Well I do hope you can achieve all that, but there is a thing called
Karma (remember that program just a few years ago on TV--Earl was the
guy's name).
A) And speaking of Earl, when Earl Tuscon lived here, he would come over
to run some trains. These are trains that I had just been running, but
he had a derailment or two right off the starting mark. I think Don
Hand had the same thing happen just this past Friday. Put them back on
the track and they did fairly well.
B) More than once, I've thrown an older twin-coil switch machine only to
have half the mechanism drop to the floor! So after everyone left, I'm
down under the layout pulling down and replacing one of those machines.
C) So you like slow motors--well I had one give up on me. The motor
itself works fine, so it must be one of the diode's that determine what
direction to run. Obviously this wasn't due to sloppy construction but
nevertheless makes for flawed operations.
Once after working under the layout (pre-scenery days) I must have
broken a solder joint on a feeder wire. We were running my pair of
brass OMI FA's. Every time, they would pass this particular point they
would short out or stop for a second then continue along the route.
First thing that comes to mind is a dirty piece of track--well it wasn't
that. So happens the feeder wire would short out on the brass side
frames as just a couple of the individual strands stuck up and touched
them while passing. I discovered that problem a couple of days later.
The problem wasn't evident with my AM engines even though some had brass
replacement side frames, it didn't happen with my Alco models diesels,
and it didn't happen with my OMI E unit either.
So the jest of my response is that if you own many engines and many
cars, just look at the mathematical possibilities that will quickly come
into play! Add to that the geographical factors, track radii, car
weight and several other factors. I've generally add a handful of cars
and maybe an engine per year. I also go about changing wheel sets,
trucks, couplers if I think they are needed. Of course, every time you
do this you may upset the odds (better or worse) of actually getting a
train from point A to point B.
The real railroads are dealing with this all the time. They have slow
orders for bad trackage, add pilots in unfamiliar territory and a host
of other means of dealing with the odds. There is an excellent coffee
table type book authored by Fred Hyde and published by Hy-rail
publications that shows the Milwaukee Road in it's dying days. In one
photo the fireman/brakeman is shooting back at his train as it derails
coming out of a tunnel. The wrecking crews in the area would go out and
not return for months just fixing derailments.
When I've been on operating sessions (always HO scale) where there has
always been a derailment or two due to bad order cars, not to mention
operators not being familiar with the territory. I can operate my
railroad a whole night often without any problems, because I know all
the little things that could happen, while a guest operator will
certainly have problems. In my case many of the problems have to do
with my mountain grades, where part of my train is going up a grade
while another part is going downgrade--again something the real guys
deal with, with experience.
I consider all this a part of modeling, perhaps a little frustrating at
times, but I solve my problems in time.
One of the most frustrating things are the seemingly random uncoupling
that can happen on straight tangent track and likewise more often on
grades. I check coupler height and then after a few feet, I see one is
lower/higher than the other almost to the point of uncoupling. Put it
back on level track with a coupler gauge and everything is within a
tight tolerance. Another problem that seems to pop up is my use of Ace
Arch bar trucks. I have one SHS car and one Mainline truss rod boxcar
where I've replaced the supplied trucks with the Arch bars. If I have
one derailment in a train, 9 out of 10 says it will be those trucks.
I've used correctly gauged NWSL wheel sets, smoother Delrin bearings and
follow the three point mounting of the trucks. The only difference that
I can see is the shorter wheelbase on the truck itself.
Anyway here's to smooth running! as he hoists a diet Coke in the air
bob Werre
On 6/11/12 2:31 PM, Ed wrote:
>>> I'm shooting for zero derailments, zero unwanted uncouplings, zero
table-thumpings, etc. It's a lofty goal <snip> but it can be done.
> - Trevor Marshall
Trevor.....
I'm with you on this one. It CAN be done !!
There is an HO fellow here with a large layout running hundreds of
cars and dozens of trains in a typical op session with about 18
operators. He has achieved what you and I are striving for.
I believe one of the necessary ingredients for making this come to
pass is the attitude of: "I will do whatever is necessary to make it
happen." It sure makes life easier if you know your goal and can
accept that it requires more effort than merely gluing some parts
together.
But when flawless operation is achieved, the joy is immense. My HO
buddy gave up on commercially available turnouts and builds his own.
He claims that is the only way to get them in the proper gauge
throughout their entire length. And he manually regauges each and
every wheelset to be exactly mid-way between the acceptable extremes.
But darned if it doesn't pay off in the long run.
Good luck at reaching your heaven.....Ed L.
