Long freight trains

[The Devonian]

As I operate on my own any grief is self made - but hassle is very rare. I expect to have maintenance and repairs, the 1:1 guys have it all the while, I know as I volunteer on a Heritage railway. But the maintenance side of things to me is part of the hobby and less sedentary. I have two systems - no wine however - around and around when I have other tasks in the garden, modeling or domestic repairs which can be done outdoors. I like working outdoors, particulalry modeling as the light, for my tired old eyes, is so much better. On other times I operate switching/shunting of various loads to my industries, which are located on a couple of spurs, a very interesting and rewarding part of railroading.

PS: As my railroad is at ground level a long train would not be seen as such as my trains weave around bushes and tress. The trains are more obvious in wintertime but summertime I am not always sure where the train actually is.

 

[CoggesRailway]

I have no interest in accuracy but like things to look plausible to me... I do run long trains which disapear and appear owing to the nature of the layout. Here's what I mean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQoHGmmid44

 

[Dinas Bryn]

Unless you are able, or even prepared, to store a train outdoors or in a long train shed/barn (USA) then a very long train will take a while to set out. I feel that eventually most folks would get tired of that having to do this on a regular basis - I know I would.

I model the North American prototype, principally 1:29scale but I have some 'olde tyme' 1:22.5 to ring the changes.
The way - and I am sure many here also have done this - is to create your own railway name, or a branch or short line where you alone make the decisions . (Known as Rule 8 on this particular Forum). This conveniently allows you to avoid the very long trains that the prototype generally runs.

The idea - for most of us is to have fun and get pleasure in our railroad operating. If you want the hassle of railroading then get a job with the real ones.

Evening I run RhB freight stock manly bogie, I have only 140ft in the garden with 2 loops, an out and back layout in the garage I have 5 tracks on both sides, MPD on both sides and a train shed, I can put all my locos on shed and pick my trains from 2 boxes all stock is on labels and train are made up from at random leaving shunters to made up the trains, about 20 axles is about my size of train, NO HANDS FROM THE SKY Les

 

[stockers]

Some people seem to go for very long G scale trains

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhQMqKl38wU

 

[Dinas Bryn]

Some people seem to go for very long G scale trains

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhQMqKl38wU

Morning all that's a great train Alan, when I first started I was told if I ran long trains of LGB I would ruin the gears? so how many wagons are save please/ Les

 

[dunnyrail]

Morning all that's a great train Alan, when I first started I was told if I ran long trains of LGB I would ruin the gears? so how many wagons are save please/ Les

Hm good question. When I start my Ops Sessions I run all the Wagons out to my Silberhutte Station with my GRS Boxcab Diesel, the other day after a busy running session I counted getting on for 50 Axles being returned to the Shed at close of play. That is around 25 Wagons, but 3 or 4 would have been Bogie Wagons. That load would be just as easily handked by my LGB Doubke Motired Engine. No danage to report yet.

Conversly on Andy Rush's Line there was a pretty steep Gradient to his Garage and we limited that to 7 Wagons, regularly the LGB RHB Bio Electrics would slip wildly on the grade, never any damage to the Gears. But they regularly dropped out of True giving Lumpy Running so we had to realine those gears.
JonD

 

[Neil Robinson]

I sometimes run a train of about 40 LGB four wheeled wagons. I noticed two features that make a big difference to the load on the loco. One is the tendency for the pivoting axles to stay out of parallel after rounding a curve and the other is axle bearing lubrication.

 

[stockers]

Morning all that's a great train Alan, when I first started I was told if I ran long trains of LGB I would ruin the gears? so how many wagons are save please/ Les

Almost impossible to quote a 'safe' level Les. Obviously, the harder a loco works the quicker it will wear. That said, most locos I know will slip long before any immediate damage is done to the drive chain, even with added weight. For moderate periods of time, I see no problem in taking a loco to the point of slipping. Wear on the chrome wheels is then probably the greatest concern. I just run 'em.

 

[Dinas Bryn]

Almost impossible to quote a 'safe' level Les. Obviously, the harder a loco works the quicker it will wear. That said, most locos I know will slip long before any immediate damage is done to the drive chain, even with added weight. For moderate periods of time, I see no problem in taking a loco to the point of slipping. Wear on the chrome wheels is then probably the greatest concern. I just run 'em.

Morning all I find my RhB shunter will slip very often I surpose its becauce I try and run the train too slow, I do put weight on the platform of the little tractor which helps, the 2 motored RhB locos work very well but I have found the new kroc will slip too Les

 

[a98087]

Wheel sip is good, as it prevents the motor from stalling and possibly burning out.


Here a video from an open day I went to yesterday, as we all like videos

http://youtu.be/4TT78gYX1rw

Dan