Long Consists - ordering of cars for best running

Heavy in front, light in back.  I've had better luck with a really long consist with a helper locomotive in the middle of the pack.  Obviously, the heavier the locomotive is, presuming it has sufficient power for the job, the more traction it will typically have.  Light plastic diesels will have less pulling power in general than a 20# articulated steamer.

You should always place the heaviest cars at the front and lighter on the rear. I run alot of Weaver freight cars and until someone manufactures die cast trucks again for Weaver, I put the plastic on the rear without any problems.

Long trains will also test your couplers. If you find ones that don't hold, you have some options.

• move that car further back
• tie the bad coupler closed (small wire, rubber band, etc)
• just remove that car

Remember, when running long trains, the macro laws of physics become more obvious. They can be a challenge to get moving, and stopping has to be done smoothly and gradually. Any derailments are usually spectacular. String lining and accordianing are not uncommon.

Out of curiosity, how long is long? 40-50? More?

I would place all locomotives up front where any mismatch or faults will not derail the cars.

I use small O rings available at many dollar stores in flea markets on couplers that tend to open. I stretch them using a pair of tweezers with holes like a pair o scissors for your fingers. Just be careful because the O rings will snap easy. 

As an FYI, on the real railroads, if there are loads - usually blocks of cars are the concern - that are exceptionally heavy, they are typically put toward the front of the train, for the same reasons. So, the above weight recommendation is also prototypical.

You'll never see a real RR putting a light MPC all-plastic flatcar up front!  

I weigh all my cars to NMRA standards.  I have been able to place properly weighted cars in any order and everything is fine.  The longest train I have ever ran on the Glacier Line is 25 cars.  Because of my "smallest" reverse loop, I'm constrained to a maximum of about 30--depends on car lengths.  The majority of trains we run range from 5 to 15 cars.  Easier to switch, more flexibility in passing sidings, sidings and classification lanes.

My best long train experience came about 35 years ago, on a modular layout. The goal was to see how many cars a single PW 2046 could pull. These were light, free rolling, MPC boxcars. It was kind of a game. Pretty easy going up through the 30's. Tractive effort started to become a problem in the upper 40's with wheel slip at start up.  In the 50's, every extra car was a challenge to add. I want to say we made it to the low 60's, made a couple laps, and called it a day. The effort was a big hit with the kids and adults at that show.

My personal best is 115 cars pulled by two Legacy U28C locomotives, one in the lead, the other a helper in the middle of the consist.

WOW, very impressive!

The two U-boats were working hard, but they managed several laps.  This was the final adjusted load after fixing several couplers that popped open.  I started with both locomotives in the lead, but when I just grabbed the coupler of the lead car and gave a test pull, I realized how much motive power it was going to take and the strain the couplers would be under.

Someone mention long consist

There was a video here wonder what happened ?

This is a mix of cars Die Cast, 100% plastic, unweighted Weaver and Pola, MTH Lionel a bunch of everything. No rubber tires!! A lot of Weaver plastic trucks and wheels I use plastic trucks and wheels on everything I can. One Z4000. Grade is 2.2% of about 50 feet.

Heavier car up front, but one thing to remember with LOOOONG trains is dis cast trucks and couplers

Here is video I did at the TMB club with 4 engines on point and 125 cars in tow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-chGzj9LWg

Steve

gunrunnerjohn posted:

My personal best is 115 cars pulled by two Legacy U28C locomotives, one in the lead, the other a helper in the middle of the consist.

I can't top 115, not enough room, But I have run 55 car trains a lot, but the one that impressed me the most, was my Lionel 0-6-0T Docksider, managed to start 46 cars without slipping. It did get noticeably warm though, cut back to 42 cars and it ran for an extended period just fine.

 I was not surprised that my Scale articulateds handled the 55 car trains, but the Lionel Mikado Jr. and the Traditional size Pacific started and handled the same train just fine, ran at least half an hour without getting warm, this was on 082 curves.

Doug

And there are those that say todays trains are junk.

Rod Miller

Always useful to add mid helpers and pushers.   There are six powered units, even though several are not smoking.  On grades, each engine puts out about 1.25 lbs. of tractive effort.