Steam branchline switching in N scale?

[Ted Waterhouse]

I've been out of active model railroading for a several years. Previously dabbled in On3 and Proto 48 but lately have had to recognize that I'll never have the space for a layout in that scale. I started collecting N scale rolling stock a while back and have picked up some pretty nice stuff. I'd expected that a remodel on the house was going to allow room for a nice mainline N scale layout but it hasn't worked out that way (the remodel got downscaled too) and I'd nearly given up the idea of a layout at all but lately have realized that I could work a shelf layout into my office. Still, space limitations are such that it'd be more along the lines of a branchline switching operation. Now this might not be a problem if it weren't for the fact that I'm a steam nut. An all diesel powered line just isn't going to get it for me.
What I'm wondering is: Am I asking for trouble and disappointment to expect to have a smoothly operating steam powered point-to-point branchline layout with a lot of switching in N scale? I'd want to be able to run locomotives no larger than consolidations or mikados in post WWII era southwestern U.S. setting (SP, AT&SF, etc.). So far, the only steamer I've picked up that would be appropriate is the Bachmann Spectrum series consolidation which looks great but doesn't run real smooth out of the box. I'm sure a tune-up and break-in will help but I can't help but wonder if it'd ever make a smooth locomotive for switching.(And then again, it might). I'm great at detailing, scenery, structures, etc., but not so good at babying fussy little mechanisms if they don't want to do the job. Can anybody suggest other steam locomotive models that might work? Yeah, those diesels do run real nice but if you're into steam then you know how it is with me.
I'd have room for a nice little line in N scale or a much simpler operation in HO. Do people actually run these kind of railroads successfully these days in N or would the HO option be more realistic? I'd like to hear some opinions from you N scalers - and HO guys too!

 

[Cjcrescent]

I've been out of active model railroading for a several years...

So far, the only steamer I've picked up that would be appropriate is the Bachmann Spectrum series consolidation which looks great but doesn't run real smooth out of the box. I'm sure a tune-up and break-in will help but I can't help but wonder if it'd ever make a smooth locomotive for switching...

I'd like to hear some opinions from you N scalers - and HO guys too!

Ted;

Until recently, one of our forum members, WC&WBrasshat, (Glenn,) had a big N-scale layout that several of us would operate on. He has a few of the Spectrum 2-8-0's and they seemed to run very well after a tune-up and a break in.
Another N-scaler in the area has a Kato USRA mike and it too runs very well. I'm not sure about the USRA mike from Model Power. I've read the reviews on it, and comments from several forum members here, as well as other Forums, that were about 50/50 good/bad.

 

[Ted Waterhouse]

Thanks

Hey, thanks for that. I've heard about the Kato Mike. I'll have to check it out. are there any articles out there on tuning up these locos? I haven't had any experience with recent N scale steamers. Pretty different from the O scale I was working in a few years back. (Not much would stop them). Also, can anyone tell me how recent N scale brass models tend to run?

 

[Trussrod]

Hi Ted,
I knew two different model/patern makers & machinests, and one of them told me to place
a locomotive on nickel silver rail and and either put your fingers in front of it or some non-conductive type of weight in front of it and get the drivers spinning and let it run for a few minutes even varring the speed to get it broke in. I do this myself and it helps.

The thing you should check if you can pull the shell and motor off the frame is how freely the drivers and linkage move when you try and gently roll it back and forth on the rail? If it's not binding due to improper linkage hole sizes, which possibly can be filed out a bit to give the needed clearance, it should roll down the track without much effort.

If it feels a bit stiff, sometimes just rolling it back and forth a few times will allow it to smooth up for better operation. Then by remounting the motor on the frame you can check to see that the worm gear doesn't mesh too deeply with the drive gear so the armature turns over freely to rotate the drive gear & drivers.

Also check to see that there are no obstructions on the worm gear of drive gear that might cause it to bind.

If all is ok then just running it in place is all that is needed to break it in.

The only other thing is to ensure the little engine/motor is making good electrical contact to continuously transfer power from the rail to the motor for smooth operation.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ted Waterhouse]

Hey thanks a lot for the ideas David. I'll give all of that stuff a try with the Bachmann 2-8-0 and see if we can get her running smooth enough for switching. All of this is pretty encouraging. TW