What I love about N Scale

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Do you notice an excessive amount of drag on the 86'ers w/metal wheels through those curves? I'm using a similarly tight curve on my 6'x3' setup, and find the drag very noticeably affecting the speed, not to mention with the 0-5-0 switcher. Metal wheels seem worse in this regard than the plastic wheels these used to come with. I swapped out most of my plastic wheel equipped cars long ago with FVM wheels, but they're affected every bit as much as the Bluford equipped metal wheels.

I get it, not designed for those types of curves and drag should be expected, but I'd have guessed the metal wheels would've been lower friction than the plastic.

Yeah, there was some drag, but nothing I'd consider problematic. Especially because the metal wheels made it really easy to mount the resistors I need for detection on them.

Just add more power

[JoeD]

" they can fit in your mouth"       

[Jbub]

" they can fit in your mouth"   

/>For some reason, playback won't start at the correct time, so skip to 4:04

[lock4244]

Yeah, there was some drag, but nothing I'd consider problematic. Especially because the metal wheels made it really easy to mount the resistors I need for detection on them.

Just add more power

Trip optimizer is taking a mental health day thanks to you.

[R L Smith]

(Attachment Link)

A bit late to this party (as usual). This is a great photo, and shows off one of N Scale’s best attributes.

Ironically, I am strongly considering selling off my fleet of 85’+ cars and associated six-axle power…

There are many factors for this decision, but one of them is aesthetics. I planned my layout for era-swapping between the Erie / DL&W in 1952, and the EL in 1972, and have been accumulating a roster for each era.  But the layout was built to support steam-diesel transition era scenery with a double-track main and features local freight switching. My staging yard tracks were designed for a train of thirty 40’ freight cars, an A-B-A set of F units and a caboose to orbit the layout while the local does its thing.  The length of the train looks “right” on the layout.  But when I replace that train with a staging-length train of 1972 equipment, those two SD45’s are only hauling fourteen or fifteen 85’ cars.  Grossly overpowered and looks “wrong” to me. And 1972 local freight switching was only a shadow of what was there in 1952. As much as I am enamored with the UPS piggyback trains of the EL and the colorful Dereco era, I have more ‘fun’ switching cars on the peddler freights.

So I am seriously considering going “all in” on the pre-merger DL&W and Erie.  If I do, there will be a fair amount of EL items and pre-Conrail rolling stock for sale at Altoona in September...



Ron

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ooh!

Wait, will I be banned from buying any, given what you know I'd do with it?

[Lackawannae8]

So I am seriously considering going “all in” on the pre-merger DL&W and Erie.  If I do, there will be a fair amount of EL items and pre-Conrail rolling stock for sale at Altoona in September...

im just gonna ignore i saw this in care of my wallets further debt

[Lackawannae8]

Ooh!

Wait, will I be banned from buying any, given what you know I'd do with it?

this is a complete sin my friend.....

[x600]

I'm biting my lip. Ed 

Ron. I did it successfully and I'm and I'm not sorry! Less is more.

Greg O.

[mu26aeh]

Ed, as long as it isn't something I painted, I'll allow it 

[wm3798]

I've always liked the scale for its history of quality construction...


Prototype fidelity


Avanced technology


Realistic Track: Scenery Ratio


Long-term reliability


Exquisite detail


And realistic operations!


Is this a great hobby, or what?
Lee

[learmoia]

You forgot prototypical ride height.

[wm3798]

And the vast array of highly detailed scenery accessories!

[learmoia]

And prototypical couplers that operate flawlessly even when intermixed between brands..

Photo from Fifer Hobby

[peteski]

Photo from Fifer Hobby

Ah, that brings back some memories of when I wrote up this comparison on Atlas forum, not too long after the N scale McHenry coupler was introduced.   Nice to see it is still available on Fifer's website (I  gave them permission to use it).

Since that time few more knuckle couplers were into N scale.  One of these days I should update this coupler comparison.