PPS SloMo fit to my Roundhouse Jack

dunnyrail

dunnyrail

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Well I finally took the plunge and purchased a Couple of SloMo's for my Roundhouse Jack and Stanley Steam Tram. Have to say the dealing with Terry of Small Steam Performance was a joy and cannot fault his assistance one bit.

My Jack was the first to be looked at, the on line instructions give information about removing and moving the Weight Arm, however newer Jack and Roundhouse Locomotives have Alun Key Fittings. Mine was the older knock in pins so problem as this arm needs to be moved a bit to fit the SloMo.
image.jpeg
Whatever I did would not allow SloMo to fit, even an attempt to fit on the Front rather than Rear Driver. So what I did was this:-
1 needed to straighten the Weight Shaft a tadge. Abuse with a hammer and straighten up on the visible side with pliers worked. Hang my head in shame, but needs must!
2 My Chassis appears to be on the thin side so the SloMo Tightening Clips needed to be thinned somewhat on the inside. (Thes are provided by Terry to secure the SloMo in place). This then meant that the Screws fouled the SloMo. A Nut on the two I had bodged worked. However the two that have the Slot were put the other way up. Though they show somewhat, a bit of Black Paint will loose them. I actually think that the wrong way round ones add some additional detail so no worries.
3 The reverse gear does indeed foul the Flywheel as predicted. However as my Jack is on 40Mg Gear I found that the adjustment slider gives enough gear to run OK in reverse. But on the bright side it also acts as a Brake as with the Flywheel overrun can be a foot or 3.

So for an older Jack with Curved Weight Shaft and Pins not for the feint hearted. However if you have a newer Loco or dirrerent one with Straight Weight Shaft as my Stanley has no problems I imagine. Stanley is next to be done.

However what a transformation in running, I feel it was all worthwhile as previous views of SloMo fitted Locomotives show. I have only Steamed Jack up once since fitting last Wednesday but the quality of control and running is second to none. Driving style needs to change somewhat as there is a good overun when stopping due to the chunky flywheel. There is also a Slight Whine present when running at Top Speed, but to me it sounds rather like a Battery Generator in a Coach so soes not distract me. Another benefit is better pulling power on grades due to the fact that there is now no Wheel Slip. The following short not very exciting Vid shows the level of control now available.



JonD
 
So yesterday I took a few more detailed pics and had a couple of runs with Jack. My circle is some 60 Meters or so thus the 3 circuits that may not sound much are in fact quite a run. I timed how long Jack was in Steam for on the first run and it was just on 27 Minutes. Pretty much par for the course on a cold day for a Roundhouse Loco. I have known a Jack to go on for 45 Minutes but that was on an indoor Track with Very Very careful driving by the man concerned.

So I managed to run from my Terminus Station and a loop, run round and 2 trips the other way on each run. Then back to the Terminus. The Terminus to Loop run is 72 Metres so 144 and oerhaps another 60 for the additional loop. So getting on for 200 Metres or more. This involves the a good climb on each circuit as my line is a Dogbone that Loops over itself.
1 st Run I ran out of Steam just 8 Metres from home, this in part as I lost some time with an uncoupling event and I had to wait for a brew up on the grade when going Clockwise both times.
2 nd Run this time I managed the Loco much better, not racing at any time and with no uncoupling events. No need to stop for a brew up and even managed to Shunt Stock at the end of the run. Most satisfying.
Both runs managed the Gradients with no Slipping.

Conclusions.
Well the SloMo is certainly a way of taming a 4 Wheel Roundhouse.
The lack of Slip certainly helps with getting Trains up a Gradient.
Perhaps runs are a little shorter, with the thumping great flywheel taking some inersia this is bound to happen. But not to a significant degree.
Aditional Weight added with SloMo will help with pulling power but have a midest effect on duration.
Worth getting one without doubt if you like slow measured running.
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The abive pic shows my Loco's Weight Arm Pin. Just above the RC Connection. Newer Locomotives have a Screw Fitting.

image.jpeg
Pic with SloMo fitted showing the Securing Devices, 1 still to be repainted as they are not in the recommended place on my Jack.
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Underneath showing the SloMo in all its glory and just what a tight fit they are. An example I believe of Engineering Exelence on PPS behalf. The 2 fittings that hold SloMo in place on this side can be clearly seen towards the top of this view.
JonD
 
they make such a transformation in the control,,,, are they any good for the bigger locos like the accucraft Ks
or some of the gauge one locos that are about
 
daveyb said:
they make such a transformation in the control,,,, are they any good for the bigger locos like the accucraft Ks
or some of the gauge one locos that are about
Click to expand...

I think you probably need to look at the WebbSite to see alternatives. He is doing sundry locomotives but I guess it depends on what he can get his hands on. Alternatives are Products for Tenders or Wagons.

http://smallsteamperformance.com.au/products-2/

JonD
 
Rhos Helyg Loco Works said:
Does anybody know of a video of a loco fitted with a Slomo that does not have a chuffer? I'd be very interested to see, and hear, it if there is such a thing.
Click to expand...
I have not so far seen one, all my Roundhouse have Chuffers fitted. I think you will be refering to the Whine. Have to say it sounds worse on Wood Track as that acts as a Sound Box. On my 3 Rockeries it is barely noticeable. With a slow steady forward or reverce movement it is barely noticeable on Wood either. Guess if you want to go very fast it may be a problem. Must do some more Vid to Show the effect, bit tricky without help. May get chance next week when some Friends are over. I do like to keep my Trains at a slow steady pace, scale 20KPH Max is what my chosen Sekeltalbahn does.
JonD
 
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Rhos Helyg Loco Works said:
Thanks, yes, a customer of mine would like to hear the noise the SloMo makes. He'd like a SloMo but doesn't want a chuffer and all the YouTube videos involve chuffers or coal-fired loco blast pipes.
Click to expand...
Tony,
I just this week fittted a Slo-mo to my Stanley.
He has the Roundhouse exhaust enhancer, not quite a chuffer.
The whine was very evident indoors at high speed on rollers.
Out on the line at sensible speed, it was not noticeable.
Video:-
 
I finally yesterday got round to fitting my second SloMo, this time it was Stanle's turn. This was a much simpler job as the Weight Bar as it is called by PPS is Straight unlike the curved one on Jack. So a pretty simple job, YouTube Vid of Test Runing.


Sorry about the dodgy hand held phone shots, but you can see that the Slow Running is vastly improved.

I have also fitted up my Jack with a Peter Spoerer RX-102H reciever and have a TX-23 Controller to Drive it. Also fitted rechargeable Batteries into the Cab Roof, again a great improvement as I do not now need to lift the Body off every time the Batteries run out. But of course I must remember to Charge Up with my Smart Charger prior to running. Only a problem really if the Batts not been used for weeks. This is also a great step change in getting rid of those horrible Airplane/Boat Controllers that are supplied with pretty much most RC Locomotives these days. I can now drive Jack with the controller in 1 Hand, my other hand being available for Shunting Poles, Camera etc. Brill. Stanley will be next to recieve this Control Gear. Anyone tempted to follow this route, remember that the Servo's as fitted will work just fine with the Spoerer Gear.

Final Job, sort out that howling Gas Fire, anyone any knowledge of replaceable Gas Pokers or even better Gas Control Valves?
JonD

EDIT reviewing my Vid to see it worked OK, I was struck with the 4 beats per revolution on very Slow Running. Something that the Chuffer does enhance to great degree, but the Slow Speed just brings it all to life.
 
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MRail said:
Tony,
I just this week fittted a Slo-mo to my Stanley.
He has the Roundhouse exhaust enhancer, not quite a chuffer.
The whine was very evident indoors at high speed on rollers.
Out on the line at sensible speed, it was not noticeable.
Video:-
Click to expand...
Nice bit of Steam Tramway Road running for Stanley to look the part on.
JonD
 
dunnyrail said:
I finally yesterday got round to fitting my second SloMo, this time it was Stanle's turn. This was a much simpler job as the Weight Bar as it is called by PPS is Straight unlike the curved one on Jack. So a pretty simple job, YouTube Vid of Test Runing.


Sorry about the dodgy hand held phone shots, but you can see that the Slow Running is vastly improved.

I have also fitted up my Jack with a Peter Spoerer RX-102H reciever and have a TX-23 Controller to Drive it. Also fitted rechargeable Batteries into the Cab Roof, again a great improvement as I do not now need to lift the Body off every time the Batteries run out. But of course I must remember to Charge Up with my Smart Charger prior to running. Only a problem really if the Batts not been used for weeks. This is also a great step change in getting rid of those horrible Airplane/Boat Controllers that are supplied with pretty much most RC Locomotives these days. I can now drive Jack with the controller in 1 Hand, my other hand being available for Shunting Poles, Camera etc. Brill. Stanley will be next to recieve this Control Gear. Anyone tempted to follow this route, remember that the Servo's as fitted will work just fine with the Spoerer Gear.

Final Job, sort out that howling Gas Fire, anyone any knowledge of replaceable Gas Pokers or even better Gas Control Valves?
JonD

EDIT reviewing my Vid to see it worked OK, I was struck with the 4 beats per revolution on very Slow Running. Something that the Chuffer does enhance to great degree, but the Slow Speed just brings it all to life.
Click to expand...


On my Billy I cut off the weight bar and replaced with a straight shaft. It worked perfectly and I have been thrilled with its performance. Mine is radio controlled and extremely realistic.

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Today I installed the Peter Spoerer kit into the Steam Tram as well. A few pics of what happened:-

Below you can see the kit I used, the Batteries are also Peter's AAA NiMh rechargeable pack. The Brown Thing is a resettable Electronic Fuse.
image.jpeg
The existing battery location and extended interior holding assembly can be seen in the next 2 pictures. Horrible to remove when the Batteries die.image.jpeg image.jpeg
So now I have made a Small addition to take the New Batteries head up. Simple quick Brass addition utilising one of the existing holes with a drilled and tapped 10BA screw at the front. All of course Sprayed Matt Bkack.image.jpeg
As you can see below they fit in quite neatly.image.jpeg
Below is the RC Reciever wired up and Tested ready to be stuffed into place. It will sit in a Small Bag to keep any damp out.image.jpeg
In the next two Pictures I have sealed the kit in at the side and hidden the Batteries at the front with Black Gaffa Tape.image.jpeg image.jpeg
Sat on the Kitchen Worktop being Charged prior to its first run with the Lid back on. Note that I have installed the Charging Socket and Switch from the Spoerer Loom in full view and for easy access. Now I do not need to take the Bidy Off under normal circumstances.image.jpeg
Finally a Vid of me testing on Rollers in the Garden sans Lid. This Vid shows you the Spoerer Handset and how it is used in Operation.
JonD

 
All this messing about with Puffers reminded me about a RoundToIt project that has been in the back burner for too long. To illustrate the problem look at the following Pic:-image.jpeg
Just look at all that stuff on what is not enough space. Drives me nuts every time I run Puffers, in fact one of the reasons that I do not run them as often as I like.

I saw the solution as a Table somewhere, that somewhere being a Small Tool Shed just behind where the above pic was teken. So the following was cobbled up today.
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As you can see here it is close to the original site. Below can be seen all the toot loaded on it.
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The location is quite tight, especially when wheeling in Wheely Bins and my Barrow. So it flops down as can be seen below:-
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So yet another solution to a little problem. It is made out of Ply, but this is the stuff that is used on the floor of those lifts that go up Construction Sites. So no worries about it delaminating in the Weather. Alll the other bits of Wood have been Protected and the gaps filled with Silicone. The White edges are HIPS cut 10mm Wide and nailed on with Brass Screws to stop the Tool Tote falling off. So I expect a good long life for the Components of this little Shelf.
JonD
 
"..nailed on with Brass Screws.."

Don't tell me.. You used a Birmingham Screwdriver!
;):p:giggle::giggle::giggle::clap:
 
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