seems like a bit of overkill to me. I mean, I can see traction tires on lighter plastic locos like the Proto 2000 steamers, which need all the pulling help they can get, and possibly on the Hornby Allegheney, at least until the 'polish' wears off of the drivers, but a die-cast Big Boy hardly seems a candidate since without them it's rated at 100+ cars to begin with. And, jeez sorry, fellas, but except on a club layout, where are you going to have the room to run 100+ cars, anyway? Weird. Just weird, IMO. Tom
The most I've ever tried with one of mine was 72 and then it could crawl up a 2% grade, stop and start again with a very slow crawl. This without the rubber.
Lillen wrote: twhite wrote: Whoa! Die-cast AND traction tires? Sorry, but that seems like a bit of overkill to me. I mean, I can see traction tires on lighter plastic locos like the Proto 2000 steamers, which need all the pulling help they can get, and possibly on the Hornby Allegheney, at least until the 'polish' wears off of the drivers, but a die-cast Big Boy hardly seems a candidate since without them it's rated at 100+ cars to begin with. And, jeez sorry, fellas, but except on a club layout, where are you going to have the room to run 100+ cars, anyway? Weird. Just weird, IMO. Tom The most I've ever tried with one of mine was 72 and then it could crawl up a 2% grade, stop and start again with a very slow crawl. This without the rubber.Magnus
BLI stated that the new Blue Line locomotives will all come with traction tires and they will not have any replacement standard drivers available at this time. I have requested spare drivers at whatever cost they want so I can match the new ones to my present PCM models. Like you, I like the present pulling capability of the PCM and do not care for the problems or the wobble when running on traction tires.
You are right about the PCM Big Boy. They were rated at 100 plus cars on the level which is only about ten short of the Genesis Big Boy with traction Tires. The Genesis models can ruin the traction tires in an instant. I lost a set on one Challenger on a test track. Good thing I still have two Keys that can be weighted down and pull about anything. Actually, the PCM's were the best for the money but the low price ones are all gone now.
Maybe Magnus will start to unload a few PCM Big Boys back to the market for those who did not get them.
Just kidding Magnus. I am not selling any of mine either.
Cazephyr
CAZEPHYR wrote:[ Magnus BLI stated that the new Blue Line locomotives will all come with traction tires and they will not have any replacement standard drivers available at this time. I have requested spare drivers at whatever cost they want so I can match the new ones to my present PCM models. Like you, I like the present pulling capability of the PCM and do not care for the problems or the wobble when running on traction tires. Maybe Magnus will start to unload a few PCM Big Boys back to the market for those who did not get them. Just kidding Magnus. I am not selling any of mine either. Cazephyr
Are ye insane man! Selin a precious airlooom lika dat!
Nah, they are the best! I'm really glad I took the plunge and got me all 25 of the old ones rather then getting these Blueline version. I really do not like traction tires and on this engine they are not needed so I can not understand why they put them on! Must be for the Europeans or something. Them crazy bastards but rubber on everything!
Since I will soon have a 26th BB I'm thinking of putting decals on one for the B&O. It will always irritate someone!
Lillen wrote: CAZEPHYR wrote:[ Magnus BLI stated that the new Blue Line locomotives will all come with traction tires and they will not have any replacement standard drivers available at this time. I have requested spare drivers at whatever cost they want so I can match the new ones to my present PCM models. Like you, I like the present pulling capability of the PCM and do not care for the problems or the wobble when running on traction tires. Maybe Magnus will start to unload a few PCM Big Boys back to the market for those who did not get them. Just kidding Magnus. I am not selling any of mine either. Cazephyr Since I will soon have a 26th BB I'm thinking of putting decals on one for the B&O. It will always irritate someone! Magnus
Magnus--
Hey, if I can have Rio Grande Yellowstones, you can CERTAINLY have a B&O Big Boy!
twhite wrote: Magnus--Hey, if I can have Rio Grande Yellowstones, you can CERTAINLY have a B&O Big Boy!Tom
That's the attitude I'm looking for. I never quite understood why people get upset when we change reality a little!