Looking for help on scale engine pulling power.

[old pilot]

I have created a viable reason for two logging company engines (2-truck Shay, Porter 0-4-2)to be doing the general switching (industries not associated with the lumber company) in my layout "history." To create operational interest, I set a self imposed pulling limit of 5 cars for the Shay and 3 for the Porter. Using real world prototypical info for these engines and general freight cars (boxcars, flats, and gondolas in the 26' length range with reasonable load weights), can anyone tell me if these limits are practical/reasonable?

Thanks for any help in advance.

Old Pilot

[Fred Klein]

Old Pilot, I'm not sure I understand your question correctly, so forgive me if this reply goes off on a wrong tangent. I think what you are asking is how long (or short) of a train was typically run on prototype roads.

I would say that a lot of that depends on you and what your vision of your railroad is. Keep in mind, that logging railroads typically were shoestring outfits and usually had only a few locomotives available. Therefore these locomotives were used in whatever service was necessary, even if it meant exceeding the specs of a given locomotive at times. If one locomotive couldn't pull a load up a certain grade, then either a second locomotive was employed (if available) or the load was broken up into smaller sections and transported one section at a time.

Since this is your railroad, I would say that you could pull whatever load (read number of cars) your engines could handle over the steepest grade on your layout. As for being prototypical, I think that if you were to delve into the subject, you would find that there is a prototype available for just about every scenario. Although I don't run any logging operations, per se, I do transport lumber on my trains. I like small locomotives, so a lot of my steam power is 0-4-2 Porters. I don't have a Shay but I do have a Heisler. Most of my freight trains run to about 3 or 4 cars, not counting the caboose. On the Heisler I run 5 to 6 cars, again not counting the caboose. Keep in mind however that many of my cars are scratchbuilt/kitbashed by me and are only about 15 feet long, thus keeping my trains relatively short.

Anyway, this was a long-around answer to this: If your locomotive(s) can handle it and you like the looks of it, run it. Don't forget: It's your railroad! Hope this helps.
 

[old pilot]

Good morning, Fred,

Your reply helps and makes my imposed limits reasonable. The logging company complex is "off-layout" on a siding but gets inbound/outbound cars delivered to the siding. I too like the small logging-type engines which is why I have the Porter and Shay and created an excuse for them to do the regular (non-logging company) industry switching. All of this comes from my interest in the logging operations in northcentral Pennsylvania during the late 1890s and inspiration from the Graham County Railroad in North Carolina which ran a Shay for its normal operations until it closed mid 20th century.

Old Pilot