Heat affecting train performance

Frank Briguglio 041518 posted:

I have my trains in a garage in Florida and find my train performance seems to be effected by the heat. Is anyone having similar problems. Putting in air conditioning.

I know that the heat effects my performance, thus I try to stay inside in the air condition, on days such as today (dew point at 71 degrees, with temps going past 95 degrees). Not very pleasant in the Chicago area.

I notice the humidity as more effect than Temperature  

The humidity is more of a potential problem! Get that AC!

Power to the track

Frank Briguglio 041518 posted:

Power to the track

As in actually measured voltage? Do we have any real data? I've never really heard of this; exactly how hot is it in your RR area/room, anyway?

Of course, A/C is always a good idea in every way imaginable. Heat in the winter? Meh - not as critical. (I live in the same climate, BTW.)

If you can, I would purchase a window ac unit or fairly large fan for the summer. For winter, I prefer not to be frozen while working on trains, so maybe a space heater might be in order. Just my thoughts.

Lived in Fl. 30 years and had 2 garage layouts that operated fine.

Only time trains slowed down is when I did shows using a ZW. Those X-formers got so hot a fan was required during all day and evening operation. But that was running old engines with current eating PW motors. Today’s trains operate more efficiently.

No specifics supplied in question. 

Hot Water posted:

I know that the heat effects my performance, thus I try to stay inside in the air condition, on days such as today (dew point at 71 degrees, with temps going past 95 degrees). Not very pleasant in the Chicago area.

Jack,

Maybe these will help.

FYI - The Hallmark channel started airing their "Christmas Movies" yesterday.  So crank up the A/C close the drapes and enjoy.  

Hello Frank (AKA Burglar)!  I know your layout is fairly new having visited in April.  As I recall it is two separate loops of Fastrack with conventional and Legacy operation.  I believe you were using a PH 180 for power.  During that visit I noted some voltage drops along the track and suggested you run some bus drops to those areas.

I'm not sure how you initially wired the layout, however I would recommend this post as a start to correcting your power issues.  You can also search bus wiring on this forum and find a wealth of information.

I do not know much about Fastrack or the best way to add drops to it, however someone will likely chime in.

I don't think that heat is the culprit here as I know you had some A/C in the garage area.  More is always better.  There is a possibility that the track connections have degraded some as a result of the high humidity in South Florida.

Good luck on getting this fixed and I'll see you in a few weeks and run some trains.

BruceT

SantaFeJim posted:

Hot Water posted:

I know that the heat effects my performance, thus I try to stay inside in the air condition, on days such as today (dew point at 71 degrees, with temps going past 95 degrees). Not very pleasant in the Chicago area.

 

Mine too, 112 degree heat in Vegas is putting a serious kink in the operation of my outdoor G scale layout.  I know, it's a dry heat.

Chris Sheldon

The heat is definitely expanding the track and therefore creating disconnects. Thank Bruce.

Maybe the heat/humidity is affecting the train table material.

Also if I remember there were posts about some fastrack that didn't make good contact, black center rail maybe.

Excessive heat and/or humidity definitely do--or at least can--have an adverse affect on model trains, especially those equipped with mordern electronics.

All my stuff is stored in a friendly climate room meaning it never gets hot in that room. 

Definitely worth having aircon in the train room. I’m in the U.K. and have a aircon unit that also has a heat pump. So in the winter it also heats the room. 

Make sure your garage door is insulated.

Nick