PWRS/NARC Has Magnetic Air Lines Coming....

[peteski]

I guess you could say I'm picking up some knowledge that is quite contrary to NMRA standards, but works extremely well.

Removing all excess weight is the first step. the next step is to tune the trucks so they are more free-rolling.
 
Yes, even more free rolling than before.

It is labor-intensive, and I myself have yet to start the process, but I've seen long trains with every car tuned accordingly and it is quite the sight. When you can blow on car and it rolls for 6 or so feet with no effort, it speaks for itself.

I've seen cars tuned correctly not only backed up through curves (80+ cars) but through turnouts. Of course it also helps to have pizza-cutters in those trucks, or at least mid-grade flanges.

I know of one person who went to the extreme of removing the cast metal underframes from their micro-trains cars and casting them in resin to make them even lighter. 200 cars behind one stock F-unit is something to behold.

-Cody F.

Interesting...  This is OT for this thread but it is definitely some food for thought.

[Gozer the Gozerian]

Weight standards have always been an interesting discussion.  Not sure cars need to be so heavy with advancements in wheel and truck designs.  Pulling long trains around corners would spook me with ultra light cars, but according to your post, folks are getting good results.

Joe

[mr_mike_m]

will soon hopefully begin the process of fine-tuning MT trucks to make cars more free-rolling.

Cody-
Any links for fine tuning trucks, etc? I'd like to read more about it.

[Kisatchie]

The trouble with ultra-free-rolling trucks is that if you spot them on a siding that isn't perfectly level, the cars will roll away thanks to gravity.

Give me trucks with some rolling resistance!


Hmm... my trucks are so
free-rolling, they roll uphill...

[sdodge]

The trouble with ultra-free-rolling trucks is that if you spot them on a siding that isn't perfectly level, the cars will roll away thanks to gravity.

Give me trucks with some rolling resistance!

This is my opinion also. Switching is the priority on my layout not running long trains and I want the cars to stay in place when spotted.

[VonRyan]

Cody-
Any links for fine tuning trucks, etc? I'd like to read more about it.

Sadly no. Its something that I've learned first-hand from someone who learned from the president of the N-Trak club I belong to.
Once I start the process I'll try and document it as best as I can, that is if no one in the club objects.
Hopefully this will be aided by the purchase of a Canon T3 in the near future (as in being ordered Monday or Tuesday).

Weight standards have always been an interesting discussion.  Not sure cars need to be so heavy with advancements in wheel and truck designs.  Pulling long trains around corners would spook me with ultra light cars, but according to your post, folks are getting good results.
Joe

Truck-mounted couplers help. Its actually something that has been "standardized" by one of the few people who've undergone this process. I doubt the results would be as good were cars with body-mounted couplers to be used. Clipping or bending the "glad-hands" on the MT couplers helps as well to insure no picking on any turnouts, especially for anyone in an N-Trak club that does combined layouts with other clubs. Keeping your own club's trackage in good order is fairly easy, but you can't always count on other clubs to do the same.

Switching is the priority on my layout not running long trains and I want the cars to stay in place when spotted.

Yes, grades can affect spotted cars that have been fine-tuned, but as long as it's only a slight grade, there shouldn't be much of a problem.

-Cody F.

[robert3985]

...I've seen cars tuned correctly not only backed up through curves (80+ cars) but through turnouts. Of course it also helps to have pizza-cutters in those trucks, or at least mid-grade flanges.

I know of one person who went to the extreme of removing the cast metal underframes from their micro-trains cars and casting them in resin to make them even lighter. 200 cars behind one stock F-unit is something to behold.

-Cody F.

Ntrak-think.  Long trains don't impress me whatsoever.  I've never had a problem backing trains on my layout through curves and/or turnouts, but I don't run anything longer than 9' 7" 'cause that's what my passing sidings are limited to.  I put springs on the axles of approximately 1/3 of my cars so they DON'T roll too freely and to get rid of the squeegee effect.

Talgo mounted couplers, coupler dongles, pizza cutters...and removing weight...just to be able to run long trains??  Sorry, that might turn your crank, but it doesn't turn mine. 

[VonRyan]

It's not "just to run long trains" the 200 car train hasen't seen rails in a long time, and it the case of the others who have done it, it is simply for the reliability, which is what I want, although I don't cut off the glad-hands on the couplers since I plan for my future layout to have magnetic un-coupling.

-Cody F.

[DKS]

Ntrak-think.  Long trains don't impress me whatsoever. ... Talgo mounted couplers, coupler dongles, pizza cutters...and removing weight...just to be able to run long trains??  Sorry, that might turn your crank, but it doesn't turn mine.

+1

I've not had good luck operating lightweight cars. Properly-weighted cars seem to be generally better-behaved, I've found, particularly when switching. Others may have good luck with lightweight cars, but that's just proof that YMMV.