Beef with Beefs

I've had no problem.  There might be something wrong with yours.  

 

In June I posted a video of an A-B-B-A set (all four powered) pulling my war train - the heaviest (all the diecast armored stuff) if not the longest train I have run on my layout.  

https://ogrforum.com/d...ent/6920524199055824

I also ran them with light loads - just a few small plastic cars, and up to nine 18" aluminum passenger cars, and again, no problems.

Mr. Baumman,

  I absolutely understand your frustration in the BEEF and O-27 curves. I ran into the same problem, so I immediately sent an email to RMT. About an hour later (literally!) Walter, the owner of RMT, called me at home and spent about 15 minutes on the phone with me discussing my problem.  I took his advice and went to work.  The changes he recommended weren't enough for my problem so I adjust fire and made the necessary adjustments. 

 

  Here is a link to another site where I posted what I did. I'd post it on OGR but it'd take too long. Also, I've cleaned up the filing I did so it looks a lot better than the photos shown in the link. 

 

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=12946

 

  I hope this convinces you to give them another try. I'm an unapologetic RMT fan so I'm pretty biased about their product. But, at least this might help you keep from loosing $200.  

  

When did they start makeing O27 Fastrack Lee?

I'm using Atlas now.  I bought and set up a loop of Atlas O-27 3-rail on the carpoet in my study to test whether my BEEPS and BEEFs would run nicely on it (they do).  I ran them all including a BANG and such.  All worked well with my typical rolling stock. They slow a bit in these very tight turns, with their non swiveling wheels, but I can live with that. 

 

So I had no problems, although I realize others do, but I had previously freed up the coulpers, etc., when I installed tethers between units myself, (on all my early BEEPs) so maybe that made the difference - but I did nothing to my BEEFS except repaint them for the war train and I ran an A-B set on the o-27 last week and they did okay.  Unmodified.

 

This means that when I rebuild my "BEEPWorld" loop and trainyard with Atlas with the Atlas over the old Fastrack in most places, I will make some changes using the O-27., I can use that in the trainyard and it means i can squeeze one more siding into the space I have because I get the tighter turns.  Also, I will insert 90 degrees of 0-27 in place for 0-36 (as was the Fastrack) and get a better route on the mainline.  

 

BEEPS and BEEFS (same chassis) really are very satisfying little critters. 

I just made the same modification to my Beef last night as SeaBilliau did.  The Beef would pull passenger cars through any curve but was derailing for me even on some O31 curves.  I loved the way it ran but was getting frustrated with it. Walter & I emailed back and forth a few times and I tried changing what car was right behind it, adding weight, going faster slower through the curves, etc with mixed results.  Now with the pilot opening wider it pulls through any curve even a very tight S curve on my O27 track.  I'm again happy with my NYC RMT Beef ABA locomotive. 

 

Kevin

Yeah - I see what you mean.  I think I did that as a matter of course on my Beefs, at least the A units, but forgot - I will check when I get hom.  However, I am sure I did not widen the space as much as in SeaBilliau's pictures - but only barely enough to get the job done.  On the back ends of the A units, and both ends of the B units, I removed the couplers and just screwed on a strap made out of 1/8 in styrene to get them closer together (about 3/8 inch closer).  They run okay on 27 inch curves, but slow down from wheel friction some . . .

Thanks all, for the comments. I would modify my statement that "any" car being pulled by an ABA Beef will derail on 027 diameter curves. Some passenger cars that have a swinging drawbar (such as Williams "2400" series) will remain on track. However, all my other 027 freight cars will derail. I do think the Beef should not be advertised as operational on 027 curves without some kind of modification by the buyer, such as filing out the drawbar opening.

I hope you change your mind about selling that Texas Spec. I love mine and would probably be taking them off your hands if I was a Texas Rail kinda guy.

SO, were there ever any manufacturing or design changes in the RMT BEEF in the year since this tread was initiated to help eliminate the problem described of cars pulled by BEEFS thru 027 curves being knocked off?  It sounds like a pretty crucial problem.  This issue may all be for naught anyway given RMT's current "limbo" status.