I don't know if they do it any longer, but for a while NWSL offfered, as a distributor, an HO momentum car chassis. It had a large flywheel that JUST fit into a standard Athearn 40' boxcar that was driven by an elastic band from the axles of one truck. According to the hype, 5 in a train would spin drivers when starting or slide drivers when stopping, yet the train could still be pulled. They were neat (I tried this) when used in a "hump yard" situation or a flying switch. Other than trying to keep the band from stretching or breaking, it was a good idea. Maybe SHS's innovative engineers can come up with a solution in S?
Have fun! Bill Winans ----- Original Message ----- From: Andre Ming To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, October 08, 2006 4:46 PM Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Car weighting -- a variety of opinions.....etc. Re: Different weights for loads/empties - > But is it a first we really care about? Mind if I might inject something at this point? I make my living railroading. I am a engineer for the Arkansas Southern RR, a Watco company. My primary responsibility is to cover the Waldron Subdivision. I am also called upon to fill-in on the Nashville Sub of the Arkansas Southern, as well as often being loaned-out to fill engineer shortages on other Watco properties. Train lengths and weights that I have run will vary from a GP and a handful of cars up to 5 SD's, 8,000+ feet, and 13,000+ tons. In fact, I am currently on call waiting for a window to open in order to make interchange with the KCS at their Heavener yard. From my conversations with the ATM on duty, sounds like they'll need me to make interchange, pick up my loads, double/triple over onto approximately 130 grain empties, and pull the empties out behind us onto our branch lead to clear up room for the KCS. Once the empties are cut off, we will then continuing on our way. Basically, I eat and sleep 1:1 scale railroading. I say all the above to qualify this statement: One of the KEY missing elements in simulating railroading with models is the impact of loaded cars versus empties. On a prototype railroad tonnage ratings are VERY IMPORTANT. Trains handle VASTLY different when dealing with empties or loads, and their power requirements are very different. For example, on (near) level ground, a loaded car takes 2 1/2 times longer/farther to bring to a stop than an empty. Also, the differences on grades between loads and empties is DRAMATIC. For years, I've dabbled with ways to factor such differences into model railroading so that it really makes a difference whether or not a model car is loaded or empty. I have yet to find a livable solution. Open top cars offer a workable solution, as is now (apparently) beginning to be done in HO. We are missing out on a LOT of operational challenge by NOT having actual tonnage concerns. In fact, that was one of THE reasons I dabbled in Sn3. I felt that given the combination of grades, small steam engines, and cars with removable weights of some sort to reflect loads/empties, one could have actual tonnage concerns and hence a LOT of operation in a smaller layout "package". Perhaps "one of these days" it can be done digitally with momentum via DCC. That is, you hook on to a train, dial in the pre-figured weight "factor" of the train, and away you go. For this to work in regards to grade, though, that "factor" would also have to play into effect on said grades, which complicates the idea. To me, a more workable solution would be actual weighting of the cars, and reduced tractive effort on the model locomotives. (Most pull too good on grades.) Okay, enough for this novelette. I'll shut up now! Andre Ming [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
