I tested every loco I thought might run on Superstreets/EZ Street "track" today to see if it would for a project I am thinking about. The result, perhaps obvious up front, is that RMT BEEPS run best on SS track. However, how much better, and why, and what other locos run well was interesting.
I tested Locos on both an all-D21 loop and loop with D21 and D16 radii. VIDEOS are below.
RMT BEEP - I tested four, all the original pre-tether models. They slow a bit in D16 curves but power thru. On D21 only they orbit smoothly .
RMT BEEF - you would think with the same basic chassis as a BEEP, they would be as good. They don't. I tested three. All make it through D21 okay (but slow perceptibly) and don't like D16 (they don't jump the rails they just stall).
Lionel Dockside Switcher - runs nicely on D21 and makes it through D16 with lots of drama. (See video - fun).
MRT BANG - I figured with steerable trucks it would do better than the BEEPS, but no. It runs on D21 only, slowing noticeably on curves but making it through fine. It jumps on D16 radii.
RMT BUDD car - not surprisingly since the trucks look to be basically the same as on the BANG, it runs on SS/EZ just the same.
Atlas 4-4-2 steamer, without the tender it goes through D21 curves as long as the track is absolutely flat (the front truck is just a tick away from de-railing - any irregularity will do it). With the tender behind it won't power through curves although I think this could be fixed by a little work to increase the angle the tender's trucks swivel. It will not run on D16 at all.
A small K-line diesel switcher - the smallest loco I have. I have no idea what it is (you can see it briefly in the videos, sitting off the track - I bought it from Don Jones (DGJones) at a TCA Show. It is a really nice if very tiny, all square, two axle, cast metal diesel switcher -- the smallest loco I have, not much bigger than a clown car. It handles SS roadtrack fine - doesn't seem to care what radius it is running on.
The following do not run through D21: Lionel GP9, Lionel U-boat, WBB Trainmaster, Lionel or MTH F3s, WBB Baldwin ten wheeler, Lionel Atlantic.
Finally, I ran head to head tests of the locos that do run on D21: Which can push the other backwards best?
Surprisingly, the BEEP won, besting the BANG, the BUDD, the BEEF, or the Atlas Switcher, it will shove them backwards consistently (not quite as fast as it does an SS vehcile, but no contest). The Docksider Switcher gives it a run for its money and can occasionally make an inch of headway before falling back two inches, but the others are just go backwards (wheels spinning or stalled either way). The smaller switcher and any SS vehciles don't even slowly it.
Apologies for the mess in the videos. I set up just temporarily to run these tests and some magnet-pulling tests tomorrow.
BEEP running on D21 (left end) and D16 (right end) loop.
Dockside Switcher running on the same loop (D21 on left, D16 on right). Note the drama as it nearly de-rails on D16 - but it never does no matter how many times you let it go around.
BEEP pushing an SS vehicle backwards as if it does not care.
Why do I care? I have a purpose in this research, but will explain another time. This is long already . . . .
RMT BANG on D21. You can see it slow a bit in corners. The RMT BUDD car does just as well, but looks even more strange because it is longer
