Pulling Power of LC+ Diesels

Arnold,

How many cars are you pulling?  I have the FT ACL set (assuming guts are the same as yours?) and it has no issues with ten freight cars.  It also pulls 4 60' passenger cars and a dome car with no issue.  Obvious question but is your voltage right?

Thanks, Hokie72.

Mine struggles pulling 6 or 7  freight cars. It also struggles in spots on my layout pulling 4 Williams passenger cars shown in my video.

This surprised me because my LC+ Pacific Steamer pulls longer freight trains and passenger trains with ease. 

I run the LC+ engines in remote mode, and have the track voltage fixed at 18 volts, and use the remote unit to control the speed of the train. 

Arnold

Only one of the locos is powered while the other is a dummy, correct? Does it spin it’s wheels, indicating a lack of traction, or does it stall, with the motor unable to spin the wheels? You should be able to tell if one truck’s motor is not working by slightly lifting first one truck and then the other just barely off the rails to see if the wheels are turning. 

Good idea, Bill! Arnold, you could use jumpers too from the track with the loco on its side. 

Yes, one A unit is powered and one is a dummy. Bill, your recommended test is a very good idea, and I will do that test.

In the meantime, I ran both of my LC+ engines and videotaped them. I now believe both engines are fine and highly recommend LC+ for those of us that cannot afford the most expensive engines in the $1,500 to $2,000 range, and for those of us who like some new technology and still want to keep running trains simple, but don't want to go crazy with new technology that makes running trains complicated. I think it is marvelous how LC+ engines smoke, how they sound, and how they can run prototypically slow and smooth, and how they couple and uncouple.  Running them with the remotes is simple enough so young children can do it easily.

Here is a short video of the gorgeous  LC+ New Haven FA diesel pulling post war passenger cars, and equally gorgeous LC+ NJ Central Pacific Steamer pulling 7 post war operating milk cars:

Incidentally, I think the problem with the New Haven diesel was not inadequate pulling power, but rather a power drop in one section of my layout where I need to do some track and wiring work to correct it. The New Haven diesel is more sensitive than my other engines to that power drop.

Put your powered locomotive in an engine cradle and apply some voltage with clip leads. See if both motors run. Nick

Neat layout, love the long run!  I am an LC+ person too.... 

Your suggestions are exactly correct and much appreciated: alligator clips, jumpers, cradle for the engine, etc. You are train doctors like my local train doctor friend, who will do these things to confirm that both motors in the powered unit are running.

The long run on my layout is the result of having a half basement (not a full basement under the whole house), a very accommodating wife who let my trains invade her laundry room in the basement, and a strong desire to have the trains go somewhere. 

When I'm most excited about the trains, I regard them as an art form: a place to joyfully express one's creativity. This Forum can also be such a place.

I find things mechanical and electrical to be very challenging

Arnold.

Hey Arnold, I agree, cool looking layout. Could you post some pics of it? I too like the look of that long run into the tunnel.

Lionchief engines

Steam engine up to 9' mixed freight passenger ,single engine. Level track 36" -72" radius , 6' of cars on a 2% grade 36' radius.

Diesel engine up to 13' mixed freight or passenger dual engine level track 36"-72 radius  , 7' of cars  on a 2 % grade  36" radius .

Great little engines, not a heavy as a  Railking engine , so not as much pulling power, still great engines and very affordable. 

Arnold,

I run three LCP engines on my table layout.  They run the two upper main lines, 54 to 62 inches off the floor.  SF FT, two motors, one dummy.  CSX GP38, two motors.  CP GP38, two motors.  All are pulling an average of 16 freight cars.

Power to the upper lines is a Z4000.   In terms of pulling power, they run flawlessly.  The 2.5% grade (on the left) shown in pic #1 is no problem.  The only limitation is the ability of the cars to handle the turns.  I try to keep the heavier cars in front to mitigate this issue, because I prefer the longer consists.

Always like your layout, video pics.  Reminds me that the Yankees are a pretty good team....

Jerry

Mike Reagan shows Lionchief plus pulling a nice load here around 6:30 mark although steam.

https://youtu.be/POspQqN66SU

I've had 15 freight cars behind my dual flywheel motor LC+ SF GP7 with no problems and those were scale 57' reefers, acf aluminum hoppers, and husky stacks. 

My NW2 seems strong also for only having a single flywheel motor, but I've yet to load test it.