Narrow Gauge 0-4-0 Side Tank Porter

[jsmvmd]

Dear Friends,

Anyone know how many narrow gauge type cars that this baby can pull ?

Has anyone put weight in the form of lead shot, etc in the boiler, similar to what TOC did with the Indy ?

Any comments would be much appreciated.  I want to make a small logging or industrial LS layout and to negotiate 3-4 % grades.

Best Wishes,

Jack

[Kevin Strong]

I can't speak specifically to the 0-4-0, but in the prototype world, a small 0-4-0T like that would be limited to three or four cars on a 3% grade. Comparing the size of the 0-4-0 to other small locomotives, it's likely these locos had maybe 4,000, maybe 5,000 pounds tractive effort. That's not a lot at all. Granted, you're welcome to run as many cars behind your loco as you see fit, but in terms of relating to the prototype world, short is what you're looking at.

Later,

K

[bnsonger47]

If you really want to get "real" then utilize a switchback to gain elevation. That would work well with an 0-4-0 and a few cars. The odd thing would be seeing that type of engine going up a hill in a mining/logging fashion.

When deciding between prototypical and other factors, I tend to side on "looks good" instead of "prototypical" because looks good can look real if done well.

Byron

[paintjockey]

Mine will pull 2 cars and a caboose up a 2% grade. BUT, is has the weight removed and battery R/C installed. Even adding weight in the void spaces I could only get half of it's original weight back.

[Kevin Strong]

Mine will pull 2 cars and a caboose up a 2% grade. BUT, is has the weight removed and battery R/C installed. Even adding weight in the void spaces I could only get half of it's original weight back.

Glancing at one of my Baldwin catalogs, a light 0-4-0 (total weight of 16,000 pounds) was rated at 45 tons up a grade of 100' per mile (1.9%). When this catalog was published in 1877, the average loaded car weighed in at around 14 tons, so that gives you a whopping 3 cars up a less than 2% grade. Extrapolating the tractive effort curve out to 200'/mile (3.8%), you're looking at one or two cars. "Modern" narrow gauge cars could tip the scales at more than twice that. (i.e, the EBT's 3-bay hoppers tipped the scales loaded at 40 tons), so maybe one car up a grade that steep.

The top end of the chart--an 0-4-0 with a total weight of 37,000 pounds--was rated at 115 tons up the 1.9% grade, or around 7 cars. The same extrapolation gives you three or four cars up the same not quite 4% grade, or two or three "modern" cars up the same grade. (Those weights assume tanks full of water.)

I would definitely put Bachmann's 0-4-0 on the upper end of that spectrum, given its size and comparing it to EBT's 0-4-0 #2, which was a rather diminutive 0-4-0 that weighed in at 24,000 pounds.

As Byron says, if it looks good to you, run it. I offer the prototypic perspective as a frame of context. All too often, I hear complaints about how "poorly" our model locomotives perform on grades, when there's no chance the prototype would have ever been able to pull anything close to that kind of train up and over.

Later,

K

[Barry BBT]

I built a few 0-4-0's and shortened them per Gary Watkins instruction set, then installed lasercut wooden cabs.  On the older versions I replaced the plastic valve gear with metal, stainless steel and magnesium bronze.  Also built a new drive for them.  Really cute.  I can't post pics here, so if someone would like to see them I will send pics back, just email me: barrysbigtrains@earthlink.net

Barry - BBT

PS I meant to add, if you need more power, my drive will give it to you.  And I will make a few more, if requested.

BBT

[jsmvmd]

Dear Friends,

Thanks for the replies !  I'll probaly keep it flat, perhaps a hill in there somewhere !

Best Wishes,

Jack