This may sound like an odd request but I want my rolling stock to not roll so fast on a portion of track. I built a section that is modeled off of a time saver layout with all the switching and since they just fly on the track, it makes it impossible to spot any of the cars when they just want to keep on rolling until they crash into something. This happens in both directions, so I can’t adjust the level to compensate for this. Literally on the spurs, I can hold the car stationary, let go and it will just take off at a pretty good rate of speed.
I was wondering if you guys have any suggestions to slow the rolling stock down? I was hoping there was something that could be done the track, but I don’t think roughing it up would do the trick. I also thought about filing in a bunch of low spots for a wave effect, or do a saw tooth to the rail since this will all be slow speed stuff. I put my worst piece of rolling stock, with the worst trucks and that seams to work fairly well, but I don’t really change all these out.
Try taking a thin flexible and nearly transparent little rod of plastic – a single bristle from an old tooth brush or hair brush should do the trick – and press fit it into a small hole drilled into a center of a tie. It should come up only high enough to just engage the axle of the cars. I think you’ll find that unless it is too stiff, a car should be able to be pushed or pulled over it without derailing, but that it is stiff enough to stop a loose car from rolling over it.
The more advanced technique is to use a choke cable so that a thin rod can be pushed up between the rails to do the same thing but be retracted when you do not want it up.
Another option is to do what the real railroads do – chock the wheels with a stout stick of wood or a piece of chain.
Well you should be able to get your track level, but if you can’t, one idea would be to make the track in spur slope slightly down towards the mainline, but then have something rigged up under the track to make the car stay once it’s spotted. Could be permanent like a tuft of “grass” that sticks up high enough to catch the axles of the trucks, or could be a metal rod you cause to go up and block the axle - either manually or thru use of a switch machine.
I think I am going to start with the bristle trick since it doesn’t sound too difficult, and will allow me to still push cars around after using the in track magnet uncoupler since right now it takes off.
Thanks for all the tips. If others have some more, I’m open for others.
I know this works in N-scale but I havent ever tried it HO… anyway, something to think about is adding a kadee coupler spring or two or three to the points on either end of an axel on your rolling stock. Just slide it on the point at the end and then put the points into the holes in your trucks. Not sure how effective this would be considering HO scale cars weigh considerably more than do N scale cars. Maybe a slightly larger spring or an O scale coupler spring. Food for thought anyhow