Milano Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 Folks How do Ho gauge Sw1200/1500 locos perform over peco set track points? Any stalling etc. Looking at building a small US about using Settrack points I have in stock. Don't have any rolling stock but going to pick some up at shows during the year. Regards Milano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted March 13, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 13, 2018 Folks How do Ho gauge Sw1200/1500 locos perform over peco set track points? Any stalling etc. Looking at building a small US about using Settrack points I have in stock. Don't have any rolling stock but going to pick some up at shows during the year. Regards Milano I don't have direct experience of the track/loco combination but the early Bachmann and Athearn running qualities - even the "Blue Box" locos - seduced me away from 1980s BR to USA HO so I suspect you will be OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milano Posted March 13, 2018 Author Share Posted March 13, 2018 Thank you for the reply. I picked up a few copies of Model Trains International at a show last year and they have a few interesting track plans that use set track. So was wondering how HO locos perform over them. Cheers Milano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted March 13, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 13, 2018 Model Trains International A source of considerable information and background for aspiring US modellers - I've just lent my old file of "kept" articles to a mate who is considering a bit of US HO modelling - a great combination of prototype inspiration and modelling articles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prof Klyzlr Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 (edited) Dear Milano,Pls keep in mind that there were earlier LIFE LIKE "Proto 2000", and later WALTHERS "Proto 2000" versions of the SW switchers.The earlier LL units were NOT DCC-Ready or Equipped, but had all-wheel pickup and are solid performers over turnouts.The later Walthers units were offered in DCC-Ready and DCC-sound-equipped variants. The problem is that, in order to allow space for the sound gear, some weight had to be lost. The "solution"(??) to the weight-loss/lost-adhesion was to add a traction tyre, this reducing the pickup footprint,and reportedly causing issues on insulated-frog turnouts.... http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/32673I'd reccomend the older LL versions (have a small fleet of them in regular service), but would advise caution with the Walthers units....Happy modelling,Aim to Improve,Prof Klyzlr Edited March 15, 2018 by Prof Klyzlr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
long island jack Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Agree with Prof, LL much better, Athearn RTR SW1500 should be ok, as to set track points should work ,but try to avoid crossing A in picture may cause derailments if propelling freight cars through them ,better trying to fit either of B into your plan. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 I'd have thought that traction tyres could be dispensed with if the layout is a small one where you'd only be shuffling a few cars around. Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions there, but I'd assume that a set track layout wouldn't be that big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prof Klyzlr Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Dear Zomb, "just remove the traction tyres" doesn't always work, the traction-tyre-equipped wheels tend to have a machined-in trough on the tread-face for the tyre to seat in.Remove the tyre = the wheel now has a "wide groove" (as opposed to a smooth face) which affects the wheel/rail contact-surface interaction. The MRH thread linked-to above essentially started with a modeller wanting to know where he could source a spare "non traction-tyre" wheelset for his Walthers-era SW,so he could remove the traction-tyre (and associated wheelset) "properly"... ;-)(Full disclosure: it was the MRH thread that brought to my attention that there was a difference between LL and Walthers "Proto2000" locos,I had/have only ever had LL-era "Proto2000" locos, so didn't know that there were "Proto 2000 locos with traction-tyres"......just goes to show that just saying "Proto2000" doesn't actually completely-nail-down the exact specific loco in question...) Happy Modelling,Aim to Improve,Prof Klyzlr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
298 Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Although it isn't pretty, it is possible to convert Setrack turnouts to live frog by soldering the existing rails into a V and cutting away the unnecessary plastic from the sleeper base...: The outer sleepers can be reused, and are necessary to hold everything in place. As Ray mentions, the geometry of having two back to back creates a nasty S curve and I think their constant radius doesn't look very American, their turnouts having a definite tightening of the radius through the frog with straighter sections at the tail ends. I'm looking forward to seeing what Peco release as part of their new Code 70 US range, although unless you go down to Streetcar geometry, there are limits as to what a real railroad would do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milano Posted March 15, 2018 Author Share Posted March 15, 2018 Gents thanks for the very welcoming advice. I will experiment with the various track formations to see which one works best Milano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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