Fun with manual operation...

[CoggesRailway]

Hello All,

Just been out playing with Lady Anne, and realised I had left the radio on and had no replacement batterries.

I decided to have a go at manual operation instead but thought it wouldn't work (actually sure someone on here had said so) because of my steep gradients and tight bends.

However I found being really careful I could get a nice lap going and really enjoyed watching it go past "on its own" quite relaxing. It was also much more of a challenge that the radio and I feel like a know the loco muhc better now.

Interestingly it was when I realised i needed to adjust the valve gear as well as the regulatr that I suddenly had success with steady ascents and descents. I am not really sure why though! Someone exlplain why that was?!

Anyway still loving this now not so new hobby! Wil get some you tube video of her "doing her own thing soon"!

 

[Ferrysteam]

Hi Ian,
I've got ten live steamers and none of them have RC,doesn't seem right somehow to mix steam and electrics.

 

[stevedenver]

you know i too like the philosophy of hand on steeam

and ran my frank s that way with some success on a special line

but my layut slopes so much that RC takes a lot of worry out on the descent into the curves

 

[hobbyfossi201]

I prefer hands on, too.
having a Regner with RC in the past and one without my preference is manual operation; just because there is a higher degree of operation necessary than moving the stics on the RC. Next to that there´s another great advantage: immediate operations without preparation and charging the batteries is possible.

my new Roundhouse Millie is manual, too.

regards
Klaus

 

[Elmtree Line]

Hello All,

Just been out playing with Lady Anne.....

And i thought this was a family forum

 

[Ferrysteam]

Nice looking engine Klaus.

 

[CoggesRailway]

Ha Ha Keith, sorry my life isn't as exciting as that!

 

[steamtom1]

When I first got my Roundhouse Katie I ran her manually. I had a loop around two decks, with about a 2% grade between them. If I was careful, I could set the throttle so Katie would not over-speed going down the hill, and then derail at the bottom. When she would approach the uphill portion she would stop, build up a head of steam, and then walk up the hill. You could count the 1-2-3-4 of the chuffs...

 

[tagorton]

Hello All,

Just been out playing with Lady Anne, and realised I had left the radio on and had no replacement batterries.

I decided to have a go at manual operation instead but thought it wouldn't work (actually sure someone on here had said so) because of my steep gradients and tight bends.

However I found being really careful I could get a nice lap going and really enjoyed watching it go past "on its own" quite relaxing. It was also much more of a challenge that the radio and I feel like a know the loco muhc better now.

Interestingly it was when I realised i needed to adjust the valve gear as well as the regulatr that I suddenly had success with steady ascents and descents. I am not really sure why though! Someone exlplain why that was?!

Anyway still loving this now not so new hobby! Wil get some you tube video of her "doing her own thing soon"!

When I first started in the garden with steam some 25years ago, it never occurred to me to consider manual control. Nowadays I only have two R/C locos (soon to be one). This one I shall keep for visiting railways I have not visited before, but generally I prefer manual operation because it is more relaxing and, as you say, one gets to know the loco better... I now have two coal fired locos and these (with a certain learning curve) are also more relaxing than R/C. I found, with RC, that after a while I looked around for someone to hand the Tx to...

 

[Ferrysteam]

I always think that steam should be steam weather it be gas or coal fired,it somehow takes the skill and feel of a steam engine away from the driver if you use use rc.I think the more you have to do to an engine to get it to go is part of the pleasure of owning it otherwise you may as well have a sparky.

 

[Midwalesstokie]

I find it the opposite - manual steam locos are not as interesting. Once you've set the regulator right you don't have to touch the loco, you just sit back and watch it going round.

R/C is much more hands on. You can stop where you want, have a thrash uphill if you want, control a steady descent etc, I find it much more relaxing as you're not worrying about it running away downhill and derailing. Each to their own I suppose!

 

[Elmtree Line]

I find it the opposite - manual steam locos are not as interesting. Once you've set the regulator right you don't have to touch the loco, you just sit back and watch it going round.

R/C is much more hands on. You can stop where you want, have a thrash uphill if you want, control a steady descent etc, I find it much more relaxing as you're not worrying about it running away downhill and derailing. Each to their own I suppose!

I'm with James.

With R/C you can stop at the foot of a steep climb, loaded train in tow and open the regulator enough for the engine to work hard, then ease her off as she reaches the level, with manual you get to the top and go crazy or end up stopping half way up a climb. OK if you line is level i guess, but my railway goes up and down alot, i built it that way. flat and level, turn it on, leave it, watch it go round and round i can do with my Hornby HST on the table.

 

[Chris Bird]

Interesting this one. For the past couple of years, up to last Autumn, I was totally manual with zero interest in R/C. Indeed I removed it from two locos. Then, after fitting a certain device, I discovered driving by sound - where you can control a loco which is out of site - even 40 or 50 feet away - by the sound of the exhaust beat. I also discovered the super cheap 2.4 ghz kit from Giant Cod. I now like both R/C and manual - but on balance the R/C has it - especially as with this kit you can turn off the Tx and it just plods on as if it were manual.
I have no connection with Giant Cod - but do have a connection with the "certain device" so please feel free to ignore that bit!!
Cheers
Chris

 

[Chris Bird]

Aaaagh - I should have said "out of sight"!! Out of site means a serious derailment!
Cheers
Chris

 

[minimans]

I would never let a giant Cod play with MY train's...............................................

 

[minimans]

I have both Radio and manual and enjoy both, I couldn't see Iver being much fun without it as he's a bit volatile! but the two Roundhouses just plod around without R/C, even on my Gradiants and mine are severe but the down grade is short with a longish straight before the point and curve...............................

 

[Spule 4]

I think the more you have to do to an engine to get it to go is part of the pleasure of owning it otherwise you may as well have a sparky.

My thoughts. But then to me the garden railway and model steam hobbies are different, if that makes sense?