To Reviewer John Sipple:
I read your review of the C&O T1 (April 2005); in the last sentence of your article you stated you wondered what it would be like when they rode the rails. I can tell you first hand because I ran and fired them from 1941 to 1952, the end of steam on the Hocking Division, from Persons Yard, Columbus, Ohio to Toledo, Ohio. To begin the trip, a K3 Mikado was attached at Columbus and double headed up a 1 percent grade 16 miles north to Powel Wye with 13,500 tons not 10,000 as you mentioned. The helper would cut off at Powel, turn the engine on the Wye, and return to Columbus. The T1 fireman would take water and go on to Walbridge Yard in Toledo.
While going from Parsons to Powel, I would set the valve gear at 15 lbs. of back pressure and 200 lbs. of steam chest pressure. The reverse gear had a wheel similar to a steering wheel to reverse or adjust the valve cut off with a wide-open throttle. These engines would run 60 MPH on hotshot manifest trains.
All the engine crews loved these engines. They steamed well and did a good job for the time they were in service. I hired out on the C&O at age 16 in 1941, promoted to engineer in 1947, promoted to Road Foreman of engines in 1967, and retired in 1984. When I first hired out I would not have traded jobs with Roosevelt the President of the USA. That is how much I loved steam engines and railroading to the end of my career. I hope this letter gave you some idea what the T1 was like in actual operation.
Richard Nadlain
Columbus, OH
On metal wheel sets vs. plastic/Kadee vs. the impostors: The Longview Kelso & Rainier MRRC has a club standard of metal wheels and Kadee couplers only, and a weight standard as well. Plastic wheels are usually cast instead of turned, and the plastic cools unevenly causing egg-shaped wheels and may also lead to the axle hole not being in the center of the wheel. This causes the equipment with these wheels to shake and shiver. Plastic wheels seem to collect dirt faster than metal, too.
My personal equipment uses Kadee trucks except where Kadee doesn’t make a correct truck, and then their wheel sets are used (passenger trucks). I prefer a sprung and equalized truck, but metal wheels in a rigid frame truck may work as well on good track.
On another note, the Lewis & Clark Express between Portland and Astoria will be starting its last season this May, so ride it now or be left out. It’s a great trip.
Cliff West
Rainier, OR
In response to the question about metal wheels verses plastic. Metal wheels do help in keeping the track cleaner. They also sound nice as they “clickity clack” over the rails. However, there is a down side to them as well. If you like a lot of switching, as I do, one has to be sure that all sidings are perfectly level. (Mine are not!) Those 4 oz cars will take off like a shot if not. Also, if you are using magnets to uncouple the cars, watch out! You sometimes get more than you bargain for.
There is an easy fix for the problem that I find works very well. Glue some weeds in between the rails using the Woodland Scenic Field Grass. This works best if the grass is planted in a small hole between the rails. This allows more of the grass to bend as the axles pass over it. Cut the grass slightly higher than the axles. Now your car will stay in place.
When it comes to cleaning the plastic wheels I have an easy solution. Take a piece of flex track (18-24 inches) and mount it to a piece of homosote, or wood, with an “S” curve in it. Lay a piece of heavy duty paper towel over the rails at the “S” curve and put some Goo Gone on the towel. Two to three passes will have your wheels looking and operating just like new. The “S” curve insures that both flanges on a wheel set get cleaned without having to turn the car around. I do this at least once a year, at the beginning of our railroad sessions and then again late in the season. Pretty much depends on how much railroading is done at my house (Every 3-4 weeks).
Jim Morris
Plattsburgh, NY
I am an ardent reader of everything you write about. Could you provide me with an article or sketch on how to best go about setting up the initial electrical configuration to do both DC & DCC. Maybe a simple DPDT switch? I am into HO mainly with a little N and very little O scale. I have not yet purchased DCC, but have bought some Atlas dual mode engines until I convert (still running HO and N on DC).
Mel Solod
Boynton Beach, FL
I’ve been reading a lot of your articles and it seems that every HO scale locomotive you review, you put a decoder in it or it already has one in it. I was just wondering which DCC system you use to review and test your locomotives with?
Thanks,
Sean Casey
Santa Clarita, CA
Your next, but unasked, question would be which one I preferred. I actually prefer having all of them! From them I’ve found out that it’s all good and that our DCC industry is blessed with fine products from intelligent and caring manufacturers. —Ed.
I have been thinking about writing this letter for some time to generate some discussion with regard to locomotive reviews. A few years ago it was simple, you put the machine on the track and you were all set. Now we have command control features that involve running the locomotive as well as listening to it. The old type of review doesn’t fit any longer. The following are some things that I now look for before purchasing new steam or diesel power. The more of these things covered in a review the more valuable the review and consequentially the publication is to me. Although I’m in HO, I think the following applies to all scales.
I think about the weight of the locomotive and tender. I want to be sure the tender won’t get thrown off the tracks due to the electrical cables between the loco and tender. How much weight is on the drivers? How are the engine and trailing trucks mounted and how are they held on the tracks; gravity, coil springs, other. Can more weight be placed any place; tender, smoke box, trucks?
Where does the electrical pickup come from? Much better if it comes from the drivers like the Athearn steam power. Let’s not forget the laws of physics, weight and the ability to clean pickup wheels will make for more pleasant running sessions.
Is there a front coupler, working or fake, how is it installed? What make / model coupler can be mounted in place of the dummy?
How does the loco come apart for maintenance or painting? Can it be disassembled? What kind of lights, LED, bulb, how easy is it to replace, individual control, how bright, can it be dimmed, are there any other lights on the loco? To what extent are the lights programmable?
Can the idling sounds be controlled, shut off, volume lowered, will it have to be turned up if the loco is operating? How is the volume controlled, remove hatch and turn with screwdriver? When the power is shut down how much programming is held in the locomotive?
I understand some products have to be programmed on the main rather than a program track because of the power required. This may be just the solution for one command control manufacturer but it might be of interest to a prospective buyer to find out what the manufacturer has to say.
One last thing; does the locomotive come with an operating manual or does one have to download it? I will no longer purchase a product without the proper servicing and programming manuals in the box. I think locomotive reviews should cover the written material that comes in the box as well as mention how the manufacturer can be contacted.
I’m very interested in knowing how others view this subject. I’m sending this letter to Model Railroad News because you seem to me to be very interested in doing the best you can when it comes to these reviews. It’s obvious that a great deal of time, thought, and effort goes into your reviews. I know it’s tricky when you’re selling advertising and don’t wish to offend anyone, but a good review needs only to present the facts.
George Barrett
Cumberland, ME
We have shown photos of the volume control pot, where one is used and mention if a magnetic wand is employed. As to the retention of programming, that is a standard within DCC; if it doesn’t stay until it is changed, then something is defective.
In the interests of space, we may not mention certain information which is common for all locomotives from a given manufacturer, including their manual, since that is covered often times by the first one we review, though we may revisit the topic if the manual format changes. The same is true of sound operation procedures where the control and operation remain the same from model to model. We generally don’t disassemble locomotives beyond removing outer shells for general maintenance or DCC access.
Advertising sales take place in another department and do not color the decisions of our reviewers, so there’s nothing at all tricky about that. You also have to remember that our photographs are a large part of our reviews, allowing the reader to see more of the model than almost any other venue save a visit to a sample at your hobby shop. I allow my writers more space to cover the prototype so that we may better understand the model in front of us. All reviews also represent the opinions of the writer, as well as the facts he uncovers, and this is set against the backdrop of the prototype. We present hard, cold numbers of operation in our By-The-Numbers testing, and are very interested in doing our best. We’ll keep your comments in mind. — Ed.
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