With the roster of the Smoky Mountain & Southern (No Longer Central) still under debate amongst the owners and financers, I am still investigating on locomotives.
A recent reality check has shown me that 20 to 30 car trains and 3% grades are not possible in my room, so the mazimum train length has been changed to 10-15 cars, with 2% maximum grades. Maybe not even that.
What can the 2-10-2 pull on straight and level track, and what sort of praise and faults did it get in the MR review (I missed it). I’d like to get one in the Southern scheme.
I have the exact loco that you are asking about. It is a strong puller and has easily pulled twenty cars on the level portion of my layout. There is some slippage on my 2% grade with that many cars. Also, make sure you have 24" radius curves (or larger) because the drivers will jump track on smaller radius curves.
Cheese, a friend of mine (Guilford Guy) has a Bachmann Spectrum 2-10-2 that he runs on my layout. What we found is that it can pull a good load under most circumstances. It can make 22 inch curves as well, but we found that due to its long wheelbase its pulling power decreased dramatically. If you plan to have any tight curves on your layout, keep that in mind.
I have one of those, I can second the others, tight curves are not a friend of these engines. They will derail. I also find it very sensitive to the smallest kinks in the tracks.
As with all plastic/mostly-plastic locos, the Spectrum 2-10-2 won’t pull a huge number of cars. If you want a 2-10-2 with tons of tractive effort, get the Bowser PRR N2s/Usra Heavy 2-10-2. Though you have to build it, it’s not all that hard to do, and the thing will pull down your walls. [:)] And you also get the fun of building and painting it yourself! [:D]
Well at shows my DM&IR version has been known to tackle 40 or 50 car trains. It will pull them at proto speeds without a problem. I have also latched up to our clubs ore train and have pulled 60 of those. It slow but then again when we calced it all out it was doing just over proto speed at 40 mph. I have pushed ten cars up a 3 percent grade with it as well.
As long as the engine can pull a max of 15 cars up a 1% garde, then I am fine. I might not even have grades at all, just mountainous sceanery.
I also planned to have broad curves. 28 has been deemed the minimum by managment with 32 or maybe even 36 being the maximum. Also, when not handling freight, the engine will also see pusher service if I have grades (which I probably will)
Thanks, and anymore info on operation and pictures or videos of the loco operating or standing still would be nice.
Well, I have the Proto 2-10-2 but that is not the engine being discussed here. Im beginning to settle on 31 inches as the minimum curve and number 6 switches for this engine.
I had a Bachmann Mountain that turned out to be rather disappointing on the 3% grades. If memory serves it managed 8 cars with some difficulty. THe BLI M1a would walk up that same hill with 16+.
They are nice engines and run very well, but they are large coupled engines and need room to run happily without struggling with too steep grades or tiny corners.
Well, I think my questions about this engine got answered in this thread. I have 22 inch curves and some of those on 2% inclines, soooooo… I’m thinking this engine with that long wheel base isn’t the one for me, especially with Peco medium turnouts in my yard. Guess I’ll be sticking with my 2-8-0, it’s just right. I have a 2-6-6-4 articulated that will negotiate the yard if you’re slowwww and careful, but it’s a mighty big engine for my mostly 9 to 11 car trains… [:D]
