Glacier Park Models

True---but if you want the best, you pay for it....    The wall was covered with exquisite models primarily SP steamers.     It was a thrill to see.     

Beautiful models! I have the C&NW R7 4-6-0. It has problems on my dead frog turnouts so it does not operate often.

Mitchell

My opinion is, for the level of detail they are a great value.  GP models compare well to Iron Horse/PSC, Key, and OMI for a lot less money.  They cost more than Sunset/3rd Rail but are built to a higher standard.

Don't get me wrong Sunset/3rd Rail are a great value and I own quite a few but GP are just nicer.

Jay

Mitchell,

I think part of the reason your R1 might have problems with the switches is the spaced rear driver and the rigid frame that goes with it.

I'm not sure how tight your switches are, but The R1 has a 14'10" driver wheel base on 63" drive wheels, and that means that it will have trouble in switches where a diesel switcher of similar size would routinely make it.  This is especially true of all wheel pickup locomotives. Diesels by nature are almost always all wheel. Most steam engines have tender only pickups, and that can be problematic as the locomotive runs through a dead spot in the track that other locomotives don't "find" 

My CT Knudsen book shows them weighing in at a massive (for a 4-6-0) 80 tons. 

So the other thing that may be affecting it in the switches is a lack of weight, where the locomotive floats just the right way to dead spot. 

Wisco2r

I use Roco #6 turnouts and the loco stalls even on the straight. This loco picks up power only on the loco. In other words it will run without the tender. There are pickups on the tender but for tender lighting only.

I will try a bean bag weight on the loco to see if that is indeed what will elminate the stalling.

sswmickey

sounds like you may need to add weight.    the fellas I saw run had added weight:  speaker in the tender and lead in the cab; I think this improved his pickup.

Mickey,

I have worked on a couple of dozen GP models (mostly conversions to Proto 48) so I have some practical experience with these models.

Having said that, there are a couple of things you could check, or do, that may improve your little locos performance.  There should be an electrical plug that connects the loco & tender.  This provides some pickup for the loco also.  The next thing I would check is the wipers on the loco to make sure they're all making contact.  Make sure they continue to make contact with any lateral movement of the drivers (simulation of the loco going through curves).  Be very careful the wipers are very fragile.

The last thing is a little more complicated but may greatly improve the loco's performance.  GP models are sprung on the stiff side so any uneven track (even a few thousandths) will cause an open in the electrical path.  If you feel brave enough I would say swap out the stiff springs for something softer.  This will help the drivers stay in contact with the rail.

Those are just a few things I've gleaned with my experiences.

Jay

I would re- engineer the pickup to enable current from all tender wheels.  That's what I do on those pesky CLW H10 Consolidations with plastic drivers.  I would not be pleased paying for a premium model that needed such extensive work to run well.

Sometimes Sunset steam starts the lurching process.  Easier fix is to just put subminiature connectors and a wire between locomotive and tender - the drawbar connection is just not reliable enough.

Opinion.

Bob,

You don't have to re-engineer anything.  Most times these models run just fine but plastic. or isolated, frogs can be a problem.  If you lay a straight edge along the top of the frog, where it meets the rail, you'll often see the frog is higher than the corresponding rail head.  This lifts the drivers making contact with the rail head.  power your frogs or make them level and the problem is solved.

Jay

Jay C, 

I really like the answer you gave, as I know nothing of Glacier Park, and was relying on my experiences with other locomotives that have had similar problems.

Unfortunately as far as spring constants, I am going to have to bring this into debate.

I personally have found its far less trouble to add weight to the locomotive than to do whatever is required in a spring replacement.  (Much of my equipment is over 60 years old and and with one exception need little more than motors and some new lost wax detail parts.) 

By re- engineer, I did not mean anything complicated.  If the wipers on the locomotive are fragile enough to need attention right out of the box, i would pick up current somewhere else.

We find the robust pickups on MTH Diesels not good enough, and wind up, after several years of eight-hour days, with coil spring-loaded plungers.  That meets my loose definition of re- engineer.

Bob,

Please remember, I like to tease you.  It's one of my favorite pastimes.

I didn't read "right out of the box" anywhere.  My thinking was, maybe they were bent during handling or some other nefarious action perpetrated against the model during it's young life.

I agree with you completely though wipers are not the best solution for marathon running.

Jay