Somewhere in the last 10 years I read an article that included a “rolling test track” for cars. It seems to me it was a pitch of 1" in 3’ or close to that, to check if your cars were free rolling.
Any thoughts on what pitch should be used to test rolling stock? I’m in HO, but I would think there is something for all scales.
Thank you,
You need to build a test track which allows you to vary the angle, in order to evaluate the rolling resitance of your cars, which may vary a lot. I remember seeing an article in MR on how to build a fixture like that some 3 decades ago.
Grades on layouts above 5 % should be avoided in any case, so a test track should correspondingly not exceed those 5 %, IMHO. A car which does not start to roll at a 5 % slope certainly needs new, free-rolling wheels.
Hi Cowman, I just saw your question about a 5% grade Test Track. Sir Madog has answered your question. I hinge mounted my HO 3 ft. Test Track for programming DCC locos, on a pull-out work bench that slides under my layout. One can vary the slope of the track, to test rolling ability of rolling stock. Bob Hahn
I used a section of three foot flex track on a 2 X 4 and raised it abut 3/4 of a inch. I used it when I was tunning the trucks. I have found that some trucks roll better going one way than the other. I would time the roll time one way then the other. I marked the lead axle of the truck that rolled the easiest with white paint. I then made sure that it was facing the way the train was moving.
Cuda Ken
Reboxx makes a roll test that is in the form of an arc with 3" high ends and a 1" high center. I believe you roll your car and gauge it by how far it rolls up the ends. They sell if without the flex track but you could probably make something similar with 1/4" pllywood and some wood blocks on the ends. The link below is to the Reboxx site and the roll test item.
Bob
Pages 186 and 187 of Carsten Publications’ Operation Handbook for Model Railroads provides information on a test station with multiple checks of equipment such as coupler height, flange depth, back-to-back wheel distance, etc., including free-wheeling. In the book’s example, the standard for a cars starting and continuing to roll is 3.5% and not rolling on 0.5%. Personally, these standards are awfully stiff and I expect rolling stock to be more freewheeling. Pick your own #%$&# standards.
Mark
This gadget is for testing individual wheelsets, or possibly for a truck assembly, not for the completed car. I don’t thing that there would be enough flexibility of the trucks on a car to even get the car on the fixture.
Anyway, our club has a rolling standard that states that all cars must be able to roll down a 3% grade unassisted. The numbers referenced in the original post, 1 inch rise over a 3 foot (36 inch) run, equates to about 2.78%. Quite frankly, I think that the 3% number was arrived at when the typical available truck/wheelset combinations were much poorer than are usually supplied now on any of the better models. I have some proto2000 cars that seem to want to roll if you sneeze in their general direction. So, if you really want to have the best rollability, probably 1% or 1.5% test grades would be better.
But that’s just my opinion.
I devised a test track of my own recently.
I took my Bachmann EZ Track Rerailer,Two Sections of Straight Track and the Track Bumpers and tested a sluggish running locomotive that way.
Wound up and overloaded my Athearn Power Pack though!![:(][angel]
But I bought an MRC Power Pack the next week at a Train Show,however,both my LLP2KMoPac GR18and FA1 still run kinda sluggish while my Atlas Katy RS3 runs like a proverbial Red Reared Baboon!![:-^]
Go Figure!![%-)]
Thank you for the responses.
When I was searching I could only find the test tracks with coupler height guages and a switch to roll cars through to be sure the trucks swung properly. I think they were in the neighborhood of 6’ long.
I was looking for a good general incline that would be concidered reasonable. I agree, the 3% grade was probably created some time ago, with the new materials a lesser grade could be a new standard. If a car wouldn’t start to roll on a 5% grade, someone put the brake wheel on to tight.
That is some Reboxx test stand, doubt they sell too many of them. Wonder how many times the truch has to roll past center to be called “free rolling”. I would think it would be fairly easy to make one. If trucks rolled freely, the car should also, unless it threw the trucks out of line.
Think I will try something with a 1-2% grade for starters, will be able to change it easily, if necessary. Now have to decide whether to incorperate the two test tracks together or have seperate ones.
Thanks again,
Have fun,