LionChief RTR’s Performance? on Inclines and Declines? Video Test Added

I posted a video back when I first got mine of one of the steamers pulled somewhere between 20 and 30 reefers up a 2.5% grade that goes around a 72" curve.  That is a reasonably hefty climb.  At very low speeds, more than 25 reefers caused it to spin its wheels at very low speeds at the point of greatest resistance, but only a little. 

Reducing the power won't work for the LionChief RTR as the speed is controlled via the internal board. They will run at around 14v and up. Drop the power and they will stop, not slow down.

Just design the helix to keep a 2-2.5% grade or 054\060 or larger curves.

I only have Thomas and Percy and the PolEx LionChief, but the performance and operation are similar. I wouldn't expect major differences in the RTR sets. Great pullers for a single motor!

I received my Polar Express RTR set Friday and with two additional straight tracks put together an up and over loop with an average grade of 5 - 5.5%. The train doesn't have any problem climbing the grade at 1/3 throttle.

I'd appreciate any thoughts about the following tests.

Using insulated power districts for the ascending and descending grade to see if it's possible to control descent by decreasing the power of the ac transformer. I believe the video below shows this can be accomplished.

I also tested the train on a O48 loop  with an older 40 watt transformer. I set the transformer at its maximum power of 14 volts and cranked up the speed on the remote. I found I could control the speed with both the remote (duh) and transformer. The Bell, Horn, Announcements and Direction can only be controlled from the remote. When the remote is at full throttle I could turn the transformer down to about 3 volts before the train stops moving. At that setting all the functions on the remote still worked.  However engine and passenger car lights were very dim. Between approximately 4 and 8 volts out of the transformer with the remote at full throttle, speeds seem inconsistent and lights remain dim. The train seems to regain optimal performance at approximately 9 - 10 volts ac.

Okay.  I'm not sure why you would want to control speed with different voltage ascending and descending.  My LC+ mail their speed control fantastically well.  I set them at 16 volts and they maintain the speed I set with the controller up and down, pulling 20+ cars.  Whatever control system they have is pretty awesome.  

I know I can run this in conventional but I have not beyond one time testing them that way to see that they would, in fact, run in conventional.

Hi Lee, I appreciate your input and know your thought process is uniquely qualified to help with what I'm working on...

I think you're confusing LionChief with LionChief +. The Polar Express from the RTR set isn't LionChief +, It does not have speed control and seems to have the same freewheeling characteristics on a descent as a modern conventional engine. So far I think it's a great engine but I don't think it would handle the long steep descent I'm considering for  this years Christmas display without stepping down the voltage. 

All plans change to conform with what's actually possible. But I like to start out at the extreme and make changes after the failures.

Wow!  I am surprised Lionchief does not have some sort of at least crude cruise.  I guess they really did try to take all the cost out of it they can.  

Thanks for the info.  Another reason to stay with LC+.

Can some form of speed control such as cruise commander be added to Lionchief rtr starter set locomotives? It wouldn't need it to be capable of being turned on or off as I would always want it engaged or "on".

Has anybody already done such a modification? 

For the downhill leg of the layout you can isolate the middle rail at both ends of the drop and use some diode pairs in the line for that section to drop the voltage. Each pair is one diode facing each way with both ends tied together.

Use diodes rated for the wattage you run, I'd use 10 Watt Diodes to be safe.

I'd say start with 5 pairs.  That will drop 3 Volts. Add more pairs if you need to.

Each pair drops 0.6VDC.

If the Uphill section runs too slow, Do this for all but the Uphill section and double it for the downhill section.