Back in the sledgehammer age, the Rapido 0-6-0 was probably one of the UGLIEST locomotives of all time. But the conversion I did on one to a modified 2-6-0 has stood up to years and years and years of service. I have to admit that if it weren't for that locomotive, I never would have built the Hickory Valley. It still outruns and outpulls all comers onto my little nightmare of a switching layout. I've redone a Micro-Ace / Atlas 2-6-0; runs great but still has problems with that drawbar. My bitty shay is just that - good for about two boxcars. My Heisler is a GREAT puller, but belongs on a logging train. The Rapido 0-6-0 converted to a 2-6-0? It just keeps going and going and going. It has been running now on the HVRR since... 1975. The design is just crap. The lead siderod goes into the cylinder, and the main rod goes into the valve chest. It has Deep Dish flanges. It has rods thicker than a Bessemer 2-10-4. It desperately needs relettered - I did this by hand. But all metal drive, a Trix converted motor, and perfect weight and balance... I have yet to find anything like it that will run reliable on 7 1/2" curves, let alone pulling five cars uphill on 4% and 9" radius. I don't expect the Shay to. So here's to all the ugly turkeys that us 'runners' all love, that really ought to be replaced, and maybe never will:
The Atlas Mogul is Far form being an "Atlas" pruduct. It is in truth, a Japanese product. No I am willing to bet if you get a 2-8-4 mechanism form that company, and put it under your lifelike shell, you will ge the monster power you're searching for. But yeah, I know it's sore consolation for a locomotive that cost an arm and a leg.
I bought the Atlas Mogul based upon the performance of a Micro Ace Yosh*tsune owned by a fellow clubmember. His runs fine. My Atlas and another clubmember's pair of them do not. I have no idea why, but power pickup is the problem.
As I mentioned in another thread I had a horror story of a weekend trying to operate, steam only. However like so many others of you, I do enjoy tinkering and tweaking when I feel like it. It is one of the greatest aspects of the hobby. However I am beginning to believe that the two activities(Flawless operation and running a large amount of Steam engines) can not be done together. Hence my new strategy of transitional diesels with only the best running steam engines availble for an operating session. I have absolute faith in the Bachmann Connies I own, and I know they will not let me down in an operating session. But you know what, that is the only steam loco I own that I can make that claim. Every thing else I own will either stall, slip, or hop a rail going around an up hill curve. I guess what I am saying is that if you really want to be serious about running steam you better not even think of having a curve under 18 inches radius, and don't even think of buying # 5 turnouts, unless all you want to run are Bachmann Connies and from what I hear the Roundhouse steamers. The Bachmann connies pull well, look great and are equal in reliability to my 4 axle diesels. I am also hoping that the Atlas shay fits in this category. Everything else is going to the shelf to be operated on days only when I feel like I want to tinker. If my layout was completed, and all the scenery was done and no expansion was planned, perhaps the tinkering with steam would be the hobby for me. However I am planning a big expansion and just don't have the time to fine tune 20 steamers prior to an operating session. I can run F units and Geeps out of the roundhouse and have hours of operating fun without any tinkering. Something about that really appeals to me.
Dang... I just got my B'mann 2-6-6-2... now I'll have to boycott steam and not run it at all. Oh... yes... while we're bashing the stuff we've been asking for... I agree that the steamers that have come out over the past few years are a bit quirky. I don't run them much so I can't be an authority on their performance as I hardly break-in any of them. The MP Pacific was the only real disaster out of the box.. but... that was their first release. I've gotten another Pacific and a Lt Mike which are okay. The MDC 2-8-0 and 2-6-0 are very good. The Atlas 2-6-0 is pretty good; agreed that it pulls great, but no slow speed control. Starting speed is too high, don't know about stalling. LL 2-8-8-2 was running well with a light load of 8 cars on level track... can't attest to bad performance on it. B'mann Mountain 4-8-2 never seen the tracks... looks great though. B'mann 2-6-6-2 also hasn't seen the track yet... but looooookkkkksss superb. If I can figure out B'mann new fangled packaging I'll take a picture. NOTE: On the packaging for the B'mann Spectrum 2-6-6-2.... It appears as though the designer of the packaging is the inventor of the Rubiks Cube. I would call this the "accident waiting to happen" pack. The loco is nested in a plastic cradle that only supports the top and bottom of the engine. it is in a plastic sleeve which appears to have been inserted with 100 ft/lbs of pressure. that is then inside of a hard plastic box. [ 04. January 2005, 01:02: Message edited by: Calzephyr ]
The MDC steam locmotives beg to be modified. My first: My second: My latest: Note: All three negotiate 7 inch radius curves flawlessly!!!
It is truly amazing to see all of these steam topics. Except for a certain topic on 'that OTHER forum', you would not have seen so much N scale bandwidth devoted to steam eighteen months past or maybe even twqelve months past. Yes, many of them are lamenting problems, but if the manufacturers pay any attention, there will be more improvement. There has been some, as it is, but wanting the N scale steam to operate as well as the diseasels is not an unreasonable expectation or desire. The amount of discussion here and on other lists about steam shold show the manufacturers that there is a demand out there and that if they build it, we will buy it. Even I am buying things out of my era or wants for various reasons.
Maybe someone here can help me out. Back at Atlas... someone cut a slot for a traction tire into a LL 2-8-8-2 driver. Can anyone remember who did it? I would like to contact them. I want to do this with my LL 2-8-4 Plus I bought a B-mann 2-6-6-2. I don't think it has a TT either. I contacted trainworx and they are not set up to cut the slot for me.
Chris, No traction tire on the 2-6-6-2. I haven't run it yet to see if there is a pulling issue as a result of lacking a traction tire... but it probably will not pull any better than a stock LL 2-8-8-2 as it weighs about the same. Of course... maybe with the weight concentrated over fewer drivers... maybe it will pull better???
Ok ok,all very good points ppl but now the stage is set,it's time to bring it up again, I can't boycott steam until someone does a CAB-FORWARD AC12 Chris33,I have a LL 2-8-8-2 that took a 5 foot dive off the club layout,it survived pretty well considering,it's in peices being repaired & after reading the great thread here I will look at machining a groove for a tt (I have a decent lathe).Only thing is where to find a traction tire for a wheel dia. of 8.75mm???I dont think this will be too successful as the tread thickness is only .4mm ,+/- .05. Only other way I can think of is to mach. a 'O' ring down to size,any other idea's out there? Oh & I was serious about the cab-forward Russel would you be so kind as to show everyone your fine example again please?just to get certain ppl thinking about this one
The repalcement Kato traction tires for their 2-8-2 are quite thin and have to streatch a little to fit the Mikado wheel. They may fit the bill. Oh, here is the backward Rowa Y6B that I put together.
Jason, I was thinking a Kato mikado TT would stretch over the driver. It's just a high tech rubber band. If you get the to lathe to work out let me know.
Chris333 I think I am missing something. I installed a Kato Mikado drop in wheelset. Are you saying the traction tires are separate?
Fotheringill, Kato makes the replacment driver with the traction tire #11-604. They make traction tire replacements for the #11-604 driver. Sometimes they go bad. #810000 there are 10 to a pack. BTW how big is your layout? 4x8?
You can buy the separate rubber tread as a replacement for the TT wheelset. Eventually the rubber tread wears out, so they also sell the ruber tread by itself. That separate rubber tread could be used on another machined wheelset... such as the LL Mallet.
Guys, thank you for discussions like this. Based on some earlier photographs and testimonials from Thirdrail, I went and bought two MDC connies off eBay. (They haven't arrived yet.) Also, based on these reviews, I've restricted my steam to B'mann connies and Kato mikes. I did venture out with a B'mann 4-8-2 and by the sounds of it, I got lucky - mine pulled about 17 cars (some of them non-period cars like RC lumber cars) which is as long as I'll ever use it for. Bottom line: My thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences, reviews and knowledge!! Now if manufacturers would only be smart enough to run prototypes by the Trainboard Steam Committee before they put them into production!!
What do the Wright brothers and Kato have in common? Ten years after Orville and Wilbur showed how to build a powered aircraft that flew. People were still building c*&% that fell out of the sky. Sound familliar?
Mr. Cowie- My two Roundhouse Consolidations are quiet and strong. Great engines. You should not regret it. The Mogul is quite similar, as well.
