Peter, Since you've been to my layout many times you've seen the dips
and hills I've built into the layout. When we started, the
trucks---Kinsman, Ace and Rex were probably the most common for typical
freight cars. Rex trucks were the worst even with replacement wheels
but we felt the rest pretty darn good. Then the American Models trucks
arrived by the dozens and everything started running away and a new
standard was set. I had to go in a make some grade changes where I
could. To this date I have a few locations that have Tortoise machines
made into electric wheel stops while a good friend uses rubber erasers
while another uses selectively placed weeds to catch the axles.
After that we had the PRS trucks that when mated with NWSL wheelsets
were total runaways. Next Ace put Delrin bearings on their trucks so
the old standards were changed again. After the SHS and S Scale America
arrived, the vast majority of my trucks rolled very easily. I think
there might be some issues where uniquely styled brass trucks mixed in
the middle might be the cause of derailments but I can't confirm that.
When SHS designed their caboose truck they used a straight axle which
causes a fair amount of drag at the end and that's probably a good thing.
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
On 9/10/13 4:20 PM, Peter Vanvliet wrote:
In the September issue of RMC is an article by a gentleman who models
in N-scale and built himself a small "test-center" to verify the
performance of his engines and cars. Part of the test is to let the
car run from a small ramp (like an N-scale re-railer) and measure how
far the car rolls (he has a scale ruler next to the track).
I was wondering if there is a certain "standard" or guideline within
S-scale that determines whether a car is free-rolling enough, or it
needs some work?
I ask, because I have some cars that don't roll but a few inches when
given a push, and because lack for free-rolling induces drag which
drains the batteries in my engines needlessly. On the flip side, if
the car rolls too easily, the slightest non-level piece of track will
not keep the car sitting where you put it.
- Peter.
--
Peter Vanvliet ([email protected])
Houston, Texas
My Model Railroad Site <http://pmrr.org/> (RSS feed
<http://pmrr.org/rss.xml>)
Fourth Ray Software <http://fourthray.com/>
Houston S Gaugers <http://houstonsgaugers.org/>
N.A.S.G. <http://nasg.org/>
--
