How slow is slow?

All I know is I'm still flying compared to prototype speeds.

I added the bridge rectifier modification to my Williams 44-ton switcher last night. That helped, but it's still too fast and sensitive.

Hi

I reach the One sMPH, that IMO is too slow.

but for starts and switching is really good!

Andre.

Slow and smooth is a great way to describe speed,but it doesn't have to be such an exact science.Start at zero and work it up to what YOU think looks good.You are not being inspected or graded.Thats my 2 cents.Nick

The slowest would probably be around 3 smph with my latest MTH PS-3. It is so slow that it is almost boring to watch. Reasonably slow falls in the 10-20 smph range. Doesn't matter if it's Lionel or MTH, you're going to need command control and speed control to get "low and slow".

Gilly 

PW-275 zw, 

2 - SD90 Williams hooked together, pulling 8 mth Madsion passenger cars,

went around  15 -- O72, curve, and 8 - o gauge 10" straights, hooked together in an egg shaped oval.   Took  34 seconds to make a round.  Not sure how to calculate that,  I feel sure somebody has a tool that, can  Dont think I can get much slower.

 

arrsd90

That is not a surprising result given your combination of transformer and locomotives.  Your time for that scale distance (just under a scale quarter mile) is equal to about 23 scale miles per hour.

Your slow is considered medium speed for those with Proto2, Proto3 or Legacy.  A modern transformer with lower starting voltage would allow you to run your Williams engines more slowly.  An MTH or Lionel Legacy locomotive will run much more slowly with your old ZW.

Proto 2 and 3 diesels will all do 3-4 smph smoothly.  Proto 2 and 3 steam locomotives will usually do 2-3 smph smoothly. 

Legacy locomotives odyssey II are very good on the slow end.  They have a speed curve that does not equate to smph.  The spacing of the steps is very tight on the low end and gets broader as speed increases.

I have several Steam engines that will move smoothly at 2 SMPH under DCS.

I have one that will do so at 1 SMPH. All of them will do so at 3 SMPH.

These are yard speeds for coupling up, not running speeds.

Out on the Main I run 30 to 60 depending on Engine and consist. 60 being a rather rare occurance, It eats up loop time too fast.

I don't bother to calibrate exact MPH speeds.  But my Legacy steam and diesel locomotives are slow and smooth even over switches.  On my Legacy steam 0-8-0 I love to watch the puff puff puff of smoke at slower speeds, it looks so real.

Steve, Lady and Tex

The slowest engine I have is my Lionel Vision Line genset.  It will creep along at less than 1/4" a second as smooth as silk.  I'd rate the Legacy stuff as a rule slightly better than MTH DCS for the absolutely slowest smooth performance, but either brand does well under command control.

I really dislike zoom-zoom locos, but anything under 10 smph will make me happy

in most situations. In the real world, locos really don't creep around in yards all the

time - they certainly do when necessary, of course. Many of us have been so traumatized

by 150 smph switchers - and I am one of the loudest complainers - that we over

emphasize extreme <1 smph speeds.  

My layout is a lopsided trapezoid (really?): 18 X 12 X 10 X something. My TMCC USRA

2-6-6-2 pulled a train around it a few years ago as slowly as I could get it to.

It took 10 minutes to make the journey; timed it, with a witness. 

I'm happy with that, to say the least.

I like a slow startup to ramp up to a realistic speed.

My experience as well. PS2/3 steamers will go slower smoothly than the diesels -- maybe a one motor vs. 2 thing -- and the Legacy GP9 I just got will REALLY crawl. I'm very impressed with it.

I prefer slower. Gomez Adams speed looks silly on a small layout.

All my ps2 and ps3 MU's pulling between 12 and 26 cars each are nearly perfect at S 1mph or i railroad tie per second approx. Very realistic for backing up on my side tracks and pulling out. S 2mph and above are flawless.I did have to pull a motor each from my Imperial Railking SD70 pair to get these results. My 2 rail GP 35 and 38 locos have all of there motors. I service every one of my locos from machining the pickup black oxide screws in the trucks,commutator service[really helps] to touching up my tach tape with black or white paint. I run a single TIU REV L with the Z 1000 brick.

I like around 20 scale mph for slow locos.  I can run this conventionally with Legacy and a ZW-L.

Most of my PS2/PS3 engines pickup somewhere between 2-3 SMPH.   They aren't all happy there - I actually have better luck with the diesels.  By 4-5, they all smooth out.   I don't keep the there long;  like Lee I prefer around 20-30 SMPH most of the time;  I'll wick my passenger trains up way past that frequently, but I keep the freights slower.   Just something about the deliberate chuffs and smoke puffs that I enjoy, and the observers (myself included) get to see more.  

I'm experimenting in N Scale DCC at the moment, and I'm impressed at jut how slow I can get those things to crawl to this point.   If I set 128 speed steps (not accounting for trim...) those things really crawl out of the yard at a snails pace especially the Fox Valley GEVO's.  The Kato's want to run 

I like 15-25 SMPH. Your focus is on the scenery as the train passes through it rather than on the train with a scenic blur.

Fred,

   It all depends on consist, with the 800 series Tin I like to run around 10-15, with the 2600 Tin a little faster, 25-28. 

PCRR/Dave

Hello guys and gals...........

I run my scale S.F.5011 with heavyweights at 45 -50 scale mph at 14 volts with the Z4000.

the woman who loves the S.F.5011,2678

Tiffany

Ted,

 

Thank You ,  that is amazing,  I know a lot of people talk about the quickness of

the Williams,  I think I might put a TMcc, on there this week- end, and get some information, or at least time it,

Appreciate the efforts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just read your stuff , again,  I can put a MTH 750, on it from what your saying

may just do that for kicks and see -- well more time to run the loop

thanks----  Terry

edit  --  MTH E33 elec,   1 MINUTE AND 18 SECONDS,  SO ???!!

 

arrsd90

at 1:18 you are getting down to around 10 SMPH.  If your MTH E33 is Proto 2 or 3 it sees steady voltage as a speed command when run in conventional.  The 8 to 20 smph speed range is controlled by supplying 8-12 volts.  If your Proto 2 or 3 locomotive sees a steady 9 volts it will do 5 smph.

The Z-750 has a lower minimum voltage than a post war ZW.  You will be able to run your Williams engines at a slower speed with the Z-750.

The NMRA awards full points to scratch-built models if they can sustain a scale coupling speed of 3 mph.  To me, the absolute slowest speed isn't as important as a smoooth start--that initial step-off from zero, to one, two, three mph.  Also, jerk-free operation at intermediate speeds, and smooth, controllable stops.

Most Legacy locos, as well as many older Lionels, use gears that are not self-locking, that is, the wheels can turn the motor.  This arrangement helps to prevent driveline "snatch" (bucking or jerking) at the slowest speeds.  Combined with plenty of low-RPM torque, you can achieve a pretty realistic start.

Take a look at this video originally posted by PCJ (RailRide) to see what I mean. Note, no Legacy here!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a1xphpSJso

Years ago at a train show, my brother & I started a 30-car freight headed by the unlikely duo of a weary old 2056 and a 1990s-vintage Lionel RS-3.  The RS-3 had its motors wired in series.  Combined with the torque from the steam loco motor, we were able to take slack one car at a time until the wheels spun, then we would back up and try again.  There were the usual pull-aparts and derailments, but it really got the crowd's attention.  Everyone cheered when we finally got the train going!  IMO, more railroading should be like this!

i prefer 18 25 sMPH on my home layout and usually 25 30 on the much larger club layout, I generally slow down to 5sMPH before i hit the direction button fpr a bit more realism

I have track speed limits on my layout, and I try hard to obey them: 5 SMPH in yards & sidings; 15 SMPH in and approaching stations; 35 SMPH max on mainlines; ELs run @ 20 - 25 SMPH; trolley cars run at 20 SMPH or less.

I rarely run mainline trains more than 30 SMPH, and more often run them at 25 SMPH. DCS enables setting the acceleration and deceleration rates of locomotives. All of my locomotives have an acceleration rate of 1 and deceleration rate of 2 which I find looks very realistic for steam engines.

Smooth & consistent running at 2 to 5 SMPH is important to me, and I strive to have all of my powered trains do so.

Slow trains on a toy train layout to me are an abomination.  Never saw a slow train on the Lionel showroom layout.  Therefore, as I celebrate the totally unscale third rail, my trains run fast, faster, and faster than that!

Pete

Pete:

It all comes down to having FUN.

enjoy !!!

Being a bit of a dinosaur and a recent convert to TMCC I enjoy the fine control and slower running but really don't have a way to calculate scale MPH easily.  On my small 2 rail switching layout I try to limit speed to under 10 SMPH at all times.  The larger 3 rail layout is slow but speed is really an unknown.

I like to run my steam engines at a speed that still produces a distinct for chuffs per revolution.  That's not hard to do on my home layout, which represents the rough country of the southern great plains and has more curved track than straight.  When running on the club layout, on freight, I try do not exceed 45 smph and on passenger not more than 55-60 smph on the long straight sections.

Also, I like to make prototypical starts and stops, including manual control of diesel engine RPM's.  My best engine for this is the Legacy GP7, which will do 1 smph.  Next best are all my PS2 MTH steam and diesel engines, which will do 2 smph.  Then there are the TMCC engines from Atlas and Sunset/3rd Rail which will go 3 smph.