A little bit of Colorado

[Cajonpassfan]

One more...

[Hawghead]

It all looks awesome Otto.  You're always going to have to have a lot of soldered joints in a layout this big as so thermal expansion is either going to be an issue or it isn't but I don't think the soldered transition joints or the PC ties are going make that much difference in the overall scheme of things.

Scott

[Cajonpassfan]

Thank you Scott, glad you like it!
Today I roughed in the scenery on the isle side, ready for Sculptamold and casting plaster...
It got up to 97F today, so by 2:00 pm I called it quits and had a cold one. But the entire narrow gauge line is now laid, wired, ballasted  and operational, with a big K-37 doing test run honors.
Fun stuff,
Otto

[rodsup9000]

Otto

 That's scene is coming together nicely

[Cajonpassfan]

Thank you Rodney!

[Cajonpassfan]

Roughed in some more scenery today (the white stuff). Sculptamold and casting plaster next.
Also bought my first HOn3 engine today, I think, the Rio Grande Southern #41 by Blackstone from one of our very own. Can't wait to run her over the High Line bridges.
Otto K.

[Cajonpassfan]

Well, she's here and she's a beauty. All I had to do is to tweak some CV's. Looks right at home on the unfinished High Line bridges
One happy camper here,
Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

It was a busy day on the High Line today...

[Hawghead]

Looks great Otto.

Scott

[Cajonpassfan]

Today I've played around with my new toy baby, RGS #41. A great runner (sounds great, too) but not a great puller on the 2.5%grades we have I'm afraid. She did okay, but struggled with the four car passenger set (3 Blackstone coaches plus a brass combine). Anyone here have experience with the Blackstone C-19's on grades? Is 2.5% too much? Anywhere weight could be added? Also looking at a keep alive to prevent stalls...any thoughts? Being primarily an N scaler, the wipers on the tender axles surprised me...we've done away with that in N scale decades ago...could it be the drag?
Feedback appreciated.
Otto

[Dave V]

So, yeah, you may not like what I have to say. Firstly, I'm addicted to those little Blackstone C-19s, having RGS 40, 41, D&RGW 343, 345, 346, 347 (as San Juan Central 347), D&RG 401 (as Silverton Northern 4), and the Russia Iron diamond-stack one (as Silverton Railroad 100, the Ouray).

The bad news is that you're experiencing the typical pulling power of one of those little guys. On our club layout with similar grades, I don't typically put more than three freight cars and a caboose behind one. Or 3-4 passenger cars.

On my RGS, the limit is 5 freight cars and a caboose or 4-5 passenger cars due to the 19" radius curve at Windy Point. By the time all of the cars are in the curve, the rolling resistance is such that any more tonnage causes driver slip.

The brass combine in your consist is probably the culprit...though it's beautiful! I almost never run my brass RGS B-20 (the Edna) for that reason.

The K-27s pull so much better. Interestingly, I have brass engines that pull more than the C-19s. But they're so iconic, they're like crack. Don't be shy about double-heading! The prototype did.

[Hawghead]

Otto,

While I agree with what Dave said, especially about the brass combine being the biggest problem, you might want to try some different trucks on the combine.  Brass rolling stock usually come with brass trucks which tend not to be the best when it comes to low rolling resistance.  Perhaps if you can find a set of Blackstone passenger trucks for the combine it may make just enough difference to be able to keep your consist of four cars without a helper.  Running a helper locomotive will surely help with the issue and like Dave said they were quite common on the prototype, especially before the advent of the heavier locomotives.  I don't know how you plan to operate the narrow gauge portion, but helper operations could add quite a bit of operational interest.

Scott

[Cajonpassfan]

Thanks Dave and Scott, fair enough. While I've been modeling in N (and  also TT, in the sixties) for a long time, I'm a newbie in HOn3, so it's a bit of a learning curve. We did replace the brass trucks with Blackstones, and had to install a washer to avoid undesirable friction. Much improved. Yes we do plan helpers,especially on freights. Its a long climb of 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5% ruling grade, so that's okay and even desirable to hear the engines on both ends of the train. But I'd like to use my C-19 with four passenger cars without help. Yes the K classes pull much better, and my friends have some, but I prefer the look of the smaller 1880's locos. A K-37 is a bit overweight in my book (although I thoroughly enjoyed the ride behind the 484 over Cumbres this  summer).
So the saga continues. I'm planning to upgrade the factory speaker install, and look for ways to add weight and capacitance. My HO friends are telling me there's no room for that, but what do they know; I have my N Scale training We'll see...
Fun stuff,  but not without challenges.
Thanks for following,
Otto

[Hawghead]

Otto,

  I have to agree with you on the K-36s and K-37s.  I've always thought they were to big to be real narrow gauge engines, they look more like what they really are, standard gauge engines adapted to run on narrow gauge track.  I think the K-28 was the pinnacle of narrow gauge engines that looked like they belong on a Colorado narrow gauge train.  I wish the RGS had been able to use them as I would love to have a couple on my layout.
  On your passenger train the helper would most likely be cut in on the head end.  Another thing to consider since you built all those great trestles is ensuring the helper is cut in so as not to have both the road engine and the help on the trestle at the same time.  Additionally it was common practice in Colorado narrow gauge to cut the helper off when running down grade and then cut it back in when climbing the next grade.  I'm not exactly sure why and I've never been able to get a good answer to that question.
  Please share your experiences with your modifications to the engine.  I for one would be very interested in what you come up with.

Scott

[Mike C]

  @Cajonpassfan   I've got a couple of their C-19 also and a 4% grade  . 1 loco will pull 2 cars & a caboose probably pretty much what the real locos would do IMO . Double heading I can barely pull 5 cars & caboose .  Now I have a couple brass 2-8-0
's that pull much better , I can get a C-21 or a C-25 to pull 4 cars & caboose .   If you change the speakers in your C-19's look for the Scale Sound Systems speakers . They are drop in made specially for this loco and the sound is better than the stock speaker . They also make 1 for the K-27 .     Mike