Ideas for preventing locomotives binding and slowing down on curves?

Hi Robert-

Welcome aboard... If you purchase a Lionel, make sure it has TMCC with odyssey and that slow down in the curves will be a thing of the past. Of course some say here that they like the conventional slow down, and like to really run their trains. Well to each there own.

O-45 curves and cruise control are what you need. With cruise control, the locos will not slow down in the curves.

Cruise control can be added to TMCC locomotives with the cruise Commander "M" from Electric Railroad Company.

http://www.electricrr.com/

Additionally, several companies have been putting cruise control in their locomotives for years. Some different trade names for cruise control are:

-engineer on board (an old train America studios product)

-Odyssey (an older Lionel product)

-Legacy has cruise built in

-Electric railroad has the cruise commander and the cruise commander M retrofit kits

-MTH proto 2 and 3 have cruise control built in

Thanks for the info, this is interesting stuff. This is just what I needed, as there are so many different systems its all a bit daunting. So, has anyone put a cruise commander in a 2-8-0 specifically? I've done DCC installs in HO so I'm not really squeamish about doing it. I'll watch a video on installing one. 

Next question- would it be possible to install a third party TMCC module in the Williams 44 ton and keep the sound module? Thanks again!

Without some form of cruise control, there really isn't much you can do about it.  It's the one thing that drives me nuts about conventional control.

Without some form of cruise control, there really isn't much you can do about it.  It's the one thing that drives me nuts about conventional control.

Can't the conventional operator just raise the power a bit?

C W Burfle posted:

Without some form of cruise control, there really isn't much you can do about it.  It's the one thing that drives me nuts about conventional control.

Can't the conventional operator just raise the power a bit?

You can... But on a small layout with O31 or O36 curves at each corner, that's a lot of throttle-jockeying.

It's one thing that's kinda put me out of O gauge- I'm not interested in the "new" stuff, and don't have room for bigger curves, but got tired of the "speed up/slow down" routine.

Cruise control is done using a thing called 'Back EMF' http://www.homemade-circuits.c...ile-closed-loop.html. The circuitry isn't complicated the home experimenter can achieve it with over the counter parts or it can be had commercially at inexpensive prices.

Bogie

Rob W. posted:

... Every video I've watched of the 2-8-0 shows it slowing down quite a bit on curves, presumable from the friction of the drivers flanges on the tight curves. So, my question is, does this bother anyone else, and if so what have you done to mitigate it? ... I would just like to run without going from 30 scale mph on the straights down to barely a crawl in the curves. Thanks for any advice you can offer!

Robert Williams

I would want to know why a loco is slowing down that much on a curve. Maybe the wheelbase is too long for the curve. A 6-driver steamer would do better than an 8-driver steamer on sharp curves. Check wheel gauge and track gauge for adequate clearance. Look at whether the wheel-flange-rail profiles are compatible. Some of the 3-rail wheels work better on tubular track curves. Traction tires on a pair of drivers (on the same axle) may cause drag on sharp curves.

Yeah, "cruise control" may compensate, but it doesn't fix the issue. A 4-axle diesel will be more forgiving of sharp curves.

mlavender480 posted:

C W Burfle posted:

Without some form of cruise control, there really isn't much you can do about it.  It's the one thing that drives me nuts about conventional control.

Can't the conventional operator just raise the power a bit?

You can... But on a small layout with O31 or O36 curves at each corner, that's a lot of throttle-jockeying.

It's one thing that's kinda put me out of O gauge- I'm not interested in the "new" stuff, and don't have room for bigger curves, but got tired of the "speed up/slow down" routine.

Exactly, it would involve making a throttle adjustment every 10 seconds or so on the size layout I have in mind. I have nothing against old school, conventional control. I just want to be able to run at a fairly steady speed, and do some switching, on a small layout. 

If you don't enjoy being a throttle jockey which can be fun on its own, or a nuisance at times when you are not in the mood, then newer engines from MTH and Lionel have cruise control built in.  You can also add it with ERR boards for some older locomotives.

I think in your case, you should look at newer command control engines from MTH and Lionel.  Me personally, I have both and enjoy both for the reasons above.

As for keeping the stock sounds when adding an ERR board for TMCC control, that is a nope.

As for an 2-8-0, if you hunt around, you might be able to get dibs on one of the new ones Lionel is making right now.  They were built to order, but several shops order extra so there are a few out there.  It's a 6-82183, and it's rated at O-31.  IMHO, totally worth the money.  After getting my 1st Legacy steamer, I just keep getting more, and they are all O-36 or tighter for minimum curve.

Rob W. posted:

Thanks for the info, this is interesting stuff. This is just what I needed, as there are so many different systems its all a bit daunting. So, has anyone put a cruise commander in a 2-8-0 specifically? I've done DCC installs in HO so I'm not really squeamish about doing it. I'll watch a video on installing one. 

Next question- would it be possible to install a third party TMCC module in the Williams 44 ton and keep the sound module? Thanks again!

Which 2-8-0? The Lionel one that came with the Vandarbilt tender years ago works great with the addition of a Cruise M from Electric railroad. Friends and I have installed them in these locos and used the original sounds. The RailKing 2-8-0 will respond nicely to a Cruise Commander, but you will have to add sounds.

The units sold by electric railroad use the Lionel TMCC technology. If the loco already has the type of sound that is compatible with Lionel TMCC, then you can generally reuse that sound system. When converting an MTH locomotive to TMCC with cruise, you have to install TMCC compatible sound.

A cruise commander will work fine in a Williams loco, but will not control the Williams sound.

Here is the ERR website:   http://www.electricrr.com/products.htm