05-21-2009, 12:22 PM
I've got a B'mann 4-8-4 (Class J, N&W 611) SILVER Series...apparantly a step up from standard but pre-Spectrum. It runs very well around tight (18" rad) curves but as mentioned above does not look great.
One issue that has not been mentioned which you may want to consider is backing. I have an N&W Powhatan Arrow passenger set with 70' cars. I replaced all the X2F horn-hook couplers with Kadee replacement kits for IHC cars. N.B. - there is a different kit for the full length cars versus the 70 footers. Anyway, all were truck-mounted. Cars came with metal wheelsets and are featherweight light. Still, car weight matters less when all are weighted equally and track is good.
I backed this train down through a wye onto a yard ladder (the farthest track, so I had to pass through several turnouts) without ANY derailments...from the train! The way the engine and tender are connected is the problem. On my to-do list for upgrading that engine is putting in a drawbar and weighting the tender which does matter in this case. Radius for the layout on which it was running is a comfortable 36". Not sure, but I believe the wye track radius is the same.
The engine kept shoving the front tender trucks off the track. Could have something to do with how they are mounted at the bolster, but I don't think so. I think it had more to do with the way the engine and tender are connected. I'm guessing this trouble would be exaggerated on smaller radius curves.
Galen
One issue that has not been mentioned which you may want to consider is backing. I have an N&W Powhatan Arrow passenger set with 70' cars. I replaced all the X2F horn-hook couplers with Kadee replacement kits for IHC cars. N.B. - there is a different kit for the full length cars versus the 70 footers. Anyway, all were truck-mounted. Cars came with metal wheelsets and are featherweight light. Still, car weight matters less when all are weighted equally and track is good.
I backed this train down through a wye onto a yard ladder (the farthest track, so I had to pass through several turnouts) without ANY derailments...from the train! The way the engine and tender are connected is the problem. On my to-do list for upgrading that engine is putting in a drawbar and weighting the tender which does matter in this case. Radius for the layout on which it was running is a comfortable 36". Not sure, but I believe the wye track radius is the same.
The engine kept shoving the front tender trucks off the track. Could have something to do with how they are mounted at the bolster, but I don't think so. I think it had more to do with the way the engine and tender are connected. I'm guessing this trouble would be exaggerated on smaller radius curves.
Galen
I may not be a rivet counter, but I sure do like rivets!