# Rain Trains - A LGB Legacy



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

My two favorite "climates" for running trains are:

1. In the dark - where my imagination can make everything more realistic












2. In the rain - the heavier the rain the better

When I first got into this hobby I was "advised" on the forum that I could run my non-LGB trains in the rain "to clean the dirt off of them." That was the absolute worst advice I have ever been given. Eventually I sold or gave every single piece of that unfortunate train away due to rust, corrosion and a multitude of other problems. 

For a variety of reasons (mainly extremely poor construction of my first outside layout) I ended up running LGB Starter Sets because with their low center of gravity they hugged the rails when other trains (including larger LGB locomotives) would derail and fall.

Eventually I rebuilt the layout but in the meantime I had discovered the LGB Starter Sets' ability to run in all weather including drenching downpours. I found out that I really loved running trains in the rain but even though other LGB trains might have been able to handle the rain I was unwilling to risk high dollar locomotives and rolling stock.

My first "Rain Trains" were LGB Stainz locos with European passenger cars. They looked too European for me so I gradually replaced them with the LGB 0-4-0 Lake George & Boulder 73314 Americanized sets. I added an extra two coaches and motorized sound tenders.










As time went by these starter sets were used less and less and I started thinking about selling them - until today...

I was working on the layout and it was obvious that storms were heading my way. Out came the Rain Trains.

This was the first time in a LONG time that I had run anything on this layout so even though I had thought I'd cleaned the layout off pretty well the train derailed six times (it was much better at finding twigs than I was).

Finally everything was running great but with the storm a few twigs etc. fell on the track while the train was running. No problem. The train just stopped and I turned power off until I found and removed the obstruction.

Then I decided to get fancy and started checking out the reverse loops with the train and everything went well - until I went out to flip the switches to put the reverse loop and its power back to normal. 

While I was walking to the switches the loco derailed. If I had been at the controls (my fault) I would have had plenty of time to turn the power off but I was too far away and the result was...











When I picked up the pieces and put everything back together I was not really surprised to find that even after a fall of almost 6 feet there was NO DAMAGE to anything.

Normally I cut one tab off the LGB wiring harnesses to allow a coach to pull loose but in this case I apparently forgot to do that but none of the wiring was damaged. About all that happened was that the roofs pulled off and several wheels snapped out of their journals. After hosing the dirt and mud off with a garden hose everything went back together and is running fine once again.

I am VERY thankful that the train that fell from the raised track was this starter set and not a Mogul pulling much larger and heavier cars. This could have been a very expensive derailment even though all LGB plastics tend to be very durable.

I might add that there are several reasons for running a LGB Motorized Sound Tender along with the 0-4-0 loco. They obviously include the added sound (including magnet activated bell and whistle) plus double the pulling power (needed to get the train up the 10% grade to the yard they are parked on) and just as important they double the track contact from 6 with the loco to 12 total so even if the track might have some contamination or crud from the trees the 12 track contacts keep the train running. In this case there is a very good chance that if it had not been for the combined weight of the loco and tender that the four passenger cars would have yanked the loco off the rails. A locomotive might have been more likely to sustain damage from the fall.

This was another reminder to me of why I'll probably never sell the starter sets and run them instead of Moguls or other trains when there is any rain or heavy winds forecast.


One word of caution: I enjoy doing this but anyone considering doing the same needs to be aware that there are risks involved (I cannot say that no one would ever run into problems resulting from the rain) and there is now the concern for replacement LGB parts if anything is damaged.

Jerry


----------



## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I share your enjoyment of running trains in the dark, Jerry. It is my equivalent to the thrill I get of seeing a big long freight train heading out across the prairie at dusk! When I start out, I have no idea of what, if any, debris is on the track. And I love to watch the engine lights, and the FRED on the last car, blinking away. I probably do this several times a week.

I have not gotten the courage to run my trains in the rain however. I do run them on wet track (right after it has rained), but I'm reluctant to run engines with speakers on the top, in the rain. I did notice yesterday that my U25B has no holes in the top (I plugged up the smoke unit hole) and possibly that could be run in the rain. I'll have to ponder that one.

Ed


----------



## Dennis Paulson (Jan 2, 2008)

The ultimate RAIN TRAIN , for years ........................................





















And yes one of them is battery powered , rc control , there are NO openings to get water in , thats why they are the " ULTIMATE RAIN TRAIN "


----------



## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

i too love trains in the rain and in the dark -but not both! as noted sometimes you have to get out there and clear the ROW 






the only thing i dont care for is a super heavy rain on my soil ballasted sections-spatters like crazy-bu otherwise there is nothing quite like seeing the headlight and tail lights in the rain


----------



## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Live Steam is a whole lot more fun to run in the rain. Steam plumes are often dramatic!


----------



## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry,

I have found that my Eggliners run best in the rain.


----------



## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

I also have problems with the ballast spattering onto the rails in a heavy rain. Although I do not run my trains in the rain, I do run mostly starter set LGB locos. Over the years I have come back to them time and time again. I still feel that they have been the best value on the market in our hobby.


----------



## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

Since I work a second-shift job, I am *definitely *a *"Night Owl"*














. I typically get home from work @ 12:30 AM







- and on a mild summer night, I'll sometimes run either some of the DCC-powered "sparkies" (at that time of night, *ALWAYS non-sound equipped locos or with the sound systems fully muted *







), or sometimes fire up one of the live-steamers. This was from a Memorial Day weekend evening, a few years back....











I've also run this same Accucraft Shay during a *heavy downpour *







- was running during the daytime one cloudy day when the sky suddenly *"opened up"*







. We have a large (@ 40 feet high) maple tree just adjacent to the railroad, so I just ducked under the tree canopy with the RC transmitter, staying pretty dry







, while the Shay just kept chuffing away with a log train during the 5 ~ 10 minute downpour.







With the RC components in the cab out of the rain, it's not bothered by the rain *any more than the prototype is. *







- Only consideration is that rails get a bit slippery in the rain if I'm hauling a "*heavy tonnage" *







train upgrade - occasionally have to drop a car or two from the consist to make it upgrade without excess wheel slip, or *put a small pinch of sand *on the rail head to aid traction (since I've yet to see a large-scale steam loco with *working sanders! *







).







Tom


----------



## Dennis Paulson (Jan 2, 2008)

Great video , the night time and lighting give it so much realiism . 
Most of my train watching over all the years has been at night .......................your video captures the trains at night so very well .


----------



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

I'd like to thank EVERYONE for sharing your enjoyment and experiences of running trains at night and or in the rain. Perhaps the difference between a nut and an eccentric is that a nut tends to act alone. Perhaps we are all a bit eccentric (and happily so).

Jerry


----------

