Start Foaming..Lets See the STEAM!!!

[Dave V]

Having had decent results (with LOTS of do-overs) using Bullfrog Snot, might that help the LL/Walthers Berk?

[Alaska Railroader]

After looking I cannot find a LL Berk for sale, at least none that are in stock. I don't want the brass so I guess I'll have to keep my eyes out for one on ebay. BLW had them for sale for something like $79.00 way back when they came out. Bummer.

[benderda]

Well it's not $79 but it's a Berk:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/N-Heritage-2-8-4-Berkshire-Steam-Locomotive-Chesapeake-Ohio-7465-/350499300985

TexNRails shows them in stock but I'm not at all sure that they really are...

http://www.texnrails.com/catalog/catresults.asp?sid=MB281373429113835&cat=L&mfg=LLK&itype=2-8-4_Berkshire&scale=N

[mmagliaro]

Having had decent results (with LOTS of do-overs) using Bullfrog Snot, might that help the LL/Walthers Berk?

The LL Berkshire was one of the specific engines I tested when I did my tests of BFS a few years ago. 
I could not get it to pull even one more car up a  2% grade (it pulled 6 and still pulled 6 even after a variety of BFS attempts).  Tony also tested it, and he got more improvement than I.  His Berk would pull 9 up a 2% with nothing and 15 with the BFS on the 4th driver.
(See NTrak Steam Addendum book, 2009).

I don't have any explanation for why Tony and I got such different results on this engine.  We agreed much more closely on the other engines we tested.  It may have something to do with the fact that Tony tested on code 80 Unitrack and I used code 55 Atlas.  The thinner rail does give you less traction.

Now,  my Berkshire has a traction tire on it, and that got it to pull
25 40' cars up a 2% grade (old Atlas Forum thread on the whole ordeal:
http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=52372 )

What I did was a little loony, but it did work.  It's a good puller and a smooth runner now.

And please, let's not have this descend into another arduous debate on Bullfrog Snot.  There are plenty of threads on multiple forums that have already covered this.

[Dave V]

I remember reading a few BFS debate threads...  I have no loyalty one way or the other, just asking.

[mike_lawyer]

I'll add my most recent steam acquisition:

Is the Key Imports I1 a decent runner?  How is pulling power? 

[mmagliaro]

I remember reading a few BFS debate threads...  I have no loyalty one way or the other, just asking.

Whoops... sorry, Dave.  I see how what I wrote gave you that impression.  No, it had nothing to do with you or your
question about BFS.  If anything, I was afraid that by my mentioning the old Berk experiements with BFS,
I would be unleashing the monster again.

[Dave V]

Mike,

I've only run her in DC mode.  Here are my observations:

Decent running for brass.  A little bit of a lurch from the valve gear, but I've lubricated it and it's improved.

Lots of drivers for pickup.

Decent side-play and well-sprung driver journals.

Handles curves well for a 5-coupled wheelbase.  No good on train set curves, but handled 13.5" okay.

Pulled 20 loaded hoppers and a cabin without complaint.

Once I get a decoder in there, she'll be a valubale member of my roster, not just eye candy.

Max,

No worries.

[mike_lawyer]

Mike,

I've only run her in DC mode.  Here are my observations:

Decent running for brass.  A little bit of a lurch from the valve gear, but I've lubricated it and it's improved.

Lots of drivers for pickup.

Decent side-play and well-sprung driver journals.

Handles curves well for a 5-coupled wheelbase.  No good on train set curves, but handled 13.5" okay.

Pulled 20 loaded hoppers and a cabin without complaint.

Once I get a decoder in there, she'll be a valubale member of my roster, not just eye candy.

Dave -

Make sure to get a good decoder for the loco.  I'm not sure if the stock motor from Key is skew wound or coreless, but for me, the best decoders for steam locos out there are Zimo.  It is just amazing the difference between their decoders and others I have used.  The motor control is outstanding.  After using them, I won't go back.

[CodyO]

I put a DZ123 in my 2-8-0 and that thing can go pretty good for a brass engine
around 30 hoppers had it pulling the one day
I`m too busy buying rolling stock otherwise i may have jumped on that hippo on the bay


Oh but I`ll be putting digitrax boards in 2 brass 2-10-0(same engines as yours dave) for a buddy whos starting to DCC his brass fleet I`ll share the process here for you dave if your interest

[up1950s]

As of 10 minutes ago I am no longer going to try to make the FEF-1 powered . Though I have cured the wheel to axle slip , and the bushing to axle slip , and the motor to worm slip , the lack of exact alignment of all those cures causes problems . To boot the main driver gear has wear in one place that causes the worm to slip . I have worked on it almost every day for months on and off . I  have come up with a decent way to quarter and align multi part axles while the glue dries . I have learned a lot in this given up process . I have a new GS-4 and it's so darn nice I don't want to cannibalize from it . I need to move on , but before I do I need to finish this as a dummy . I will make it a free wheeler dummy that can be a roundhouse queen being pushed to an fro by a goat , or used as a double header with a headlight . I am not going to blame Kato for using too small diameter axle , drive shaft , worm shaft , or the use of plastic gears , and traction tires that are too soft . But if they address those issues on future models of any type they may get me to buy again . I live and learn , will they ?       

[Erik W]

I have two completely scratch built D&RGW 3600 class 2-8-8-2s here in the roundhouse.  The each pull 50 cars of a 2% grade.



Kidding . . . Those are just Atlas undec tenders numbered and weathered to depict the last two 3600s on the Moffet Line in 1956.  Call them scenery.

At various times on this layout I had a Bachmann 2-8-0, Concor 2-10-2, Life Like 2-8-4, and Life Like 2-8-8-2.  All either ran poorly or pulled poorly.  So I sold them off.  I truly admire you guys who persevere with the steam in this scale.  Good job!  Dave, I like the PRR stuff you got going on.  I hope your stuff runs as well as it looks.  At the back of my mind I still entertain the thought of D&RGW steam, admittedly in Horribly Oversized scale.  There is some amazing brass stuff out there in that scale.

Erik

[cbroughton67]

This is my PRR L1s built from a GHQ conversion kit and a Kato 2-8-2 Mikado mechanism. Boiler is cast pewter. All wire details are hand-bent. Custom painted and weathered.

[cbroughton67]

This is my Minitrix PRR K4 4-6-2 Pacific. This loco is roughly 40 years old and has been completely reworked. 8-wheel electrical pickup added in the tender, wheel flanges turned to run on code 55 track, new coreless motor, cast pewter and hand-bent wire details, DCC and Sound, custom paint & weathering.

[cbroughton67]

This is my

Minitrix B6sb 0-6-0. 8-wheel electrical pickup added in the tender, wheel flanges turned to run on code 55 track, hand-bent wire details, custom paint & weathering.

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