PIKO 25 Ton Loco Pulling Capacity

[JLoll]

For those of you with PIKO 25 Ton engines, how many cars can pull behind it on level track? How much does the train (not including the engine) weigh?

Side note:
Model Railroader Mag. posted a video of their 25 Ton engine pulling two of the USA Trains alumium tank cars (each car weighs 5 lbs) up a 2% grade, and I want to know if that is possible with a stock engine, or if they modified it.
Garden Railways Product Review PIKO America R/C 25-Ton Diesel, Battery-powered

 

[PhilP]

That sounds perfectly reasonable..

Number of axles, how freely running the wheelsets are, and curve-radius will all play a part in what a loco can 'pull'.

The little Piko will not pull like a Stainz, but then I doubt it was designed to.

PhilP.
I did a comparison, but am unable to find the thread offhand.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I think that kind of load with that light of a loco is pretty iffy.

Moreover is how robust is the gear train if you want to work it that hard?

Oh, and battery operated?

That's really a misleading review, but GR was desperate to keep it's advertisers spending money on.

I quit the magazine when EVERY review was "glowing"... the locos PERFECT....

Greg

 

[dunnyrail]

I tend to think of axles rather than weight as most of my stock is standard LGB, Newquid or scratch built bodies on standard mechs. I have all metal Wheels LGB or Bachmann. My home converted battery powered 25T will manage around 30 axles on the Silberhutte setup run on my line. This is admittedly a pretty flat run but the start up involves the stock on R2 curves then a R4 after a short while. I believe this to be a fair and possibly cruel test of the loco.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

As we all know, grades make a huge difference in pulling power.. 2% is significant. I have a 3.5% and a 5.5% grade and cannot tell you how many people were amazed at how LITTLE their locos pull...

The famed George Schreyer visited my layout with his favorite diesel puller, an Aristo SD45 with the extra weights. He wanted to go up the 5.5% grade (which is normally downhill). What his loco pulled was 1/3 of what he guessed.

I have run these USAT cars, they are very heavy, but have reasonable friction if well lubricated.

Greg

 

[1to3]

From what I see, there is a difference in what different versions of the loco can pull. Garden train experts should know and understand this...
The track powered ones Piko mentioned using no traction tires - in order to get as much electrical contact as possible. So track power ones will not pull as much as the battery power ones. However, I have seen video of a guy on Instagram pulling 9 cars who said he put a bunch of wheel weights inside the loco to get more traction. (I did not notice any grade on his layout.)
The battery power ones, like the Garden Railways magazine clean machine has all traction tires, so it would be able to pull more for sure. (Whether they added any weights I do not know)

The real-life loco pulled only a few cars and I don't think it could go above 20mph in speed... or something like that? So with some weights if we could pull 4-5 cars then Piko improved on the original loco, lol. I bought some stick-on weights to add to mine. (Haven't added them yet, as I was hoping to install sound in it first. I think sound kits are coming next year sometime? That was the last I heard... something about making the sound good for every version, instead of just for track power folks? We can hope.)

 

[dunnyrail]

From what I see, there is a difference in what different versions of the loco can pull. Garden train experts should know and understand this...
The track powered ones Piko mentioned using no traction tires - in order to get as much electrical contact as possible. So track power ones will not pull as much as the battery power ones. However, I have seen video of a guy on Instagram pulling 9 cars who said he put a bunch of wheel weights inside the loco to get more traction. (I did not notice any grade on his layout.)
The battery power ones, like the Garden Railways magazine clean machine has all traction tires, so it would be able to pull more for sure. (Whether they added any weights I do not know)

The real-life loco pulled only a few cars and I don't think it could go above 20mph in speed... or something like that? So with some weights if we could pull 4-5 cars then Piko improved on the original loco, lol. I bought some stick-on weights to add to mine. (Haven't added them yet, as I was hoping to install sound in it first. I think sound kits are coming next year sometime? That was the last I heard... something about making the sound good for every version, instead of just for track power folks? We can hope.)

The track powered ones had quite a few weights in the nose that would not be present on the Battery one as they would need to make space for the Batteries. I used that space in my Battery Conversion and added some lead below behind the wheels to give some of the grunt back.