Slow Speed Control of Live Steam, SloMo one answer, after the demise of SSP Wilson Locomotives takes over the make

[dunnyrail]

Over the years there have been many queries about how one can get slower running from Roundhouse locomotives, whilst the make are a great option their running can at times like many piston direct powered locomotives tricky to control. Shunting, slow approach to stock with a gentle kiss of the buffers being a particularly tricky past time. I have in the past used SSP SloMo on my Roundhouse Locomotives and have posted threads in here showing my fit and vids of the revised running. With the demise of SSP as reported by Jimmy back in February last year, it is good to see that Wilson Locomotives is taking on the production. The SloMo shown looks to be based on latest design that I managed to get for my Russell.

My Jack, Russel and Stanley Steam Tram have all been fitted with SloMo and the running transformed, there has been a concern about the stress put on by the SloMo to other parts on the locomotive such as possibly valve gear etc. But as Roundhouse Locomotives are so sturdily built I suspect this to be a minor worry.

SSP Slomo

www.wilsonlocomotives.com

Thread 'SSP Is Closing'

6 Feb 2023

It would seem SPP is closing, the end of the SloMo

S.S.P.

smallsteamperformance.com.au

• JimmyB

• 

Thread 'Roundhouse Russell Fitting a SloMo to him and previous Problems him UPDATED THREAD NAME'

3 Apr 2019

Just recently I have been worrying about my Russell that has not been capable of running for year or two now. It would be rather nice to use it for the Christmas Day Milk Train this year. In point of fact the last Time I recall running with any degree of usefulness was at the Ruscbahn in 2013, though I may have had a run or two on my current line since then. Memory what a problem?

Now I consider myself to be a reasonable dab hand with Live Steam, not in Tag’s league but with a mediocre level of incompetence. So Russell has been a problem, not being able to supply Steam to the Cylinders...

• dunnyrail
• Replies: 27
• Forum: Live Steam Locomotives

• 

Post in thread 'PPS SloMo fit to my Roundhouse Jack'

10 Sep 2016

I finally yesterday got round to fitting my second SloMo, this time it was Stanle's turn. This was a much simpler job as the Weight Bar as it is called by PPS is Straight unlike the curved one on Jack. So a pretty simple job, YouTube Vid of Test Runing.

Sorry about the dodgy hand held phone shots, but you can see that the Slow Running is vastly improved.

I have also fitted up my Jack with a Peter Spoerer RX-102H reciever and have a TX-23 Controller to Drive it. Also fitted rechargeable Batteries into the Cab Roof, again a great improvement as I do not now need to lift...

• dunnyrail

• 

M

Post in thread 'Installing SloMo'

3 Jan 2020

Thanks. I may have to investigate further into doing that. I only run my live steam roundy roundy so one SloMo car would do for whatever locomotive I run perhaps, although not all have the same diameter drivers.
Some having central valve gear which gets in the way of fitting one to the locomotive.

Once you get the optimum trailing wagon weight right for a given loco then it should work okay. However, if you then hook it up to a different loco then the previous optimum may not be right. Also watch out for significant inclines which would cause problems.

If you want me to...

• Moonraker

Below is my thread where I had a burnt geas on my earliest conversion, I hope that the latest enclosed version will prevent such disasters occuring.

Thread 'Disaster with my Roundhouse SloMo fitted Jack'

29 Jun 2017

Rain stayed off yesterday for my running day. However had a real disaster as I decided to run with Live Steam and Battery Power. My beloved Jack somehow managed to burn out the Plastic on the Insulating Wheels, worse than this it also melted the Nylon Gear on my SloMo. So Jack is out of action for an underptermined amount of time.

Not exactly sure what happened as a Live Steam savy friend was driving Jack. The Fire appeared to have gone out but what I suspect had been happening was that the fire had been burning through the back of the Smokebox at the back and heat got into the wheels and...

• dunnyrail
• Replies: 32
• Forum: Live Steam Locomotives

• 

 

[RailsNRivers]

Great device but currently insufficient detail on the Wilson website on if they have gone for all-metal gears, or a mix of metal/nylon gears. All-metal gears were (are still) essential for hot engines (e.g. coal firing, etc) which Terry used to add if needed.

 

[Fred2179G]

Wilson also have a 3-ch R/C kit on the website that looks just like the defunct RCS units.
3 Channel Radio Control Kit

 

[PhilP]

Wilson have taken on (some?) of the RCS product..

PhilP

 

[guterzug]

Great device but currently insufficient detail on the Wilson website on if they have gone for all-metal gears, or a mix of metal/nylon gears. All-metal gears were (are still) essential for hot engines (e.g. coal firing, etc) which Terry used to add if needed.

Somewhere on the internet I remeber I saw a picture of a Slomo project in development by Wilson that used elastic bands, I guess in order to eliminate that rattling that gears usually produce, but don't know whether it will be the final setting. All seemed to be "incapsulated" within a metal shell, in order to prevent problems with high temperature and dirt
Alberto

 

[dunnyrail]

Somewhere on the internet I remeber I saw a picture of a Slomo project in development by Wilson that used elastic bands, I guess in order to eliminate that rattling that gears usually produce, but don't know whether it will be the final setting. All seemed to be "incapsulated" within a metal shell, in order to prevent problems with high temperature and dirt
Alberto

My last one by PPS that is in my Russell indeed features some kind of internal bands in the metal shell, cant say that the result is much quieter though at full speed but both types less than a worry noise wise at nice steady speeds.

 

[JimmyB]

Is there a UK importer of the Wilson SSP SloMo?

 

[dunnyrail]

Is there a UK importer of the Wilson SSP SloMo?

Not aware, I bought my 3 direct from SSP in Oz. As Wilson in Oz advertise in 16mm mag I expect they will be taking orders from UK punters.

 

[PhilP]

One problem is that almost every loco will require a different engineering solution. - To allow the unit to fit..
This means it is pretty much impossible to (sensibly) hold stock.

If there was a 'one size fits many' then it would be a different matter.

The knowledge of how to fit these, is not that common, either.

PhilP

 

[dunnyrail]

For Roundhouse locs, Jack, Stanley and possibly other 4 wheelers, for Silver Lady etc and Russell 6 wheelers the available ones are good. I think Jimmy has. Fowler thus the 6 wheel one works but best to check with supplier. Many of the newer lics will not work, certainly those with inside valve gear or differing chassis base to standard.

 

[guterzug]

My last one by PPS that is in my Russell indeed features some kind of internal bands in the metal shell, cant say that the result is much quieter though at full speed but both types less than a worry noise wise at nice steady speeds.

Taking inspiration by a member of a german forum, I built myself a slomo with elicoidal gears, that are a bit more expensive but quieter:

 

[dunnyrail]

Taking inspiration by a member of a german forum, I built myself a slomo with elicoidal gears, that are a bit more expensive but quieter:

That looks very good, I imagine a self built one would cost less than a bought on at around €500 the last one I got.

 

[guterzug]

I guess I spent about 60-70 € for the gears, plus the ball-bearing, the steel axels, the brass for the flywheel and the iron plates - maybe 100 € plus all the labour needed for it, but it's definetly worth it.
Here I made a short vid of the loco I fitted it on:

 

[dunnyrail]

Lovely job G guterzug , you certainly nailed it for a nice sensible price. I wonder if you could tell us how you did it with gear ratio’s etc.

 

[guterzug]

The gear train in made of three steps of gears: 50:10 teeth, 40:10 teeth and 30:10 teeth, an overall ratio of 1:60 (1 turn of the wheel, 60 turns of the flywheel).
The most difficult part was to bore the holes for the ball-bearings, since I dont have a milling machine that could use drill bits of 6-7 mm in diameter, so I had to make them with a manual drill... only on the second time I could get it right...
Unfortunately I don't have drawings since it was just a try, I can show you a picture of the first setting with a 1:20 ratio and a very small flywheel, that wasn't satisfactory at all, but which I modified for the final setting:

 

[dunnyrail]

The gear train in made of three steps of gears: 50:10 teeth, 40:10 teeth and 30:10 teeth, an overall ratio of 1:60 (1 turn of the wheel, 60 turns of the flywheel).
The most difficult part was to bore the holes for the ball-bearings, since I dont have a milling machine that could use drill bits of 6-7 mm in diameter, so I had to make them with a manual drill... only on the second time I could get it right...
Unfortunately I don't have drawings since it was just a try, I can show you a picture of the first setting with a 1:20 ratio and a very small flywheel, that wasn't satisfactory at all, but which I modified for the final setting:

Many thanks sure that may be a help, I have a small milling machine, lathe that can be set up as a mill plus vertical drill so I should be able to do one. Not that I need to as my RH locs are sorted, but I am tempted to try one on the basis that I am not too impressed with the last PPS one as it has some kind of band drive and I have worries about the nylon gear in the two early ones.

 

[guterzug]

well, I guess after all the information you should give it a try!