Saturday, September 18, 2010

Just bumming around on a Sunday morning

Having purchased a nice track cleaning wagon see http://www.jimsmodeltrains.com/-strse-238/CMX-HO-Brass-Clean/Detail.bok I tried a few weeks back on the night we installed the upper level to run the track cleaning car up the spiral from Gwabegar to Merrygoen using a nice new 42 class without much sucess as the load of the brass wagon and the drag from the track pad was just too much and the 42 just sat there slipping.

I knew I had a couple of large US proto locos in storage so after some searching I found both. Of course they both had very old DCC decoders (Digitrax DH120's) and having replaced one cause it just didn't work and trying each loco as the push vehicle for the track cleaner with similar results to the 42 I decided that the only way was to set up a permanent consist and to make a small track at Gwabegar just to stable the consist.

Well not only did the one old Digitrax decoder not work but the older version would not handle advanced consisting. Changed the other decoder and all was then well.

Well now I have a track cleaning consist just have to build the parking siding at Gwabegar. Thinking as well that a banking loco may be needed from Gwabegar to Merrygoen so the same siding could accommodate a banker as well.

As always a couple of photos for interest.

The 42 stalled and slipping



Serious motive power needed to move the cleaning car
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2 comments:

  1. John The Gear WrightSeptember 22, 2010 at 2:51 AM

    6,000 HP to haul one tank wagon!!

    There's a fraction too much friction.....

    John
    Sunny Malaysia

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  2. bobsilver35September 23, 2010 at 2:42 AM

    Need every bit of the power John. 47 class would not move it on the flat.
    Did try adjusting the cleaning pad but no adjustment available so just use up a couple of my pre-NSW proto locos in a good cause.
    It does clean the track very well with a drop or two of "De-Solv-it" (citrus based solvent) to clen off the gunk.
    Branchline Bob, somewhere near Barraba (If I can find it again)

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