My HO layout has a 3.5% incline and curves between 20 and 22 inch radius’. Can anyone please tell me what brand/model steam loco would be able to make the incline pulling 7 cars? Does anyone still make a steam loco with traction tires?
I have a Spectrum 2-6-6-2 that will not make the incline.
Thanks
Hi!
Well, the first thing folks will likely say is that 3 1/2 inch incline is wayyy too steep for a non narrow gauge or mining/logging HO railroad.
There are still locos coming out with traction tires (BLI for one), but even the ones I know about (BLI 4-8-4 and 2-10-2) would likely struggle with 7 cars going up that steep grade - assuming they could do it at all.
Have to add that using traction tires is sometimes more of a problem than a help - but it can make a big difference in pulling power.
Frankly, I would either eliminate that steep grade, or look to using diesel loco (F and GPs) consists to pull the loads.
A heavy one?
It’s all about physics, i.e. gravity and friction. If the Spectrum doesn’t make it, you have three choices.
Add more weight to the 2-6-6-2.
Try it with 6 cars.
Check your track.
The first two are obvious, the third less so. When you reach grades of 2% or greater and approach the performance limits of the loco, then track issues and imperfections make a lot of difference. The most obvious one? That sharp a curve on a grade. Sometimes, that’s the way it is, for various reasons when it comes to grade and curvature.
However, there are things you can do. Are there any dips in the track? Even a brief low spot that is less than the drivers’ wheelbase can lift the center driver off the track, loosing traction. Does the loco enter the grade and immediately run into a problem with traction? Then check the vertical curvature, where the grades starts and ends. If it’s too short, that will also lift drivers off the rail. Wide gauge on curves will also limit traction, as that lessens the traction offered by the flange by limiting it to the top of the rail. Tight gauge does the same thing by limiting traction to the side of the rail.
To answer the question in the topic title, at my club we test all engines that are registered to see what their drawbar pull is on a level track. We use a vertical spring scale and it’s accurate to 1/4 oz. Our tests show that the best pulling steam locos in our club (above 3.5 oz in drawbar pull) are:
BLI N&W Class Y-6b 2-8-8-2 (w/ tires: 12.25oz; w/o tires: 7.5oz)
BLI N&W Class A 2-6-6-4 (w/ tires: 11oz)
BLI PRR Class T-1 4-4-4-4 (w/ tires: 10.25oz; w/o tires: 5.5oz)
Athearn Genesis UP Challenger 4-6-6-4 (w/o tires: 8.5oz)
Key Imports Erie Berkshire 2-8-4 (brass, lead pour; w/o tires: 7.5oz)
Athearn Genesis UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4 (w/o tires: 6.5oz)
BLI N&W Class J Northern 4-8-4 (6.25oz)
Trix UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4 (6.0oz)
BLI PRR Mountain 4-8-2 (6.0oz)
BLI ATSF Texas 2-10-4 (5.5oz)
BLI SP Cab Forward 4-8-8-2 (5.0oz)
PFM CNR Northern 4-8-4 (brass, lead pour; 5.0oz)
BLI C&O Texas 2-10-4 (w/o tires: 5.0oz)
PCM Reading Class T-1 Northern 4-8-4 (4.5oz)
BLI PRR Decapod 2-10-0 (w/tires: 4.5oz)
BLI PRR Class J1 2-10-4 (4.5oz)
BLI NYC Niagara 4-8-4 (4.25oz)
BLI PRR Class K-4 Pacific 4-6-2 (w/ tires: 4.25oz; w/o tires: 3.5oz)
BLI NYC Hudson 4-6-4 (4.25oz)
Overland CNR 2-10-2 (brass, lead pour: 4.25oz)
P2K USRA 2-8-8-2 (4.0oz)
BLI PRR Class Q2 4-4-6-4 (4.0oz)
BLI USRA 2-8-2 (w/ tires: 4.0oz)
Rivarossi Allegheny 2-6-6-6 (4.0oz)
Bachmann Spectrum USRA Mountain 4-8-2 (3.75oz)
NJ/Custom Brass NH Class R-3a Mountain 4-8-2 (brass, lead pour: 3.75oz)
Division Point CP Pacific 4-6-2 (brass: 3.75oz)
By comparison, we measured six Bachmann Spectrum 2-6-6-2’s and got 3.0 to 3.25oz.
Note that most of the steam engines that out-pull Spectrum 2-6-6-2’s are huge engines, and won’t make 20" and 22" radius curves.
I think you’re better off trying Bullfrog Snot on your existing engine.
To the OP, I don’t have any fancy brass locos but DO have the above mentioned Athearn Genesis Challenger, and DO have 22" curves, and DO have 3+% grades (with curves on them) as a fact of life on my layout, and it DOES pull well over 7 cars and negotiate the curves fine. I’ve had up to 27 mixed freight cars with Intermountain metal wheels and caboose- it will pull more. Yes, my trucks are tuned, and yes, I have metal wheels, but it did this before all of that too. While I highly recommend the wheels and truck tuning, the metal wheels will add weight to the consist, something to be factored in. And yes, a Challenger on 22" curves does present visual issues, something else to factor in, but sometimes we make do with what we got!
Happy RR’ing!
Duane
Wow! Thats a lot of Yes’es. Are you sure about that.
I’d say that the best puller is a Penn Line engine. I’ve got a Penn Line I1sa that pulls pretty darn well.
S&S
The best pulling smaller locomotive I have seen in HO is…
The Roundhouse Climax has the diesel drive and the same chassis as the boxcab diesel. Lots of gear reduction, and lots of weight.
just my experiences
Fred W
Fred,
You forgot to include “noisy as all heck.”[;)]
I’d imagine the OP was looking for something with the same gravitas as that articulated. Somehow, as attractive a loco to me as a Climax is, it’s definitely a different sort of critter than the articulated in visual impact. If it was smaller, then it might pass as a logging Mallet, but my impression IIRC is that it is a larger road-type loco.
What is the best way to add weight to my Spectrum 2-6-6-2 to help it on inclines?
Thanks
Adding weight will usually help, provided it adds weight equally over the driving wheels, and doesn’t make the loco so heavy that it could over tax the motor.
The adhesive backed car weights will work quite well if you have room. Lead shot mixed with glue will work pretty good as well - but can be a bit messy to work with.
In any case, make sure you don’t promote an electrical short or pinch any of the wiring.
Frankly, adding weight to the newer steam locos can be pretty tricky, so I would proceed with caution.
A-Line sells lead sheet that makes it easy to fit into odd spaces. A few common places to add weight are inside the shell (although it’s likely tight in there as mobilman44 warns), in the cab (under the cab roof is well-hidden), down the stack (but has to be removable if there’s a screw down inside as there often is.)
I have always been impressed with the pulling power of my Varney 0-4-0 Dockside “Little Joe” Switcher. I have this model with a molded plastic body and I understand it was originally built with a white metal cast body. I don’t have any 3.5% grades anymore, as I added a loop of track to make the ruling grade 2%. However, back before this modification, the ruling grade on my layout was 4% and if I remember correctly this loco could pull five 40 foot cars up this grade. The Varney Dockside still comes up for sale on Ebay every now and then.
Many modelers today would consider this to be a “Crude” model by today’s standards. However, it certainly can be upgraded with a can motor and made much better looking with a added details, if you have the skills and knowledge to do so.
I had a 0-4-0 Tyco,slope back tender,that did a pretty good job also and looked real good,with added valve gear and some steam lines added…
Cheers, [D] PM sent Mark,enjoy!!
Frank
Agreed…Those would pull the wallpaper off the walls.
Metal wheels on the freight cars will help as well.
In my opinion, nothing pulls like a Bowser. I have a I1, an L1, and I just finished a K4, and everyone of them will out pull all of the rest of my Intermountain, Broadway Limited and Athearn Genesis locomotives.
If you want to add something like traction tires to your 2-6-6-2, you could try Bullfrog Snot on a couple of the drivers. I haven’t personally tried it, but have heard good things about it from those who have used it. I’ve heard you can actually get a free sample from them - probably enough to do one or two locos.
As far as other engines that are good pullers - the Bowser kits have a reputation as good strong pullers. I don’t think they make them anymore, but they come up on eBay quite often. I have the Bowser mechanism for a Bachmann ATSF 4-8-4 (basically a Bowser loco kit with a plastic Bachmann shell on top), and it’s a pretty hefty model and strong puller.
The best pulling steamer I know of is the Bowser Challenger, all metal, heavier than brass. I built one from the kit. It will likely work on 22", but don’t know about the 20"R. Seriously you will need your track work set up to support the weight.
Richard
ABsolutely!
That is a very informative table. I think you should publish it on-line somewhere separate from a forum thread.