One could do something like this with a couple of locos: You need large radius with a lot of clearance: Enjoy.
By the way that 'Beast' is two Life Like FA2s epoxied back to back. I found the original thread but all of the graphics are gone. The beast will likely be a yard queen but it is still fun to look at. Sigh. The picture I was looking for:
Based on some semi-scientific analysis - my dynamometer test car (a spring scale with trucks on either end).... for single-unit pulling for a diesel - an original Kato (1982) GP38 still rated #1. Second place is relatively close between first-run Kato and Intermountain F-units, and even a Trix unit if it is old enough to have all the plating worn off of the wheels exposing raw brass. Third place is all manner of Kato first-run C30-7, U30C mechanisms. Every one of those easily beats an Atlas Trainmaster, for an Atlas it is the best, but some of my very worst are all manner of new-run Atlas with those hard/slick wheels. Pay just as much attention to wheel material and coefficient of friction as you do raw weight. Older locomotives with plated brass wheels where the plating has worn off, and they have wide bodies and real lead in them are consistent winners, it's just a matter of degrees.
If you are looking for the strongest currently commercially available single unit diesel, it would probably be the Bachmann DDA40X. Model Railroader reviews put the likes of Kato E units and SD90's in the 1 oz of drawbar pull range, while the DDA40X has 1.6 oz. I haven't seen any reviews of the new Arnold/Hornby U25C, but I would bet that it would be up there considering it has traction tires. If you 're willing to look at older models, the Con-Cor U50 and Gas Turbines were also very hefty pullers. Although not out yet, Broadway Limited is producing a Baldwin Centipede that I would suspect would be an extremely good puller.
Since I started this madness .... and love where it has gone ...... I will report that by adding shims to the trucks of the track cleaning cars, raising them slightly I can now pull them around .. even with a Bachmann 44 ton .. and still have the roller, wipers and rotating pads clean the tracks.
I use an old Life-Like F7 for it. My cleaning train consists of a short car with a strong magnet underneath to pick up lost coupler pins, a Tomix track cleaner running as vacuum cleaner (no rotating disks), and a Roco tracck cleaning car with a rubber underneath. The last one is the hardest to pull.
Do you mean the wagon body gas turbine? That would be quite the beast. I think the hard part would be the 4 wheel trucks and an adequate supply of chassis.
First, there is no doubt that any of the above listed locos can literally pull the paint off the wall. All are very powerful and will meet your needs. I have a similar problem as some points on my layout are just untouchable, so I have to use both commercial and home made track cleaning cars. I have a very large fleet of locos I have accumulated over the many years in this hobby, estimated at well over 400 spanning almost everything that has been made. I am sort of whimsical sort of train runner so I rely on certain pieces depending on which is off the shelf and on the layout. First, just about any 6 axle Kato, Lifelike or Atlas diesel will fill the job no matter how much the drawbar pull, but one loco I consistently go to is the Kato C630 which is their first six axle made. I am lucky enough to have a few and all are consistently powerful, quiet and smooth. But I learned a ton as I probably overlooked most of the locos mentioned before this thread and will be trying them out now. Thanks a million for the education, no sarcasm intended, but sincerity. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
