Sunday, November 16, 2008

Lionel versus MTH

Today was a fine day to run trains and to compare my MTH SW 1500 switcher with my Lionel SD 28 diesel engine. First of all, some pulling tests. The MTH won with pulling heavy loads by far, the SD 28 just spun its wheels when the consist became long and heavy.
Then I placed both on a separate circle with some nice cars and fed with exact the same amount of electricity. The SD-28 starts running a very low voltage, when the SW 1500 is still full idle and when the SW 1500 finally gets the hang of it, the SD 28 almost derails because of speeding. Clearly very different engines with very different voltage-speed responses.

By the way, if you look carefully you will see the new TCA-MG 40' flat cars riding by. Especially these need some extra force to pull them through bends. The switcher has no problem what so ever with them, the SD 28 almost stops on them.

Well it is clear the MTH switcher won.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Hopper time







A colourful PS-2 Hopper joined us and it came in beautiful old cardboard box. It is just nice to enjoy this 'out-dated' design. I am not sure but it looks seventish to me.

Friday, November 07, 2008

TCA-MG Club car #2




This week the 2008 TCA-MG club cars arrived and they are handsome indeed. The designers chose for the new 40' flat cars of Weaver with wooden crates on top. The details of the wooden crates, the dull grey colour of the weathered planks and the details on the flat itself (stake holders, steps, texts) are well done. The crates apparently contain Electrical components from the Electrical Generator Company in Windfall WV. According to the text they are heavy and should not be lifted with hooks. Surprising content.


The flats run smoothly on straight rails but were obviously not designed for my 027 curves. The wheels do then touch the central beam under the flat and this results in friction. The flats do not derail as my 50' flat does in 027 curves, but they are merely slowed down.