# speed record for gauge one?



## Tomahawk & Western RR (Sep 22, 2015)

anybody know what locomotive holds this record for g gauge?

Even with 15 cars on mike's track, curves are still too tight to run#24 with throttle wide open. would need at least 40 ft. dia.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Nate, you might experiment some time and calculate scale speed.

I think you would be surprised how many locos will exceed prototype speed.

But also, on the other hand, when I first started, my small loop in the back yard with 10' diameter would not make more than one lap without derailing with a 6 car train and a short loco.

Now, with help from others and learning: (same loop of track)


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Engineer replying to the Conductor in the caboose: "I can't speed up, the Conductor in the train right in front of me is flagging me to slow down!"


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## Bob in Mich (Mar 8, 2008)

*Nate,I sent You the Pennsy speed Charts.They have all sizes 1to22,1/32,1/29,1/16 so You will be able to see how fast You are going.Last Year when I was running My T1 Tom Myers timed Me at 134 MPH,Tom with the Pannier was Going 139 MPH*
* 



*


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## steamermeister (Feb 20, 2013)




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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

At the Sinsheim show a few years back, I seem to recall they had a speed record track.
Long and straight with a speed trap and masses of foam to catch the loco at the end.
I don't remember what the fastest loco was, but it seemed to be an obscene amount.
I'll see if I can find the write up.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That train chasing it's tail actually happened accidentally, was running on main line, and diverted into inner loop. Halfway through, I realized I never calculated the length of the inner loop in car lengths... so once I got it all off the main line, decided to take a picture.

Greg


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## clifforddward (Jan 2, 2008)

Where was Dr. Rivet during that GS4 Land speed record attempt?....surely that was a run that received authorization first?...I did not see the timing traps...;-)


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## Two Blocked (Feb 22, 2008)

David's "obscene" comment of Sinsheim is spot on. Every time that I've observed Euro/UK model rail events they were populated by gentleman with great reverence for the 45mm hobbies. I hope that's not changed.
In the GS-4 video where was the commonsense, common curtesy, adult sense of basic safety and concern for US$10,000 grand plus in equipment cost by a very lucky younger man?
Based on experiments carried out by Larry Bangham, Bob Paulie, Allan Starry, and I with four very sophisticated,instrumented, "Inertia Vehicles" [definitely not drag-cars], that the optimum top speed for our little steam engines is when the loco's main coupling rods START to blur in their circumnavigation of the outer axle [crank pin] arcs. The inertia vehicles speedometers correlated this speed for each class of loco tested. Since all four of us were using MDC cars and MDC wheel sets we calibrated the electronic mile-o-meters to the circumference of the MDC wheel diameters. It could have been done by using loco driver wheel dimensions as well, but fooling with an all-up Aster Hudson and such was a bit too much and spoiled the discipline of the testing pool.
Three of the vehicles were setup to accurately mimic a 50 unit load of MDC gauge one box cars so that later the consist could be expanded by another 25 MDC cars to fit smaller sized pikes with a prototypical sized consist and LOAD. The fourth was built around a 75 unit load for running behind an Aster Big Boy with the same addition of 25 MDC units in mind on a 32' by 35' footprint layout. As I remember the Big Boy's top visually indicated speed using the "blur method" was 85 scale mph, but it looked better at 75 scale mph. Even better visuals of drafting and full valve events were down in the 45 scale mph ranges.
The Inertia Vehicles stored many foot pounds of energy as the loco/consist came to a halt; just as a 1:1 consist does. This energy storage forces full-sized-practice events on the model operator in order to prevent skidding of the loco and accordioning the consist [metal wheeled wheel sets are the ultimate worst].
In my experience the coupling rod blur-test works every time a modeler wants to run at prototypical scale top speed. My personal question is: "But why do it"? On my pike the expert operator demonstrates just how one can operate a rod engine [not so much a geared loco] at a sloooowly creeping pace. This shows a good operator and mechanic that is in full control of his prized possession; a model engineer. 
As to speed records in 45mm gauge one? Maybe a new class of Tether Car, or think, Slot Car? A new "speed" record in gauge one will impress no one, but a new drawbar value will!
Model Die Casting [MDC], also known as "Roundhouse" on their box art, produced both high quality and reasonably priced plastic rolling stock in 45mm and HO gauge for modelers. They were bought out by Horizon Hobbies a bunch of years ago to acquire MDC's HO line. The gauge one line was abandoned, the residual stock was sold off in bulk [sans Roundhouse boxes and art] and hence the MDC inclusion in these tests. A great fallen flag!

Pax Americana et Semper Paratus

KO-5


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## Tomahawk & Western RR (Sep 22, 2015)

My #24 will almost shake herself apart while running on blocks. the old bearings for the axles are pretty worn out, so the faster and faster she goes, the more she shakes. However, with the boiler pressure upped to 80 psi, and no cars, she may have a fighting chance against the gs-4. I have to find out what the top prototypical speed is for the maine 2 footer. i am guessing somewhere around 25 mph


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Kevin
As with the real railroad lines, time was money therefore high speed trains were essential to the bottomline.
A test run to determine a locomotive capacity and ability to function on the rails was not unheard of as per the many denoted runs throughout railroad history.
Maybe the GS4 run was on an imaginary attempt to duplicate the train run in the movie, "Danger Lights!" 
Then there is just the human aspect, because it was there to be conquered .

I do not remember exactly but the GS4 run was over 200+ scale mph.


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## du-bousquetaire (Feb 14, 2011)

Most gauge one engines and engeneers run way too fast. The best way to stabilise an engines speed is to put a load behind its drawbar. because on meth fired engines it is the draught that sparks up the fire as per the Stephenson cycle, Many inexperienced drivers tend to run their engines too fast so that they will draught and steam properly. 
Putting a good size train behind the tender does the same thing it increases the back pressure on the cylinders raising the pressure inside the boiler by creating a stronger blast through the exhaust. Added benefit: You understand why in the steam era railroads had a wide range of locos adapted to any train size: For a short light peddler run a mogule or a consolidation or a ten wheeler, for a large drag freight or mineral train a big mikado or a decapod or even a texas type, and so on.
Making engines run too fast is both dangerous and is not dificult at all. But having a loco run at the sedate pace that it should, is much more chalenging and realistic. As far as I know (not being an SP fan) the GS 4 didn't run much over 100 miles per hour ever, even on tests. I used to ride the Maine two footers at Edaville as a youngster and they rarely ran at over 30 Mph on two foot gauge, although L Moody claimed that they operated the Rangely Lake express at a mile a minute in its heyday, something I find a bit of a tall tale in two foot gauge.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Folks;

I think this little beastie would grab the title, providing I could get enough straight track to give it the full 9.5V allowed on the drive motor. Basically, it is a one liter seltzer bottle, ball bearing wheels, and a ducted fan drive (think jet engine for electric R/C model airplanes).










If the photo shows, I will have figured out how to grab some of my photos. Think I need to get it out and run it again.

Have fun,
David Meashey


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

The drama, speed and the "madman" who would dare to attempt the feat:

Danger Lights

Fast forward to the 58:30 mark to see the drama and the "race" to save the day!


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## Tomahawk & Western RR (Sep 22, 2015)

Dave Meashey said:


> Folks;
> 
> I think this little beastie would grab the title, providing I could get enough straight track to give it the full 9.5V allowed on the drive motor. Basically, it is a one liter seltzer bottle, ball bearing wheels, and a ducted fan drive (think jet engine for electric R/C model airplanes).
> 
> ...


dave, i would want to get hit by that!


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

In the recent past someone posted a Scale Speedometer made from a bicycle speedometer, maybe someone will remember and post a link. thank you.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave, I love that!


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## StackTalk (May 16, 2014)

Tomahawk & Western RR said:


> dave, i would want to get hit by that!


Only a few brave souls want to know how salami is made.


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## Alan in Adirondacks (Jan 2, 2008)

Hello All,

The GS-4 run was timed using the video at 57 seconds around Jim's track, which was 214 scale MPH. When the engine is headed down grade you can see engineer Jeff throwing his hands up because he couldn't catch it to slow it down. Just after the video ends when on the upgrade he was able to get a running start and ambush it to shut the throttle.

Nate, needless to say this was craziness beyond belief, and would never be tried again. Not so much from the possibility of damage to the engine and train if it derailed, but from doing grievous damage to Jim's track (and shutting the meet down for a couple of hours). But at the time it was a rainy Friday morning in 2008 with just a few of us present, and son Jeff got a wild hair! And no, we did not get Jim's permission in advance which was a big mistake.

Best regards,

Alan


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## Tomahawk & Western RR (Sep 22, 2015)

Alan in Adirondacks said:


> Hello All,
> 
> The GS-4 run was timed using the video at 57 seconds around Jim's track, which was 214 scale MPH. When the engine is headed down grade you can see engineer Jeff throwing his hands up because he couldn't catch it to slow it down. Just after the video ends when on the upgrade he was able to get a running start and ambush it to shut the throttle.
> 
> ...


what damage was caused to the track?

Knowing how you are jim about stuff being prototype roadnames, corect scale, ect, i bet that drove you nuts with it not running at prototypical speed!

....now it only was pulling 7/8ths scale UK cars


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## Tomahawk & Western RR (Sep 22, 2015)

StackTalk said:


> Only a few brave souls want to know how salami is made.


OOPS that was a bad typo!!!!


i meant i WOULDNT want to get hit by that!!!!

mee is gooohd aht gramer an spehling


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

I was going to post a pic of Dave M's rocket, but he beat me to it! 

Nate, you didn't specify how long the track needed to be, or even if the thing had to stay on the rails. And since that's the case, I'd think some enterprising modeler could emulate one of the ol' rocket sleds of NASA:






A spare flat car, some PVC pipe, and a few Estes rocket motors, you're in business! And you only need about 10' of track, preferably inclined, because anything else would be, ah, superfluous. Just don't point it at your house, or your neighbor's house. Might point it at your neighbor's chihuahua though.


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## Mike Flea (Apr 8, 2014)

Funny you should mention the sleds, Cliff. This falls into the category of "This post is useless without pics". About 23 yrs ago, when I was first getting into Large Scale, my brother-in-law was into model rocketry with his eldest son, and he suggested we take all the straight track I had, which amounted to 311 ft, and laid it down in the alley behind our houses. The Baby Bertha rocket was mounted to 2 Bachmann trucks with 2 oz of lead wheel weights added to the front truck to keep the nose down, with a single stage engine, (it was small, maybe 3" long), and he set it off. Never even entered our minds to take a pic or record for posterity, but it was hilarious, 311 ft didn't matter, it shot off the end of the track and kept going straight maybe another 200 ft until it hit a pebble or something, then veered off into someone's yard. Flanges were worn down to almost nubs, good thing it didn't hit anybody.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Cliffy;

The rocket sled video reminded me of the American Flyer S gauge rocket sled (electric motor powered) from the early 1960s. It even ejected its "pilot" at the end of the run. I have only seen that accessory in catalogs. I wonder how fast it really went. Given the sharpness of the American Flyer curved track, I don't suppose it could have gone very fast before centrifugal force had disastrous results.

Thanks for sharing,
David Meashey


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Speed record?? There is a guy that runs this little booger in Sacramento every year. This thing is a freaking missile. Racing for pinks. It's a Gauge 0, so maybe it does not count.



But the real question is: What's the slowest?


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

How about a radar gun. Available from $100 - $xxxxx. Amazon.


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

*This may not be speed record but the heart*






This was posted some years ago. Steve and Caleb running their Big Boys at some pretty good speeds. Accounted for some fast racinng hearts to say the least.


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## deltatrains (Nov 25, 2010)

*Little (Dribbler) Speeder*



xo18thfa said:


> Speed record?? There is a guy that runs this little booger in Sacramento every year. This thing is a freaking missile. Racing for pinks. It's a Gauge 0, so maybe it does not count.
> 
> 
> 
> But the real question is: What's the slowest?


*Watch this little speeder in action at The Steam Up in Sacramento 

Go to time frame 07:58 to 08:44....
Enjoy,
Peter.




*


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## Tomahawk & Western RR (Sep 22, 2015)

THAT was fast!


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Tomahawk & Western RR said:


> THAT was fast!


Looks like an oscillator - they're always fast unless geared down (as Regner does on their Easy Line.)


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Well Carl Berg does hold some records with his Gauge O Commodore Vanderbuilt.


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