Has anyone built a Bowser steam kit lately. If so, how do they run as far as slow speed switching?
Gene
You don’t need to ask “lately,” the Bowser kits haven’t changed significantly for a couple decades. Slow speed switching depends just as much on your control and distribution (track) system as it does the locomotive, and I’ve done “kiss coupling” with my Bowser K-4 Pacificand the M-1a Mountain.
The most noticible change I saw on my M-1a kit was the motor wiring. Both brushes are isolated from the frame, so it would make DCC conversion easier.
I took a long time building a Bowser PRR T1 Duplex, it ran extremely well in DC with the two DC71 motors and at “slow speed”. It runs even better now I have converted it to digital with a decoder with BEMF. The loco will crawl along any track, up or dow grades and over any switches. The only complaint I would have is it’s a bit noisy. But thats natural with metal gears and open frame motors. If you take your time building the kit it will run slow.
They would probably run better if pickups were added to the tender wheels like most of the newer steam models.
AustaliaJim ,
I built the T1 also did you use 1 or 2 decoders for the 2 motors?
I use one Digitrax DH163. With the two motors at stall it only drew about 1 amp.
I pull a lot of cars with it and I’ve had no problems.
Cheers
Jim
sa:
I’m building one right now. You can follow along here:
http://cs.trains.com/forums/1463143/ShowPost.aspx
Making something run well at slow speed is largely a matter of eliminating friction and binds. These kit locos can run very well if you do that.