# Favoured operating speeds



## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Assume you have a throttle for all your engines and it has basically 10 steps and "stop". If you set the throttle to step "9" what speed you expect the locomotive to go:

That last choice is indicative that you expect all your locos to be able to run at the exact same speed, regardless of what the prototype was able to do... i.e.: your Erie Triplex should be able to run as fast as your Burlington Zepher or ol' no 999 or the mag lev train in Europe.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I just tend to like to go fast, just a big kid!


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Jerry Barnes on 09/13/2008 7:41 PM
I just tend to like to go fast, just a big kid! 


So you'd vote for the third option?


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2008)

I dig Prototypical Speeds...S...L...O....W....

I chose #2


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By calenelson on 09/13/2008 8:04 PM
I dig Prototypical Speeds...S...L...O....W....

I chose #2 



So do I, but option #2 isn't necessarily slow. And what's with option #3? These choices are just about as twisted as the thread that started this. Can't we introduce some calculus and thermal dynamics into the mix just to make it interesting.


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

I would pick number 2.

chuckger


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Del Tapparo on 09/13/2008 9:05 PM
Posted By calenelson on 09/13/2008 8:04 PM
I dig Prototypical Speeds...S...L...O....W....

I chose #2 



So do I, but option #2 isn't necessarily slow. And what's with option #3? These choices are just about as twisted as the thread that started this. Can't we introduce some calculus and thermal dynamics into the mix just to make it interesting. 




Well, so far it looks like everyone wants trains to run at prototypical speeds, except Jerry who either didn't vote or hit the wrong button.

I have to express that I don't feel the choices are "twisted". There were folk that expressed that they don't care about prototypical speeds and like Jerry, just want them to run fast. Of course there are Garden Train Locomotives for which there never were prototypes or, at least, not given the scenario they represent... i.e.: Mickey and Goofy pumping a hand car or that LG B "Air car" with the big propeller on the back.

I suppose if you want calculus and thermodynamics, then we could discuss (and/or just cuss) whether you can run your trains so fast that if you had a cornfield meet, you might create a black hole.

My brother and I used to run our O-27 Lionel trains as fast as we could into each other and we really enjoyed it... that is, until one of them broke so badly that we only had one engine that would run... then we realized the stupidity of exceeding the design strength of the cast loco bodies.

BUT, I am serious in finding some count of what people like and want.

If you don't care about prototypical speeds then you have just as much fun as anyone that strives to run a railroad in their backyard.

If the manufacturer limits the upper speed of a loco they run the risk of losing sales to those that want to just run fast... but for those that want to run at prototypical speeds the power of the locomotive at the reduced voltage and current to obtain the prototypical speed limits the power of the locomotive to pull a prototypical load and the manufacturer risks losing sales to that segment of the community.

This poll is simply to find how many MLS readers want to run all locos at the same speed (so the model of the SW1200 runs as fast as the model of the Bullet Train) or if the loco should handle closely to the way the prototypical engine did.

So far, it looks like prototype speeds is important to those that are responding.


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Option #4.


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## jbwilcox (Jan 2, 2008)

Your questions are confusiing.

Maybe i want to run my loco at 100 percent of the real prototype engines speed.

Maybe I want to run my loco at 50 percent of thre real prototype engines speed.

Which of your choices do I choose?

I would like to be able to run my locos at the prototype speed. I have shays, connies and annies and a couple porters. They should run at realistic speeds, each based on what the real engine could do.

Eliminate the three choices or change them to make them more meaningful and you will get better responses.

John


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By jbwilcox on 09/13/2008 10:30 PM
Your questions are confusiing.

Maybe i want to run my loco at 100 percent of the real prototype engines speed.

Maybe I want to run my loco at 50 percent of thre real prototype engines speed.

Which of your choices do I choose?

I would like to be able to run my locos at the prototype speed. I have shays, connies and annies and a couple porters. They should run at realistic speeds, each based on what the real engine could do.

Eliminate the three choices or change them to make them more meaningful and you will get better responses.

John



You've almost got it!

If your engine is a slow freight dragger where the prototype engine had a max speed of, say, 30 MPH and you set the throttle to the roof it will only go about 30 MPH, so on the model you set the throttle to max (100%) and it runs at a scale 30 MPH, set it to 50% and it runs at a scale 15 MPH. Likewise if your model is of a Bullet Train with a max speed of 200 MPH, if you set the throttle to max the scale train will run at a scale 200 MPH, and at 50% it will run at a scale 100 MPH.

As opposed to those that want to run the freight dragger at a scale 200 MPH, even if the prototype would fly apart if it tried.

You, as I understand your comment, would then choose option 2... make the train run at 90% of the prototypes max speed when the toy throttle is at 90% of its max setting.

Of course, some of us would kind'a like to have a throttle that has a sort of booster setting to it whereby we could run the big lumbering coal train at maybe 110% or even maybe 150% or, well... okay make it a Coal Bullet Train at 500%... "Scotty, warp speed!... She canna take much more, Captin!"

The point is, should the manufacturers make the model of the Erie Triplex to run as fast as the model of the Japanese Bullet Train?


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## Duncan (Jan 2, 2008)

Actually John if you read the thread closely, it's not so confusing at all...

Think "up to" the value given for each choice...

Choice #1 = Do you want to play 'slot-trains'?? (90% of light speed)

Choice #2 = Do you want each of your individual engines to run at approxiamtely 90% of their individual prototypical speed? (is any body going to quibble about 10% of the top end value?)

Choice #3 = Do you want each of your locomotives to run the 1/4 mile at the same elapsed time?? (bracket racing, if you will)

Sorta easy to determine. Yes? No??


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

I chose #2.. I tend to creep myself, I like it slow, I enjoy switching..


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Streamliner...... just under max warp speed

Freight train......15 % of warp speed.

I run my streamliner fast and my freight trains slower


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

None of the above is my answer. 
I feel that going 'fast' will make the trains wear out faster and keep maint costs high.


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2008)

seemingly i did not understand the questions. 
i checked #1 because i want to run the trains MY speed. 
(my speed being normally slow enough, that visitors can distinguish, if a passenger in the train is reading the bible or the playboy)


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## bobgrosh (Jan 2, 2008)

Choice 3.
LGB understood this.
Since most buyers will run on DC for at least a while, all locos should have identical gear ratios and power curves.

On Analog, who knows what two locos a user might want to couple together to get a train up a grade. He might use a little diesel switcher as a helper for a Mogul.
They all need the same gear ratio and speed range.

Once someone converts to DCC or battery/RC they can choose an appropriate battery or appropriate CV settings to set the maximums and minimums or even a power curve to satisfy their needs.

Most DCC users insist on "speed matching" their locos. This is a process of configuring decoders so that different brands and models of locos all travel at the exact same speed for a given speed step. They may make the locos match speeds exactly from 1% to 80% of the throttle setting. Then they can use the last 20% of the speed curve to set the maximum speed to match the prototype. This way, they can MU any two locos together and they play nice together as long as the operator stays below 80% on their throttle. Mikados, and other freight locos would then have a lower top speed than Pacific's and other passenger locos.

This speed matching even extends to switchers. A switcher can be speed matched to a road engine. Then you can change to switching mode, (turn on F6 with the switching mode CV enabled), and set the maximum prototypical speed for the switcher.
Now you have a switcher that normally uses the full range of the throttle to provide fine slow speed control and a prototypical speed for the switcher, but, by turning of F6, you can press it into service as a helper at the rear of a train and it will not fight the road engines, push cars to the outside or string them on curves. This works great where two users can coordinate their speeds to the same numbers displayed on their throttles or where the locos are consisted.

All my LGB locos were easy to set up using this method. Each loco has at top speed appropriate to their prototype yet can be MU'd together. All speed curves are the same up to 80%. Doing the same thing with other brands can become a nightmare. There are even complicated computer programs to help. Matching the speed curve of a Bachmann Kay so that it can be MU'd with Bachmann Annie requires running each loco through three detection blocs at least 28 times. Then the procedure has to be repeated to verify it and fine tune it. Even then, the power curves of the locos do not match. While speed matching will result in both locos running at the same speed with a light load, they won't as you add more cars to both locos. Back EMF helps in this situation, but, if the motors are significantly different, even that requires a lot of tweaking to even get them close.

So, I would say, All the locos should run at the same speed for a given voltage on DC. Then, the advanced user can install Battery/RC or DCC and alter the speed range to suit the way they want to run their trains. I can see where there should be rreasonable exceptions, The Fortuna flyer, ACL and Shay come to mind.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Other guys at the garden are always asking if I can speed up a little.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

None of the above? If I TRIED to use warp 9 they'd just sail off the table just like my old TYCO HO stuff used to, except the crash would be louder and much more spendy. performance at 2, 3 or 4 would be MUCH more useful 

BTW since I mostly run a bashed LGB 2017 there AIN'T no stinkin "prototype"...OTOH the fact that with the matching power tender it can pull FAR more than any "real" 0-4-0 comes in rather handy if I want to pull 6-7 cars instead of 4


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Not that my vote really counts 'cause I don't do 'lectricity, but I like slow speeds. No warp speeds here... 1/8 impulse of less (besides, speeds above 1/4 impulse but less than Warp 1 result in increasing relativistic effects like time dilation).


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

The question was NOT "Do you like to run fast?"!!!!! 

It is, rather, if you set the throttle in your hand (or in the cab, or on the floor, or where ever you have it located) at a certain point, how fast do you expect the train to go relative to your other trains. It is all RELATIVE to YOUR throttle and your locomotives. I happened to have used a point of Ninety Percent. ALL three poll selections could have 10% or 50% or any other throttle position substituted and your answer should not change. 

The difference between selection 1 and 3 is that in 3 you expect all locomotive to be identical (so you can double-head your Shay on the Bullet train) and in 1 you do not, but neither do you expect them to be prototypical.


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## rpc7271 (Jan 2, 2008)

Damn the torpedos! Full speed ahead!


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

I like to see a steam locos rods move smoothly, not a blur!

A large scale steam loco looks tough when it’s moving at a ‘nice’ speed.

I do not want a model to be grossly over speed, but a bit over is not going to stop me from purchasing.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

It is, rather, if you set the throttle in your hand (or in the cab, or on the floor, or where ever you have it located) at a certain point, how fast do you expect the train to go relative to your other trains. 




I haven't a clue. I use a TE and I just hold the button till it's going as fast as I want. Actually, I hold it till it starts to creep, then tap it as it slowly gets to the speed I want.


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## Henson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Torby on 09/15/2008 6:13 AM

I haven't a clue. I use a TE and I just hold the button till it's going as fast as I want. Actually, I hold it till it starts to creep, then tap it as it slowly gets to the speed I want.


I run my trains like Torby and not to fast. Even my 9 year old grandson says "Pop's the trains sure look better running slow".
I voted #2 hope thats right.


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## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

i run analog and virtually only lgb-lgb motors run at lower voltage than many others 

i am often tempted to run at speeds in which the features of any loco reach max pleasure-ie 5 V lights are fully illuminated, smoke unit is working 

mostly id say i run around 7-10 volts-this also seems to be a rnage that there is a bit less heat build up for long trains on grades-sort of a compromise 

sometimes 6 volts or less with some of the very efficient locos like the stainzs 

but the final cut off is that steam locos must not run faster than i think the exhausts should occur-a working cadence if you will-pretty slow 

i find that accelerating and decelerating and running slowly also give me the impression of mass and inertia of a real train 

like dan i believe (from slot train events) that slow reduces mishaps 

for my amtrac and smoothside SP consists -a bit faster but not too much-maybe 10-12V if ive had a bit too much coffee-slower just seems to fits better and makes the run seem longer


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

I dunno, I'm confused.








I run my E-8 passenger train full out.








I run my early dismal freights at a prototypic speed.








I run my C-16's and Dunkirk at a prototypic speed.








I run my 7/8's trains at creepin' lokie speed.









-Brian


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I tend to run less that max for any given loco. I just like running slower than most as it looks better. So I picked num 2 Later RJD


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

High ballin' is the only way to go...peg the throttle wide open:
"As opposed to those that want to run the freight dragger at a scale 200 MPH, even if the prototype would fly apart if it tried." to which I say I ain't opposed!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I like to be able to hit the prototype top speed when I want, most of the time I'm running passengers at 60 and freights at 45 (I run the transition era, so no huge diesels like I see in the desert!) 

Regards, Greg


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I count seconds per 40ft freight car. If it takes 1 second for a 40ft car to pass, you're going 27MPH, regardless of scale. 2 cars in 40 seconds is 54MPH. 

27 seems about right for my Mallet hauling freight. I run my shortie coaches a little slower than that.


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## weaverc (Jan 2, 2008)

I run 3' narrow gauge, so I like to run slowly. I run about 25 to 30 mph and never at Lionel speeds. To achieve that, I have a WalMart bicycle speedometer installed in a combine. A small Radio Shack earth magnet (the one that comes with it is too large) is superglued to one axle and the sensor is mounted on the truck nearly touching the magnet. I've measured one combine wheel in mms (29.5) and converted to mms in 1:20.3 scale by multiplying to find that the "bicycle wheel" is 599 mms, which I then multiplied by Pi to get the setting. The setting, c=1880, was put in the bike speedometer computer. I mounted the speedo in a window and have an LED over it for illumination at night. Not only does the device show speed, it also shows distance traveled. You can do this for any scale. 

Here's a slow running video at 30 mph scale speed, with some of the run slower: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASPKDeaF9-s

The speedometer is in the left window.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Somehow, I think my way is easier


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Torby on 10/23/2008 4:22 PM
Somehow, I think my way is easier 



But, you said, 

"I count seconds per 40ft freight car. If it takes 1 second for a 40ft car to pass, you're going 27MPH, regardless of scale. 2 cars in 40 seconds is 54MPH."

Other than your typo (don't you mean 4 cars in 2 seconds ~~ 55mph?), if it took more than 10 seconds I'd have to stop the train while I took my shoes off.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Indeed a typo. 2 cars per second is 54MPH. 

Shoes? You wear shoes while railroading? How weird.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Not only shoes, but sometimes Welles, a Sou'wester and mukluks!


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## Guest (Jan 1, 2009)

I prefer slower speeds. I've never tried to calculate a "scale speed", but if they run too fast (max power) they don't look correct to me so I keep it slower and more realistic looking.


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## SlateCreek (Jan 2, 2008)

Made sense to me. 

The real question is, if you firewall a Shay, do you want it to go 79 mph just like a firewalled USA Trains F3 because someone might want to double head them? If so, you pick option #4. If you want the whole range of your throttle to be useful, so that if you have a K-27 that even in the most forgiving and ideal of circumstances never ran above 45 mph, and more realistically ran between 15 and 25mph, then having a throttle that will make it go 100 mph at 100% is never going to have more than the first half of the range used. 

So... I vote #2 ... 90% throttle should be 90% of what you'd expect the top speed to be, or some reasonable facsimilie thereof .... given that the top speed we'd expect is the top speed for that kind of locomotive. 

It doesn't make much sense to have a shay that will go 60mph. It equally doesn't make sense to have a NYC hudson that WON'T go 90mph. 

Think, structure and function. 

I think what confused people was the extra 10%. If you'd had said "at 100% throttle" I think more would have got it. Because from there, if you set your throttle to 50%, you get 50% max speed for the locomotive, etc. 

Or something. 

Matthew (OV)


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## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

Try this: 

http://www.liveoakrr.com/tips/scalespeed.htm


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## jbwilcox (Jan 2, 2008)

I normally do not look at these poll questions because I have not found one yet that was worded in such a way that I could really answer it. this one is no exception.

Why choose 90% as a choice? It makes no sense.

I prefer to run my trains rathe slowly so there is not a single choice here that makes any sense to me.

Please put a little more thought into your choices if you are planning to run one of these polls.

That is what happens on political polls as well. They can scew the results to what they want by the way they ask the question.

John


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By jbwilcox on 01/04/2009 9:56 PM
I normally do not look at these poll questions because I have not found one yet that was worded in such a way that I could really answer it. this one is no exception.

Why choose 90% as a choice? It makes no sense.

I prefer to run my trains rathe slowly so there is not a single choice here that makes any sense to me.

Please put a little more thought into your choices if you are planning to run one of these polls.

That is what happens on political polls as well. They can scew the results to what they want by the way they ask the question.

John



The poll was created because of a discussion about scale speeds and gear ratios and a question/comment about how fast a locomotive SHOULD go, based on the throttle setting of the system power supply. If you were not a participant of that discussion then maybe this poll seems weird (or weirder than it would if you had read that discussion or read any of the comments and my various poor attempts to explain it in the discussion on this poll thread itself).

The "90%" point was selected as a completely arbitrary point to NAIL DOWN one place on the throttle. I did that SPECIFICALLY so nobody would try to convert the poll to setting the throttle to two different places for two different locomotives. If you desire, you may substitute 78 percent or 45 percent or even 33 and a third percent, or any other number you would like, as long as when comparing locomotive speeds you use the same throttle setting for all of the locomotives and no other value.

You say you like to run your trains slowly. I do too most of the time (I like to watch the side rods and eccentric! ---







---), but I also like to run them fast sometimes (there is nothing like the adrenaline rush of hoping your $4,000 Aster "Mikado" Live Steam locomotive doing a bazillion real miles per hour will make it through a sharp curve that is elevated 4-ft. off the ground! ---







---).

The original thread where this was discussed (and cussed) was all about gear ratios and that some brand-new locomotive was geared too low when compared to other locos. Some then said all you had to do was set the throttle higher, but others then said that would make their other trains run too fast... some didn't realize that some were talking track powered speed control and others were talking individual locomotive speed control.

I did put a whole lot of thought into the wording of the poll, but, of course, that does not mean I was able to express myself without waving my hands in front of my intended (though possibly reluctant) listener's face to get my point across. I do wish the poll structure were such that one could preface the poll questions with a novella to prepare the poll taker for an understanding of the purpose of the poll and what it was trying to discover, not that anybody would read or understand it if one could do such a thing, given that people do not read the comments and responses that others have made in response to the poll itself.

I suppose I should not have included the 3rd option, as it and the 1st are just about the same thing. But the gist of the poll is whether you want to run all your locomotives at scale prototypical speeds, or to run them at the same speed regardless of whether the prototype could have ever attained the higher speeds... i.e.: you want to be able to double-head a Shay steam locomotive with the nuclear powered Mag-Lev locomotive on the same train. Prototypical cruising speed for a Shay is between 10 and 25 (depending on the particular Shay) and a Mag Lev train isn't up to smooth running below 150.

If you want to run your trains at prototypical speeds, then either: your Shay has to be geared such that max throttle produces about 25 SMPH, or if it is geared to be able to run at 300 SMPH then you would never set the throttle over about 8.33 percent.

I happen to be a member of the Gallup Panel, and I certainly understand how polls can skew the results to fit someone's particular agenda by the wording of the choices. To skew the results (so far for the 49 people that responded), to fit MY political agenda, I am guessing that most folk like the throttle control, from minimum to maximum to represent: from zero SMPH to the prototypical max SMPH for each type of locomotive, as opposed to: from zero to the max SMPH of their fastest locomotive (or some other arbitrary speed).

i.e.: For most of the respondents, if they had both a Shay and a Bullet locomotive on the same LOOP of track and set their throttle to anything other than OFF, the Shay would soon be overrun by the Bullet (how long "soon" is, would depend on the exact throttle setting and where they started on the loop of track).

Whereas, the minority would prefer the Shay and Bullet to maintain the same relative distance between each other as they progress around the track, regardless of the speed they are traveling.

For those that say they would never put a Shay and a Bullet train on the same layout, let alone the same track, I can certainly understand that as I would never put a 1:29 scale train on 45-mm gauge track... but to each his/her own (there is no accounting for taste).


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## jbwilcox (Jan 2, 2008)

I did not mean to sound mean with my comments.

Maybe you shoud have asked simply if people preferred to run their trains at prototypical speeds or as fast or slow as their mood demanded.

I love to see my Shay running slowly with several log cars behind it.

I run my Annie a little bit faster when it is pulling some passenger cars.

Anyway, thanks for the explanation.

John


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## Engineercub (Oct 18, 2008)

Well... I'd hate to box myself into a vote but there were no options for 'all of the above'. So personally, here is my opinion... I am building my layout with very high radius curves and turnouts so that high speed is achievable with no hassle. Having said that, I don't plan on running wide open (maximum authorized speed) all the time. I like diversity and as such will run many different ways depending on what I am doing and my mood. As an Engineer who is qualified on two subdivisions and all yard service in my territory, I will say that I prefer high speed railroading. Yard switching is boring to me but being in the Yard is the only way I get time off work. When I was a kid, I loved watching trains blazing by me. The feeling you get and the forces involved are just so amazing. Nothing has changed today. I really enjoy being at the throttle of an intermodal blazing it's way to Chattanooga at 60 MPH. As far as prototypical speeds, I'm not really sure how many people know about them honestly. They differ everywhere as well. Now it is true that in Yard service we run 10 MPH everywhere except on main line track, but watching videos of people switching at 'prototypical' speeds aren't 100% accurate. They run their cuts into each other at scale 10 MPH and that could derail cars in reality. In reality a coupling's top speed should be 4MPH or less and that is a rule. I typically make couplings at 1-2 MPH for the safety of my Conductor. Rail cars are 30 tons empty and are very unforgiving should something go wrong. Switching is a very slow process as well. You need to have a very high attention span to enjoy that. Now on main line track, trains have City Ordinance speed restrictions, and Track Warrants a heck of alot and no Engineer ever goes down their entire subdivision at Maximum Authorized Speed typically. Not to mention, speed restrictions based on track work apply to the whole train so you have to reduce your speed not only for the restriction, but also for the entire length of your train which we use counters to determine. There are also turnouts and crossovers to worry about. The highest speed turnout on the Chattanooga sub is 45 MPH and it is through a crossover. Most of the turnouts are only good for 10 MPH from main to siding and vice versa. So, prototypical speed is actually a constantly fluctuating thing, and ergo, that is probably how I'll run. I'm good at rambling lol

-Will


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Semper Vaporo on 09/14/2008 11:11 PM
The question was NOT "Do you like to run fast?"!!!!! 

It is, rather, if you set the throttle in your hand (or in the cab, or on the floor, or where ever you have it located) at a certain point, how fast do you expect the train to go relative to your other trains. It is all RELATIVE to YOUR throttle and your locomotives. I happened to have used a point of Ninety Percent. ALL three poll selections could have 10% or 50% or any other throttle position substituted and your answer should not change. 

The difference between selection 1 and 3 is that in 3 you expect all locomotive to be identical (so you can double-head your Shay on the Bullet train) and in 1 you do not, but neither do you expect them to be prototypical. 





Its still #2, to expect a Shay geared loco and a Pacific to operate together at the same sped relative to the same throttle position is total unrealistic, the differences with motor sizes, internal gearing and different wheel diameters are going to guarentee completely different performance profiles. Not that said if I have two similar models with similar drives, maybe even identical drives with different body shells, I expect them to run reasonably identical to each other, but in practice I have found big differences even with two identical models that just happened to manufacturered in different time eras. Think early LGB Porter vs late Porter, even within the same dismal motor blocks when coupled together resulting in different speed profiles at the same throttle setting.


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## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

*I voted for option #2 (90 % of prototype speed). *







*With a roster containing a LARGE number of geared steam locos (currently SIX Shays *







- *4 of those Bachmann "sparkies", 2 Accucraft live-steam Shays *







*, 2 Climaxes, 1 Heisler), I try to run them prototypically slow...*



*This past year, I also picked up some 1:29 th scale New Haven prototype equipment *







*(figure on running the 1:20.3 narrow-gauge prototypes most of the time, but sometimes I want to "switch gears"*







*& run some local prototypes)...*




*The New Haven Alco PA's & the "Merchant's Limited" look GREAT rolling along at around a scale 80 MPH *







* - (which the PA's can manage going along the level tangent at the back of the yard or downgrade - they have their work cut out for them trying to haul 100 lbs. (! *







*!) of the USA aluminum cars up the 3% grade! *







* Tom*


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