I’m trying to get myself out of that “stuck testing trackwork on a Plywood Pacific” phase of the hobby by starting scenery on my new layout and purchasing my first sound-equipped locomotive, a crucial part of the shortline local I’ve selected as my theme. I’m still interested in the hobby and have been reading these forums as much as ever, but I just haven’t touched my layout in a while.
I’m weathering the track prior to scenery this weekend, but I’m still stuck on the locomotive. Here’s what the problem is - I’m modeling a present-day shortline operating one local train a day out of Clinton, MA, on what’s currently the CSX Fitchburg Secondary. The railroad serves just a few customers and isn’t doing too good - I’m taking the real line’s 10mph stick rail (photo) and adding weeds.
The problem is, the interchange track with Pan Am Railways in Clinton and the grade through West Berlin up to Clinton are 3% and 4%, respectively. I’ve tested power left over from my previous railroad and found that nothing with 4 axles can drag a full ten car local up the grade. My Atlas SD35 is the only thing that can.
Easy, you say. Use two locomotives like CSX does! No so fast. There’s a switchback at the Reisner scrapyard in Clinton that can fit one locomotive and a gon. I don’t want to have to consist and deconsist my power every time I want to switch the scrapyard, unless there’s an easier way than putting down my UT4 walkaround throttle, releasing the power, deconsisting the locomotives using the Zephyr command station, and then going through the hassle of reconsisting. I always seem to screw it up and have my locomotives go the wrong way, no matter how many times I try. NOTE: My previous railroad ran multiple unit consists so I do know what I’m doing. Then there’s the part about twice as much money for an extra locomotive and sound decoder…
What I need is a six-axle locomotive that’s common enough that a shortline
The SD35 would be fine to use. More common though would be the SD40-2. You’ll find them doing everything under the sun. They are one of the most poplular loco’s of all time and look good too.
FWIW in the long run the best result might be to re-do the layout. In the real world, switchbacks serving industries are very rare. Grades are kept to 2% or less unless absolutely necessary (like in mountains). A model railroad can have a certain amount of inertia where it becomes hard to change, but often when the layout isn’t working (as it sounds is the case here) rebuilding it often turns out to be the easiest solution in the long run.
If you like ALCO, Bowser is coming out with a C-630 in September and a C-628 in January, both available with DCC and sound. Either might fill the bill for you. And they are still in use today. Almost daily I see WNYP"s C-630 (plus a boatload of other ALCOs, too) going right through my town.
The switchback is a model of the real switchback in that location. I’m modeling a prototype line and the track arrangements are as accurate as I can make them. You can see CSX switching out a pair of gons on this Bing Maps aerial view. As for the grades, they’re not set in stone because the layout is still under construction but making them longer causes problems at the ends. I may be able to work around that…it’s mostly a prototypical accuracy thing.
My biggest problem with a larger SD is the length and weight of the units - the real CSX won’t allow any SD units on the line, just GP40-2s. I feel like I can justify a small SD like the SD9 because it weighs so much less that the tradeoff of so much less axle loading is worth the risk of 6 axle trucks. Incidentally, I’ve been here for five years, I’ve just been readin
I was thinking an SD9, but I’d really like an Alco if possible (not RSC-series, too rare.)
The Nevada Northern had an RSC-3, so while rare, not unheard of. An SD9 would also work. I recommend going for the engine you personally like best, because you will find whatever you choose somewhere!
Ty, Have you looked into the Digitrax DT300s? Same size as the UT4, but set up like the 400s, complete with (i believe) consisting. Someone correct me, it’s been a while since I used one, but I believe it’s under the mode button, pressed a few times.
That being said, I’m not sure the real roads would be any more interested in breaking and reMUing engines than you are.
The Madison RR used SD7s from 54-78(?) for their primary jobs. tehre were two of them, 8588 and 8589. I’ve reclaimed them for my world, so you can’t have them (mwahahaha!!!) but those two engines were in New Jersey under Conrail, as 6998-9 on the Leigh (I can never spell that) Secondary. So you could go that route. 8589 ended up in the Terminal RR of St. Louis, butt 88 was ascrapped. Kepe in mind though, those engiens were over weighted for the 6% grade and then as Hump Yard switchers.
Far as engines go, the P2K SD7/9 uses the same drive and similar body. Both of mine run fairly well. I had a problem with it shorting, that I believe was in the jumper plug. Once I put the sound decoder in, it was gone. Good runner, I’ve not pushed it’s pulling capacity, but I’m sure it’ll have a shoving power for a shortline like yours.
EDIT: when you consist, put both engines on and test to make sure they move the same way before you consist them. Then, on the 400 tap MU and Y+ button. To deconsist, it’s MU and N-. On the 300s, I believe it’s Mode>>Mode>>Y+
It may not be of much help to you, Ty, but I just ran my old Athearn Blue Box geep up the 4% grade on my seldom-used run-through track. There’s a slight curve near the bottom of the hill, but she made it up quite nicely with 10 cars trailing. Total trailing “tonnage” was approximately 55oz., and eight of the cars had plastic wheels in plastic sideframes, with the other two rolling on Kadees.
I didn’t, however, have to waste valuable interior space on decoders or speakers, as operation was DC. [swg]
The P2K SDs run decent, especially after you take them apart, clean the peanut butter out of the gearboxes, re-lube with quality stuff, and ditch the factory light board. I have one that I regularly pair up with a Atlas-Kato GP7. Run very nicely.
The one on the board is stock. Bottom one lubed and tuned, board replacement decoder installed. Lower left shows peanut butter lube, before cleaning. Stuff doesn’t want to come off.
The SD35 shouldn’t be all that much longer than the SD9. The 6-axle Alcos are quite long, causing fitment problems in your tight space. They were also hard on track.
The best solution might be to extend the tail tracks of the switchbacks. Room for two on the switchbacks is awful tight, and causes less enjoyment. Try to get room for four or five.
First up, I think there is something up with your engine. I can coax my little AEM7 electrics to haul up to 9 passenger cars up a 4% grade (will link to a video on you tube if you don’t believe me). I’m thinking that you just need to add more weight to your engine.
Bull Frog snot might also be a good idea, if you don’t already have the stuff, try it. When applied correctly, its a thin film. You may loose some conductivity in that wheel, but my experience is that applying it to one axle will do the trick without harming performance, even on sound equipped locomotives.
Good Idea except for one thing. The DT-300’s are no longer made. They haven’t been since the DT-400’s came out. Plus I have to agree with others who have said something must be up with your present loco. You may need to check it out and make sure that its actually running correctly. Could have a wheel slipping on an axle. Basically, unless your cars are Mantua heavyweights, or just have a lot of weight in them, there shouldn’t be any reason for it not to pull 10 cars up that grade.
I have a Hobbytown chassised GP-7 that routinely pulls 60 cars on its own. This is a 1.5% grade.
That may be true, but Digitrax no longer supports them. Meaning that if something breaks, it stays broken. Many of the parts used to build the DT-300 are no longer being made by the suppliers. I would hate to buy one NIB and have it go out a couple of months later. There would be no way to get it fixed.
I’m trying to get myself out of that “stuck testing trackwork on a Plywood Pacific” phase of the hobby by starting scenery on my new layout and purchasing my first sound-equipped locomotive, a crucial part of the shortline local I’ve selected as my theme. I’m still interested in the hobby and have been reading these forums as much as ever, but I just haven’t touched my layout in a while.
I’m weathering the track prior to scenery this weekend, but I’m still stuck on the locomotive. Here’s what the problem is - I’m modeling a present-day shortline operating one local train a day out of Clinton, MA, on what’s currently the CSX Fitchburg Secondary. The railroad serves just a few customers and isn’t doing too good - I’m taking the real line’s 10mph stick rail (photo) and adding weeds.
The problem is, the interchange track with Pan Am Railways in Clinton and the grade through West Berlin up to Clinton are 3% and 4%, respectively. I’ve tested power left over from my previous railroad and found that nothing with 4 axles can drag a full ten car local up the grade. My Atlas SD35 is the only thing that can.
Easy, you say. Use two locomotives like CSX does! No so fast. There’s a switchback at the Reisner scrapyard in Clinton that can fit one locomotive and a gon. I don’t want to have to consist and deconsist my power every time I want to switch the scrapyard, unless there’s an easier way than putting down my UT4 walkaround throttle, releasing the power, deconsisting the locomotives using the Zephyr command station, and then going through the hassle of reconsisting. I always seem to screw it up and have my locomotives go the wrong way, no matter how many times I try. NOTE: My previous railroad ran multiple unit consists so I do know what I’m doing. Then there’s the part about twice as much money for an extra locomotive and sound decoder…
