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Discussion Boards => General Discussion => Topic started by: panniertankboy8751 on January 06, 2010, 09:36:34 PM

Title: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: panniertankboy8751 on January 06, 2010, 09:36:34 PM
Me and a Friend of mine are trying to break the record of the lonest distance covered by model train. The record is 10 miles. Who here thinks I'm crazy to do this.  :P

Say Yes or No before you comment.
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: jward on January 06, 2010, 09:43:37 PM
i don't think you are crazy to attempt this, but i can tell you than the record is alot more than 10 miles. the museum of science and industry in chicago has a bnsf themed layout, and a person who works there and hangs out on the atlas forum claims they have locomotives which have run the equivalent of a round trip from chicago to seattle. that's about 4000 actual miles......
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: NarrowMinded on January 06, 2010, 11:21:21 PM
This must be 10 miles of track? by my rough estimates my porter has done 13+ 1:1 miles running around my Christmas tree this year a mile is only 5280 feet not hard to rack up the miles running continuously around the tree.

I do think your crazy if your going to layout ten linear miles of track
But please post some pictures I want to see this.

NM

PS how many feeder wires are you going to need for this? better get a solar powered loco.
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: ChrisS on January 06, 2010, 11:25:02 PM
At train mountain railroad museum a group of my friends ran continuously for 24 hours. But that's 1 1/2" scale and it's on 2500 acres. So alittle different.
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: Joe323 on January 06, 2010, 11:48:22 PM
I suppose the way to do this is to layout say a 10 (Linear) foot circle or oval of track and count the number of times the train circles the track.  Since one mile is 5280 ft the train would have to circle the track 528 times X 4000 miles  = 2112000 trips around the track.  Somehow this would have to verify this (Personally I'd fall asleep lol) So I suppose this would have to be automated. 

Additionally I'm guessing that to break the record the train would have to run continuously No stopping, no derailments etc.  I have good equipment  but domehow I think that's pushing the limits of how long it could run without wearing out or overheating from lack of lubrication.
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: Jim Banner on January 06, 2010, 11:51:28 PM
The trains on our group's layout in our local museum have run over half a million scale miles.  At 50 smph, that is well over a year's running.  Much as I like trains, I can think of nothing more boring than sitting there, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 60 or 70 weeks watching one go around in circles.  The trains on our layout run a set sequence which is initiated by the public pressing a button.  A counter automatically records how many times the sequence is run.  Without the help of the public and the automatic counter, we would all be crazy by now, even if we had been sane when we hatched such a plan.

Without punctuation, I was not sure if I should say "Yes" or say "No" before I commented or if I should say "Yes or No."  Just to be on the safe side, I said it aloud both ways.  Then started typing.

Jim
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: mf5117 on January 07, 2010, 06:34:56 AM
It was 16km 10 miles of hand laid track in the U.k. , The engine to a dive about the last 3 miles before the end of the run . It was for some T.V show in England . vandals hampered the next effort by stealing sections of the track . So the track was actually 10 miles . sounds to me like alot of work . If you got the time and resources go for it . The train at the zoo in Fort Worth is 5 miles, so it would seem possible . Although the pass threw the Botanical Gardens is nice . Other than that's it's boring rusty and old , but still runs...
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: terry2foot on January 07, 2010, 12:27:29 PM
I've said Yes and No and now type;-

Accoridng to a US based member of Yahoo! Special Interest group you can go to the following links and see the UK TV program on You Tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B9AESJtWj4
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B9AESJtWj4&NR=1> &NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obk2gHNO-Ig
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obk2gHNO-Ig&NR=1> &NR=1

Note that this attempt was for the longest model railway, not the furthest run by a model train.

Interesting program, especially the logistics behind it,

Enjoy it if you view,


Terry2foot
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: panniertankboy8751 on January 07, 2010, 01:52:19 PM
Oh Crap  :-X I'm gonna need a Helluva lot more track. I guess I forgot people run their trains like all day. I was going by what Hornby Magazine said.
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: tac on January 07, 2010, 02:06:32 PM
It was a great pity that James May, whose idea the programme had been, did not take the trouble to use either Maerklin or Trix locomotives in his 'test attempt'.  If he had, then neither of them would have even noticed a measly ten miles.  Back in the 1950's there was a little pay-to-see H0 layout in cologne Hauptbahnhof, where you put a 10 pfg  coin in to see the trains go around for a couple of minutes.  I went back there in the 70's, 80' and early 90's, and it was still there, still running, with the same locos.  They were easily identified by marks on the boiler that never changed in all those years.

And slightly OT, but one of my USA Trains GP9 locos ran unattended for at least 26 days on our little outdoor layout when our neighbour accidentally switched it on.  Wall switches here in UK operate in a different mode than Canada and USA...

When we got out of the car after coming back from London Heathrow, my wife, first out, found it running with a short train of four cars and a caboose, all covered in bird cr*p and sundry mung.  The circuit was 76 feet around, and it took just over 50 secs to complete it  That's just over 0.4 of a scale mile, BTW.

Total mileage covered = 425.45 actual miles.

The skates were worn through, as was the drive axle with the traction tyre.  All the metal wheels on the cars had the flanges nigh-on worn away, but all had stayed coupled up, and although they were pretty squeaky, they all ran just fine after a light oiling.  The loco seemed totally unharmed by the escapade, and still runs like a watch.  

I was just too tired after flying back from Vancouver via Tronna to pay it the attention this feat so richly deserved.

tac
www.ovgrs.org


Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: Joe Satnik on January 07, 2010, 03:22:42 PM
Dear All,

I got a chuckle when I first noticed "NO POWER BUS OR FEEDER WIRES".   Yeah,  that'll go about 5 sections of track and stop....

Some layout builders run a feeder from the power bus to every 3' section of flex track. 

I can't believe that at least one person in the bunch didn't know enough about electricity, track resistance, and track joiner resistance to warn them.  I'm surprised that the camera men (camera batteries, lighting power, etc.) didn't say something.. 

Who paid for the track?  At a buck a foot that would be about 10 X 5280 = $52,800

Did they try to sell pieces afterwards as souvenirs?

I think that James May was lucky to have his prized old loco stop early on.   

It would have probably worn out from dirt and lack of lube.

Good on them for trying, though. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: panniertankboy8751 on January 07, 2010, 06:09:33 PM
Well, I shouldn't have to worry about all that wiring for a few reasons:

1: The setup will be a temporary layout, set up inside my school's gym. (That probably gives me a better success rate than James May)

2: I'm going to use E-Z Track.

I also don't have to worry about what I'll do with 4 extra DCC Models:

1: My Finace adviser and Friend is taking The LNER A4 Model when were finished

2: I'm taking the GWR Hall Class.

3: We're auctioning off the last Three Locomotives (A Black 5, A Drummand "T9" Greyhound, and a BR Standard 4) to make more money for the school, which I'm kinda P Oed about, seeing how I could really use that money.
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: az2rail on January 07, 2010, 08:35:50 PM
I think you can do it if you want to, but you do realize that these records are set on distance in a straight line, not how many times it goes around in a circle. Anyone can run circles. I've probably run my trains that far, on a good operating weekend at the club.

You don't actually need 10 miles of track. All you do is pick up the track you've already run, and put in front again.

Bruce
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: ABC on January 07, 2010, 08:50:08 PM
I was going to say the same thing about it having to be a straight line.
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: Joe Satnik on January 07, 2010, 09:01:28 PM
az2rail said:

"pick up the track you've already run, and put in front again."

Think "tank tread".   (As seen in some old cartoon, me thinks.)

------------------
/                         \
\____loco________/

Joe
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: Joe323 on January 08, 2010, 05:01:28 PM
I am getting a kick out of reading this thread.  OK so if instead of a circle . you built a treadmill like device where the train runs on a a spool of flexible track. (Like a moving sidewalk but with tracks or groves that simulate the track.) I would think its technologically possible to build.  So the train runs in place while we all yell JANE stop this crazy thing LOL !
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: panniertankboy8751 on January 08, 2010, 06:35:49 PM
Quote from: Joe323 on January 08, 2010, 05:01:28 PM
I am getting a kick out of reading this thread.  OK so if instead of a circle . you built a treadmill like device where the train runs on a a spool of flexible track. (Like a moving sidewalk but with tracks or groves that simulate the track.) I would think its technologically possible to build.  So the train runs in place while we all yell JANE stop this crazy thing LOL !

..........

WHAT?!?!
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: Joe323 on January 08, 2010, 07:16:12 PM
you never saw the Jetsons ?
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: az2rail on January 08, 2010, 07:37:22 PM
I use to have some O gauge track that was sort of made that way. Still see some at train shows every once and a while.

It could be possible to make it loop like was mentioned as a tank tread. You could put an engine inside it and as the engine move forward, it should force the track to rotate and lay track as it went along. Of course powering it would be a challenge. It could be done though.

Bruce

P.S.- I remember the Jetsons.
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: NarrowMinded on January 08, 2010, 09:52:10 PM
I saw something on www.carendt.com a while ago, it was a wheel with the track laid inside so as the loco moved the wheel turned and moved along the ground. If I can find the page I will post it.

NM
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: jbsmith on January 08, 2010, 11:13:36 PM
Well if you got the time and resources for it..go for it and tell us what happened.
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: Joe323 on January 09, 2010, 01:04:59 PM
I'm wondering in the real world if they use dynomometers to test locomotives, and then has any one ever modeled it?
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: az2rail on January 09, 2010, 01:54:52 PM
Yes. Railroads did use dynomometer cars. If you  google "dynomometer car" you will be suprised at all the info you get.

Lionel made a dynomometer car, but it was only a car, all it did was read the track voltage. It did not actually measure how the engine was working.

Bruce
Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: RAM on January 09, 2010, 05:57:18 PM
Here is a review of a  Walthers Dynamometer Car I found on the web.
From:  Ralph Brown <cbq682@xxxx>
Date:  Mon, 23 Apr 2001 11:19:52 -0500

Well I just picked up the new Walthers, HO scale, Burlington dynamometer
car. Its an interesting little gadget. It has a working meter inside
that is visible from one of the side windows on each side of the car.
Inside there is a white post with black hash marks. On one end the
coupler is spring loaded so that when it is pulled, a needle inside
moves next to the hash marks to form a meter. The instructions state
that the meter is set up to read approximately eight ounces of draw bar
pull at full extension. The also instructions state that an "electronic
pack with remote infrared data link" is sold separately, however, an
additional piece of literature states that the item has been canceled
and will not be available. It includes a pattern for large hand grabs
and the number of the appropriate Detail Associates small hand grabs.
Small raised dots in the plastic are provided for drilling holes for
hand grabs. As discussed earlier on the list, the car is painted with a
gray roof and Chinese Red car body with a white stripe along the bottom
of each side. It is labeled "DYNAMOMETER 30". The paint and decals are
clear and crisp. Over all I would say this is a nice model, however, I
feel it is slightly overpriced at $32.98. Just a quick review.


Title: Re: Who thinks I can do this?
Post by: ABC on January 09, 2010, 06:07:44 PM
Here's a picture of the said walthers car...
(http://www.walthers.com/prodimage/0932/09320000004651.gif)
QuoteWalthers Part # 932-4651
HO scale, $32.98, sold out at Walthers
Bigger, faster, heavier, better. As new steam locos made their way from the drawing boards to the ready track in the teens and 1920s, and older engines were modernized with new devices, railroads needed a way to accurately measure their performance. The answer was the Dynamometer Car, a specialized rolling railroad laboratory. Equipped with a large dynamometer to measure pulling power, other instruments were added as needed to measure a wide range of data while the engines were working in freight or passenger service. Armed with this information, company engineers provided detailed performance data that increased efficiency and lowered costs. Larger railroads often owned their own cars, and leased them to smaller lines as needed. Engine builders also had dynamometer cars as did some universities with railroad engineering programs. When diesels came, the cars were simply upgraded with the latest equipment and many were in service for decades; some are still in use today!
Now, you can measure the power of your motive power with Walthers all-new, working Dynamometer Car in HO Scale. Based on a typical 1920s era design, it comes fully assembled with on-board measuring equipment to determine pulling power.
Handsomely painted and lettered like the prototypes (An undecorated model is available for you to custom paint in your road's color and lettering scheme.), this car will be a conversation piece in any train. Loaded with add-on details, including a full interior and underbody, the car also has molded starter points to accept standard size wire grab irons (sold separately) if desired.