Slowing down a Hornby Smoky Joe

In message , Chris Wilson writes

The bit that runs past St Johns station is only 1 in 45.

Bloomin' eck ... it looks worse and on those rare occasions when I've been down it - felt worse ...

... except once, when whilst standing a rather charming lady broke my 'fall'.

In NZ , we have the following:

The Rewanui Incline, maximum gradient of 1 in 26, 3½ miles (5 kilometres) long, opened in 1914, (Fell) centre-rail removed in late

1966, closed in late 1980's.

So 1 in 25 is prototypical (well almost)

Incidentally other Fell railways are as steep as 1 in 15, but as far as I know were never used by normal traffic.

Jo

See

- max. gradient 37.4% (1 in 2.67). Steam-operated since 1869 - one coach per loco, speed approx. 2 mph.

The originally cable-hauled is more than 1:49, surely. Seemed like it to me when I walked up it!..

That's what I mean. The cable line was a maximum of [reaches for book]

1 in 10, though after closure part of it was steepened to test a South American rack loco.

The current route is a totally different line which just happens to link the same places, and I thought someone who hasn't been there might get the impression from the OP that the Grosmont - Goathland line was somehow adapted for adhesion working, which it wasn't. The incline was only part of the route.

Back to the point, team. What's wrong with putting two opposing diodes in the feed to the motor? That should drop the voltage down so 'Smokey Joe' should run a bit slower. Crude but effective.

How about ten diodes in series? (drop 6.5 volts ;-)

In message , Gregory Procter writes

Do motors really start turning when you apply voltage? I was under the impression that you needed to apply a minimum voltage for a motor to start, and if you reduce the maximum voltage you are going to supply you thereby reduce the range of voltages through which you can control the locomotive.

That is why I prefer to regear my locomotives and use a slower-running motor.

Usually, they certainly won't start without it.

Yes indeed, reducing the max voltage will cut down the maximum speed but it does nothing for the minimum, which is usually more important for an industrial shunter.

For a loco like Smoky Joe a High Level kits 108:1 gearbox with a Mashima 1020 should do nicely. Might have to build a new chassis for it. And all this will cost much more than the loco. So better just buy a High Level kit for an industrial shunter, enjoy building it and have a real nice loco. Keith Make friends in the hobby. Visit Garratt photos for the big steam lovers.

I agree, but I gathered from the original mailing that the Smokey Joe was on a 'tail-chasing' layout and kept on overhauling the lead loco. 'Smokey Joe' would hardly be my choice for a good slow runner either, but my elderly Jintys (25+ years old) are both superb crawlers, but perhaps my pulse width controllers may have something to do with that.

I use the same principle with my cars -I don't consider them run in until they get at least 100 thou on the clock :-)l

GLANVILLE CARLETON

Oh, I dunno. At the Norwich MRC exhibition earlier this year, I was watching a layout when a young lad asked the operators if they would run his new Smokey Joe, which he had just bought. They did so and it ran superbly, far better than the layout's own. It happily hauled five coaches at little more than a crawl. On being questioned, the lad said that he had paid £16 for it, which was a bargain by anyone's standards. Cue both operators dashing off to buy one each!

-- Enzo

I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.

. On being questioned, the lad said that he had paid £16 for it,

My best ... £8 for a semi-detailed Mainline Collett ... I've had it for 12 months now and it just keeps getting better.

Well, at a guess, the Hornby motor should start turning at 2.5-3 volts.

Exactly. But if you supply pulse width modulated voltage (12 volts for short periods followed by 0 volts in proportion) you can cause the motor to revolve at slower speeds than that 'natural' starting voltage.

Certainly. You problem (:-)) is that the prototype probably had a speed range of

4-30mph while your model has (pure guess here) a speed range of 30-200mph. You might use the 30-60mph speed range but the 60-200mph range tends to look out of place on the services a little tank locomotive gets used on.

Sure, you probably also fit new valve gear, soldered brass chassis with compensation, Alex Jackson wheels and a white metal body with lost wax brass details and do a beautiful job of airbrushing, lining and weathering, but I'm assuming Glanville is not yet at that stage. ;-)

Regards, Greg.P.

In message , Gregory Procter writes

What? For a loco that cost less than a tenner? You jest!

I tend to use Romford Wheels, top-hat bushes in the original chassis with no compensation, ....

(I thought "Alex Jackson" was couplings?)

Frequently ;-) Hopefully with sufficient content to not waste everyones time.

I added compensation/springing to one axle of an 0-4-0 after initially building it rigid, the running improvement was such that I'd never build any other way now. Adding top-hat bushes to a sloppy plastic frame will reduce wear but also stop that fourth wheel from touching the rail!

OK - who is the wheel fellah?

Jackson was actually Jackson Products, marketed by W&H I believe.

Their best known products were their rolling stock wheels which were supplied for 16.5mm and 18mm gauge to BRMSB standards. Many is the Airfix kit which had Jackson wheel sets running in Peco cup bearings melted into the plastic axleguards :-)

Jackson also did couplings and some other bits and pieces.

Jim.

I was thinking locos - lots of spokes, crank-pins etc.