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I have no idea what is meant by mythbusters. Especially since the most interesting option mentioned - scale versus "real" pulling power has nothing to do with myths. But speaking of that option, my experience with HO steam leads to the conclusion that its a bell curve: for the smallest (e.g. American 4-4-0) and the largest (say 4-8-4, 2-10-2, and articulateds), the 1:1 locos outpull the 1:87 models (modestly for the smaller, substantially for the larger), while for medium-size locos (2-8-0, light 2-10-0, equivalent), the models outpull their larger brethren. One measured example: my brass Western Maryland H-9 Consolidation, 16 ounces including extra weight but excluding tender, can pull 18 55-ton hoppers with model coal loads up a 3% grade without slipping. The same loco was rated for ten such loads up the 3% Black Fork grade by the WM. With a load of 110,000 pounds and a light weight of 40,700 pounds, the real thing could pull 3.087 x its own weight. My model, pulling cars weighing 3.5 ounces including loads, can pull 3.938 x its own weight. On the other hand, an N&W Y3 2-8-8-2 was rated at approximately 150 loaded USRA two-bay hoppers on level track. I don't have enough hoppers to make the test, but I guarantee you that this is two to three times what my Powerhouse metal or LifeLike P2K plastic can pull. By the way, OUENGR, although the issue of scaling weight doesn't affect the methodology I used in my comparisons above, surely your position that weight scales to 1/87^3 is correct only for solid shapes of a uniform density?
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