How many cars can a Big Hauler pull

[monkeycircus]

  Hi Guys

I am starting work on a project which will use a double head of 4-6-0 engines pulling a consist of Bachman Jackson Sharp passenger cars. Both engines are never used but are from the old Gold Rush sets. I have 17 passenger cars.
The train will have fully painted detailed interiors with passengers.
Ultimatly I want to run this at the Albuequerque Botanical Garden railway. It is very level and professionaly built. Long steep grades are not an issue.
All cars use metal wheels with hook and loop couplers.
How many cars do you think the doublehead will pull?
Any other ideas welcome.

Boomer

[RBMN #425 Fan]

i can't answer the pulling power(i don't have many cars). but i'm afraid your not going to be able to double-head unless you can put a coupler on the front of the engine (i cant figure out how:'( )

[Loco Bill]

Hi,

I thing doubleheaded Annies or Version 5 Big haulers should be able to handle at least 10 cars, provided the track is truely flat. and the curves are very wide.  I routinely pull six with one engine, and when double headed can add six freight cars, but I don't do it for long periods, like you may be planning to do.   If you do run the 17 cars for many hours a day, it will definitely significantly reduce the life of your locomotives.  It goes without saying that you will  need to keep the locos lubed and the rolling stock journals as well.  You may want to look into the mechanisims  made by Barry of Barry's Big Trains for your locos if your go through with your plan, they are not cheap, but will do a better job than the factory chassis which were not made for large consists.

I use the coupler and box from the 1:20.3 short cars (box & gon) for the front coupler. I remove the dummy coupler and file and cut the opening to size for the coupler box and screw it to the loco using the original screw hole.  I take about 30 minutes to do, maybe an hour the 1st time.

Good luck with your project, It really sounds like fun!!  Let us know how things work out!!!

[Doneldon]

Dynamite-

I wouldn't plan to run your locos for extended periods, especially with a consist at the locos' limits unless you seriously beef up the mechanisms, including the motors.

                                                                                      -- D

[Barry BBT]

Boomer,

I'm the guy Loco Bill mentioned, I convert Bachmann Big Haulers to pull and last.  I've been at this for about 18 years and have a good number of units in play.  If you would like to see the extent of the "overkill" check out the videos on my website, one has two Circus Big Haulers pulling 83 cars, this was done more than ten years ago and what I build today is even better.  Also warranted for as long as I am around.

PS, I can also solve your double-heading coupling for you.

Any questions, post or call 623-936-6088

Barry - BBT

[Sleeping Bear]

  I'd say look at Barry's stuff, I'm going to. as for the coupler issue...Kadee sells a kit for ya

[ThinkerT]

My big hauler can and has pulled a ten car string on a level (more or less) table top, even around R1 curves.  These were normal 'full sized' box cars, gondola's (with assorted junk thrown in them from layout construction), and tank cars.  I did have a wee bit of an interminent derailment issue at one of the switches.  Because the layout is a badly mangled figure 8, ten cars is about the max there; its actually intended for4-6 car strings.

That same big hauler has also pulled three or four normal sized cars up a 4% slope without serious difficulty.  (grade of just under 0.5 inches per foot).

[jsmvmd]

Dear Barry,

Did you do any fiddling with the positions of the cars in the consist, or did you just grab and go ?  The reason I ask is this:  a local enthusiast set up an O gauge layout with MTH and pulls about 50 cars, mixed bag.  He could only get that amount to pull without derailment after a lot of trial and error to get exactly the right lineup.  His track looks pretty good, but there are sharp curves, etc.

I must say your videos are quite impressive.

Best Wishes,

Jack, Altoona, PA

[Barry BBT]

Jack,

This was done at the Milwaukee Arboretum, 20 ft. Diameter curves and I wasn't there.  One of the consequences of this run was the wearing on the inside wheels from about car 20 to car thirty, got very sharp.  I don't believe there was any rearranging of the cars in the train.  But did you notice the seven Aristo heavyweights?

Barry - BBT

[jsmvmd]

Dear Barry,

Sure did !  I have never handled nor run Aristo heavies, but presume this added a lot of stress on your consist.

Best Wishes,

Jack