pulling power

[CP5415]

With taking into siding length, grades surpassing 3.5%, I limit my trains to about 10 cars.

If I don't have any other trains to interfere, I have run 30 cars behind a BB SD40-2

Gordon

[Budliner]

i'll have to take a poll on that


digdoug

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: so you can have multipal engines? i thought they wouldn't sync and it would burnout the motors!

miltiple engines is fine as long as they go about the same speed. first of all if the power-pack you're using is from a train set it might not run more than 1 engine. The pack will burn out if it's not powerful enough. To ensure both your engines are compatible do this- set them both on the track a few inches apart (they don't have to face the same way- one can be forward, one backward) Then turn up the power and run them- if they run about the same speed then you can run them as a consist.

QUOTE: Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people

and even smaller minds post lots of polls.

[Anonymous]

I've seen longer trains than that!

[Budliner]

QUOTE: Originally posted by caellis

I pull 634 cars on my mainline....



That number is no more ridiculous than most of these polls!

Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by caellis

I pull 634 cars on my mainline....


That number is no more ridiculous than most of these polls!

Jesus Christ, I can only run 255 car long coal drags on my G scale layout, and it has over 325' of mainline. What do scale do you own, Z scale.

[Budliner]

did I mention I run 20 to 30 on my home layout



K

[tomikawaTT]

Siding considerations restrict me to 15 4-wheel freight cars behind a 2-8-2 that gets swapped out for a six-axle motor. (I wanted 20, which is what my prototype ran, but reality intruded on my dream world.)

Longest passenger train carries seven cars behind steam, diesel-hydraulic or electric power. Longest DMU train is six cars. Longest EMU train is four cars.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JPM335

My P2K SD60 will handle over 100. But I do work hard to make my cars very free rolling. The two best things you can do is use metal wheels with metal axles and buy the truck tuner from micro mark.

You know all this pulling huge trains with one engine is cool and if thats how you like to do it thats cool, but I don't put to much importance into that, cause I mean on the prototype how often do you see just one SD-70 or C44-9 pullin 30-100 car trains solo, the most I ever see our little local switcher (GP38-2) is pulling like 12-15 cars at most and most railroads i watch use 2 to pull shorter trains and 3-5 some times 7-8 for the really long and heavy trains, and they almost always have helpers on maijor grades, unless the train is realy short. Thats just my prospective

[Anonymous]

The club I belong to has a 38 car max, cause that's all that will fit in the sidings, so I like to run between 23-25 cars with 3-5 locos, our club lay out has like a 2.5% grade so some times i like to run 3 lead and 2 helpers bringing up the rear(oh and by the way, i only run powerd locomotives, i can't stand dummy locos), of course it is some times to have like 5-6 locos with not so many cars, the more power the better

[Anonymous]

so you can have multipal engines? i thought they wouldn't sync and it would burnout the motors!

[Anonymous]

On the club layout some members have run consists with 60-70 cars. The layout is in a space 60' x 20' On my home layout (a shelf switching layout) about 8 cars is my max length. And I have over 60 locos to move them lol. At the club I have hooked up over 30 cars to my P2K SD45 and pulled them up a 2.5% grade.

Bob DeWoody

[Anonymous]

anything from 3-6, normally 6

[james saunders]

mostly 6 -10 cars but i strung all my cars together the other day which is 17 lol and ran that around.

[Budliner]

when you have over 30 cars and big hills ahead things get hairy
I too have had wheel's couplers and boxcars all over the place
its just too much for the kd's too cope with

K

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Lets see a single diesel pull 116 nmra weighted hoppers!

Sure. Take the biggest diesel you can find and fill it with lead. watch the motor fry. (it won't fry if it's an atlas) yes i know the A class pulls a lot- according to the MRRer review "175 cars on straight and level track" i'd love to have the 2-6-6-4 A class but it won't like my 18" curves.

[waltersrails]

i run between 0 cars to 25.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Budliner

with a midtrain helper its just like two trains together

is that cheating..........................



K

In my book, as long as its all coupled and running together, its one train. The real railroads use helpers, why no us modelers?[;)]

[Budliner]

with a midtrain helper its just like two trains together

is that cheating..........................



K

[AggroJones]

QUOTE: Originally posted by joecool1212

Thats good to know. I was under the impression steam didnt pull as well as diesel. I guess it depends on how heavy it is, among other things.

Lets see a single diesel pull 116 nmra weighted hoppers! [:0]

The BLI A class can.

[joecool1212]

Thats good to know. I was under the impression steam didnt pull as well as diesel. I guess it depends on how heavy it is, among other things.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the steamer. The Genesis Challenger pulls like a champ (ive seen it pull over 100) but the Gensis 2-8-2 was notorious for bad pulling power, among other things. I also have an IHC camelback, and it only pulls 10 or so cars, but thats okay, you wouldnt see a little camelback on a long frieght.

[joecool1212]

QUOTE: Originally posted by joecool1212

QUOTE: Originally posted by JPM335

QUOTE: Originally posted by AggroJones

Sometimes I run the BLI AC with 60 cars (maximum that can strung on entire layout) for the hell of it.
But most freight trains are around 20-25.

O yeah, the AC6000 pulls good. I can pull 82 on level track with it before the wheels start to slip. This was 50-60 foot boxcars, covered hoppers, and tankers. all free rolling.

Thats the next locomotive i will be purchasing as soon as I can find one. Glad to know it pulls that good. I have a sd40-2 BLI in csx paint it pulls about 35 free rolling cars. Not to bad but the P2K are the strongest pullers in my fleet. they do about 55 60 free rolling cars. Joe A.

OOps my bad also. How do other steam engines compare to big diesels in pulling power? I only have one steam engine, it's a IHC camelback and if it pulls 8 free rolling cars on evel track thats alot. Joe A.

[joecool1212]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JPM335

My P2K SD60 will handle over 100. But I do work hard to make my cars very free rolling. The two best things you can do is use metal wheels with metal axles and buy the truck tuner from micro mark.

I cant fit more than 60 cars on my layout but good to know it will pull that much. P2K are the heaviest locos I have. all but 35 or so cars are free rolling. What a big difference the metal wheels make. Will have the rest of the fleet converted by summer. Joe A.

[Anonymous]

I pull 12 to 14 cars per loco on my layout but I only have 2% grade's on my layout.

[Budliner]

a good running brass


nice....
takes anything on

K
1000 1000 1000

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AggroJones

QUOTE: Originally posted by JPM335

QUOTE: Originally posted by AggroJones

Sometimes I run the BLI AC with 60 cars (maximum that can strung on entire layout) for the hell of it.
But most freight trains are around 20-25.

O yeah, the AC6000 pulls good. I can pull 82 on level track with it before the wheels start to slip. This was 50-60 foot boxcars, covered hoppers, and tankers. all free rolling.

Nooooooooo. Not AC6000. [:)] 'The BIG AC' AC-5 cab-forward.

OHHHH![:D] I thought it was strange you having a big diesel like that.

[AggroJones]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JPM335

QUOTE: Originally posted by AggroJones

Sometimes I run the BLI AC with 60 cars (maximum that can strung on entire layout) for the hell of it.
But most freight trains are around 20-25.

O yeah, the AC6000 pulls good. I can pull 82 on level track with it before the wheels start to slip. This was 50-60 foot boxcars, covered hoppers, and tankers. all free rolling.

Nooooooooo. Not AC6000. [:)] 'The BIG AC' AC-5 cab-forward.

[Anonymous]

My P2K SD60 will handle over 100. But I do work hard to make my cars very free rolling. The two best things you can do is use metal wheels with metal axles and buy the truck tuner from micro mark.