I just purchased some G-scale equipment from a friend of a friend. I love that little Loco, but, it runs VERY slowly. He had thrown out all the documentation and the box for it. I have a 3.5 amp and a 4.0 amp power supply. Do I need more power to run this loco?
I don’t have that particular model, but suspect that it is intentionally geared to run slow. Porters were industrial engines that were intended for sugar cane fields or mines where extremely flimsy and rough temporary track predominated. I remember a coal mine in Southern Illinois using Porters in the late 1940’s to early 1950’s to haul coal from the pit to a washer/sorter, a distance of several miles. Temporary panel track was used so it could be quickly and easily relocated or extended as the pits deepened or lengthened.
If it runs very very slowly, LUCKY YOU! Seriously, I’ve become convinced that running our trains slower just adds to the magic. For one, it really feels like you’re going somewhere when it takes a full (!) 30 seconds to get from one stop to the next. For another, when you watch a real train from any distance, it moves “slowly” across the horizon; slowing down your models makes them look more realistic and less toylike. Third, it IS more realistic, scale-velocity-wise, for reasons such as those provided by cacole.
So my advice is…give slow running a try. My problem is with the Bachmann and Lehmann Toy Train Porters I use…they go too fast! If you have an engine that can crawl without stalling, that’s great. I love that little Accucraft Porter, but I can’t justify the expense right now.
I agree on running trains slowly. They look better that way. My problem is, that it runs so slow that it can hardly get three ore cars up the 1% grade on my inside loop. That’s what makes me think I’m not running enough power to it. As far as the expense of the Loco, I wouldn’t have bought it except for the fact that I got about 75 feet of track, two switches, three accucraft ore cars, a couple bachman box cars and that porter for 425.00. I think I got a good deal on that one.
Hello chaps,
Slow running trains are far more realistic.I too had trouble with one of my short wheel base deisels stalling.I now have added extra pickups on all my coaches and wagons and link them to the loco.That way I have a minimum of 10 pickup points along the length of the train.Nothing stops them now,however slow.
Troy
Add me to the Porter-users list. Mine is from the first run of Lehmann Porters; got it in 1992. And it still runs. Very well. It runs much slower than other LGB engines at the same throttle setting. And I, too, like to run my trains slowly.
SandyR
Hi Sandy,
Nice to see the ladies posting here on the forum. Slow is great as long as I don’t have to put up with the stalling out. My kids have an 0-4-0 from Playmobil that also runs really well. They were running it outside today for the first time. Funny too how the bright colours can add to a garden in fall. Kinda’ comical considering all the painstaking work on the so-called scale stuff! Here’s this pretty plastic train impressing the dickens out of the kids! Oh well…we all had fun! Later eh…Brian. [:D]