US Proto:87 Extreme Testing and Demo Layout - Progress Reportings

[Andy Reichert]

 

I'm still at a very early stage, but I thought it would be worth sharing the first trial of a very simply prepped Proto:87 (ex -RTR) loco and passenger train running at extreme speed on average bumpy track, to test the underlying engineering and reliability to its fullest extent vs the usual HO situation. Please excuse the mess, lack of scenery and finely finished models. Those aren't as much my thing as the engineering challenges of making models work the same way the engineering of their prototypes does. Much later I'll improve those other things. And of course, I'm not planning to run trains any faster than their prototypes on a regular basis. This exercise is to make sure everything will always stay on the track - "no matter what".

 

If there is interest, I can go into more detail on the mechanics. Note that the loop is one scale mile around and the travel time is 30 seconds. So this case is actually running at around a scale 125 MPH, which prototypical for the AEM-7 locomotive. I'll add the loco body and try and prep some matching Amfleet cars in the near future.

 

I'm also not sure which part of the forum this sort of thread really belongs. Any (nice) suggestions to move it elswhere welcome

 

Lots more to do and test obviously. Longer trains, reverse running, cutting in lots of crossovers and repeating every test again. But in between my Honey Dew list and other projects, I'll try and post more progress as I make it. There are plans (dreams) to build a more prototypical, but multi-venue layout over the top of this "raceway". Newark Airport Station is one possible "LDE" for the front side I'm considering. Another LDE would be my favorite Pacific Electric "4 tracks" Junction at Watts on the other side. Then one LDE becomes the hidden sidings for the other, and vice versa, depending on my mood..

 

Andy

[trisonic]

Andy, Watch to see how many responses you get. Whilst I understand that P87 is applicable to the World outside the UK it is probably more effectively aimed at the USA and Canadian Railroads section, to be honest...

Very effective demo.

 

Best, Pete.

[burgundy]

Interesting. I have been wondering about converting an old Mantua General to P87 standards

Best wishes

Eric

[trisonic]

Andy, You may find this thread interesting "Quai:87" - some very interesting trackwork, Euro P87 by Brian Harrap.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/38591-quai87/

 

 

Best, Pete.

[Andy Reichert]

Thanks for the input guys. I'll follow the suggestion and put the next progress report on the USA and Canadian forum section.

 

Andy

[Horsetan]

Andy, Watch to see how many responses you get. Whilst I understand that P87 is applicable to the World outside the UK it is probably more effectively aimed at the USA and Canadian Railroads section, to be honest...

Very effective demo....

Works equally well for German and French outline.

[Scottish Modeller]

Hi Andy,

 

Good to see a working P87 layout that isn't just 'shuffling freight cars'.....

 

Gives me hope for North East US high speed trains that I would love to run at some time.

 

For me - the crunch will be running trains at speed over the pointwork/crossings and consistently doing it without derailing.

 

It's hard to accept/comprehend that even a long crossing, point in model rail terms is still too short, and therefor too slow, to be acceptable and modellable given the comparatively small spaces we have available for our layouts.

 

Yes - I have managed to build the pointwork and track plus convert a unit to P*& but it's been a very slow process!

 

Thanks

[Andy Reichert]

. . . . .Gives me hope for North East US high speed trains that I would love to run at some time. . . . .

 

 

 

Be careful what you wish for . . .  I'm up to nine cars already.

 

If the Walthers Amfleet trucks weren't so crude, those would already be Amfleet cars behind that AEM-7.  I can throw P87 wheelsets into them, but then they have about 1/8" sideways wheel slop and no decent bearings.

 

Andy

[Scottish Modeller]

If the Walthers Amfleet trucks weren't so crude, those would already be Amfleet cars behind that AEM-7.  I can throw P87 wheelsets into them, but then they have about 1/8" sideways wheel slop and no decent bearings.

 

Andy

Hi Andy,

 

Sounds like an opening for a new product.....

 

Possible 3D Printing idea - designed to take P87 wheelsets and bearings?

 

Thanks

[Andy Reichert]

Plan is for etched rigid sideframes with internal moving equalizer bars and 2mm flanged ball bearings holding the axles. The latter should prevent all sideways slop. I also hope to have the equaliser bars spring mounted.

 

Just a small thing called spare time getting in the way . . . .

 

Andy

[unklian]

Great stuff, I really hope you will continue to have further success with this level of P87 modelling. Could I ask that you leave your thread in this general overseas section as I think it is more generally relevant, than  hiding it away amongst the other north american items. The real test of your P87 project will come with the building of some point work. When you have that train snaking through some crossovers that will be awesome.

[Andy Reichert]

Some wealthy P:87 modeller should hire you for a month or so

 

Unfortunately it won't be me

 

I hope you don't think I do this stuff as some sort of hand craftsmanship. I suffer from extreme clumsiness and anti-repetition-itis, so I'm  not capable of sticking with making the same $#@%&$&@% thing over and over for more than a coupla hours. And even then, two of anything are rarely the same.

 

Like your significant other will tell you, we should not be liked for what our bodies can do, but for our minds.

 

The solution to none of us being rich, that I came up with, almost 20 years ago now, was to have lots of fun designing stuff in my own time, I really wanted for me,  then sending a bunch of CAD files out to various low-volume manufacturing industry sub-contractors I knew and have them do all the dirty work making lots of the same little bits, all perfect and the precisely the same

 

They way that works is that I get what I want, for only the (any) tooling and parts cost, but I can then share the same bits to anyone else for just the cost to me of ordering more, and then again and again, as needed. A little mark-up on those pays for the web site and the tooling for the next project. . . . . .

 

Wot's all that mean ?  I'm committed to a new design of the inside frame Amfleet truck, but I'll make the springs an assembly option, and have push-out bearing aperature size inserts, so you can use cheap plain bearings instead of ball bearings if so desired, and your choice of HO or P:87 wheels. And I'll deliberately make it consist of the minimal number of probably simple stainless steel parts, that will snap or glue together, without any filing or any other of that nasty "skill" or expensive stuff  .

 

I just need a little time please . . . the current pressing activity on the table is some more, even easier to use,  tram track items. . . .

 

Hope this helps.

 

Andy

[trisonic]

Works equally well for German and French outline.

Actually, I never said it didn't.  I wish more P87 layouts based on anywhere else in the World would turn up in this section.

 

Put the word out if you know of any, anywhere....

 

Thanks, Pete.

[Horsetan]

Some wealthy P:87 modeller should hire you for a month or so

 

Unfortunately it won't be me

Yeah, you spent a lot of money on Bemo HOm......