How long to run a train?

[wombat457]

Morning all,

I was wondering if there are any recommendations for the maximum length of time you should run a train in one session?

 

[Motley]

LOL I thought you were talking about the length of trains to run. I run really long unit trains, average 30-45 cars.

As for Operating session times. That depends on your railroad. Is it a large Class A running transcontinental trains, is it a small local. How many industry sidings does it have to stop for.

On average, I'll run 15 min on the mainline. Then back to the yard, industries, etc. Then take the next train, run it on the mainlines another 15 min, then back to staging. During those mainline runs, I can do some switching in the yard and industries. A typical operating session for me (lone wolf) about 2 hours.

 

[montanan]

Nice reply Mike. I'll usually run them until I get bored.

I don't usually run a train continuously on my layout. I have to put up a drop down bridge which connects my hidden staging area that will allow this. Don't like the duck under so in my case, I run a local switcher from a yard to service yarious industries around the layout. Depending on my mood, I can run a simple trip which can be around a half hour, but a normal operating session will last about an hour.

Here's an answer Tony, Run the train until you finish your beer. Your operating session will all depend on how thirsty you are.

 

[new guy]

I ran 7 different locos from three different makers ,BLI, Bachman and Proto for at least a solid hour round and round last night. I have no time limit that I use. The wee little BLI "trackmobile" pulled several cars for an hour and did not even get hot! I worried at first but that was weeks ago, now I just run em till I get tired!

 

[wombat457]

Thanks Guys but I think NG hit the nail on the head in terms of what I was (trying) to get at and that was how long to run a train until you risk doing damage to it.

None the less, the other replies give me an insight into other aspects of a "session" but I like Chet's answer the best .... could be some fairly LONG sessions in my future

 

[bnsf971]

Back in the good old days in N scale, we used to plan on 30 minute running time. This was at train shows, where we we running a parade. Newer stuff is more tolerant, and you can safely double that time. HO we tried to run no more than an hour at a time with the "good" stuff. I've more recently run trains for several hours.

 

[new guy]

Back in the good old days in N scale, we used to plan on 30 minute running time. This was at train shows, where we we running a parade. Newer stuff is more tolerant, and you can safely double that time. HO we tried to run no more than an hour at a time with the "good" stuff. I've more recently run trains for several hours.

Excellent! I was a bit worried at first and just ran em a bit longer every time and soon he expectation of a 'blow up' eased. Now I'm wondering what the record is?

 

[wombat457]

Thanks Terry,

Half an hour seems like a good length of time to me.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

When I'm working on the layout, I'll put a couple trains in motion. They'll run for a couple to several hours. Occasionally, I'll go upstairs and get sidetracked by something and forget about the running trains for several hours.

 

[montanan]

Back in the mid to late 80's I used to help out the model railroad club in Great Falls, MT. They have their layout in the public school building on the Great Falls fairgrounds. Their rent is very interesting. The only thing they have to do is to have the layout operating for public display during state fair. Not a bad arrangement. I used to go up and fill in when club members had a hard time being there with their work and family schedules.

I would bring up a few locomotives and rolling stock and give them a hand. I can remember having three or four of my Atlas Alco units running for three to four hours at a time pulling a 60 to 80 car train before changing out power. They're still alive and running like new.

 

[wombat457]

Sounds like they are fairly resilient to long running then. The main reason I was asking was because my wife turns on our "under the tree" train and we often forget about it so it could run for 2 or 3 hours. I was concerned that we may be doing some harm by not giving it a "rest". Although perhaps not the best thing to do with a small N scale, you guys have at least given me more confidence in operating them.

 

[montanan]

A few years ago I was working in the train room when my wife called me up for something. What ever it was, it was taken care of, but unfortunately, my train of thought got derailed and I totally forget that I had left a train running until I went down to the train room the next day. It was still churning out laps with no derailments and the locomotive was still cool to the touch.

You could test run the locomotive and if it runs cool after a period of time I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Burlington Bob]

Let them run til they get to where they need to be! I had an experience similar to Chet, where I ended up leaving two trains running overnight. These were the early N scale piece of crap offerings from Atlas and Trix. Well, Trix was the high quality offering of the time but still nothing like today. Like you, I was afraid that I had ruined some of my trains and/or my MRC Dual Throttle Pack, my most prized possession. Turned out that my locos were still chugging away just fine and were cool to the touch with no smells resembling burned up motors.

Given the quality of today's equipment, if it's properly lubricated, I don't think you should have any problems with letting them run for a few hours or more at a time.

 

[wombat457]

Thanks Guys, last thing I want to do is burn one up.

 

[bnsf971]

Now I'm wondering what the record is?

I think it was 45 days. The locomotive used was an HO scale Proto 2000 BL2.

 

[Greg@mnrr]

Tony:

My work bench is a desk on rollers under part of my layout. When working at the bench on a project, I may run a train the entire time I'm working on the project.

I like to hear the sound of metal wheels running on the rails.

The other side of running trains is to test new rolling stock to see how it functions and if there are any issues with the new equipment.

To answer your question, I'll run a train for an hour to up to three hours. A side benefit is that the rails seem to stay cleaner as well by the activity.

Thanks.

Greg

 

[Greg@mnrr]

Tony:

There is a well known model railroad supplier in the Milwaukee area that has a display set up in their showroom. The main line is a double mainline and the two trains run the entire business day when open for business. I been there after several months have gone by and the same loco are still running.

Another example is the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago where model railroad exhibit runs daily.

Keep your locos well lubed and they will run until the motor brushes wear out.

Have fun.

Greg

 

[Iron Horseman]

I was wondering if there are any recommendations for the maximum length of time you should run a train in one session?

The one's I take to shows run 8 hours a day for three days straight. Likewise the Christmas train I've put up in the office is running 9 hours a day, been going on a week now. I've re-greased it and reversed the direction of going around the loop once so far. Will probably do that every two days.

It won't really damage them other than just depending on how quickly you want to wear them out. Steamers wear out faster than diesels. The only time one will "burn up" is if it is doing all that running under too much stress. Just to prove it could do it, I made an Atlas SD24 pull 65 cars out of the clubs main yard up a 2.5% grade on a curve. It did it, but never ran the same after that. I think it overheated the motor and some of the armature coils fused into one. But that is a stupid thing to do.

At the museum (open weekends in winter and every day but Monday in the summer) so most locos will run about 2 hours in a shift thrice a day. in 7 years we have had "wear out" issues on about 5 of the over 100 locos used in regular service on the layout.

 

[Selector]

I don't place any time constraints on my rolling stock. I naturally only run short sessions, maybe 20 minutes, and I routinely swap out my entire rolling stock in sets so that no one engine gets used much more than any other. For me, one or two runs around my loop at appropriate scale speeds is the operating 'rule', if you will. My loop is folded and runs in a 9 X 24' room. That gives me a plenty long run before I close the loop, even though the train sort of runs through the scenery twice.

 

[azdiane]

A couple of years ago hubby and I were going on an overnight trip, and out of pure curiosity as much as anything else we left a Bachman N-scale 4-6-0 running slowly around our little table-top oval of test track, pulling three cars. Neither of us really expected it to still be running the next day when we got home, figuring our cats would derail it if nothing else. Circumstances delayed us two extra days, and the kitties were very glad to see us. The little train was still faithfully chugging along after 70 hours.
Diane