Installing SloMo

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Moonraker

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Nine years ago I built a Roundhouse Katie kit, without bodywork, as the power unit for a scratch built steam railmotor. Recently the coach portion of the railmotor fell apart so I decided to complete the Katie kit with its correct bodywork and add a Summerlands chuffer, a Paul Bailey whistle and a SloMo. For those who don't know it, the SloMo is an Australian product which completely transforms G scale live steam locos into highly realistic operation. This is achieved by a geared flywheel which adds inertia.

The Slomo is very well made and comprehensive installation instructions and videos are available. I thought that installation would be as easy for me as it has been for others on this forum....it wasn't. No problem with the SloMo or its instructions. The problem was my loco. Before SloMo was installed, it ran reasonably well. But with SloMo "reasonably well" is not good enough. It takes the full power of the loco to get the flywheel rotating and hence the loco moving. My old worn Katie was not up to it.

So, after a week my Katie is now up to the job. Four loose bolts fixed, valve gear re-set and the reversing servo adjusted. Now my Katie runs correctly with SloMo and it really is terrific. My problem now is that I have five other Roundhouse and Cheddar locos and running them now seems totally unrealistic compared with Katie. I see more conversions ahead.

Anyway, the reason for this posting is to say that SloMo works very well but only if your loco is in good nick.

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound
 
Great to hear Peter, yes the Slomo will bring out the best, or the worst in a locomotive. IF valve gear and rods or worn, cylinders needing a rebuild, or the timing not spot on, it will show really fast. Also remember, you can loosen the grub screw on the axle chain sprocket if you want to run without the Slomo engaged. The axle will just spin inside the sprocket(make sure to lubricate it lightly if you run this way).
 
Moonraker said:
Nine years ago I built a Roundhouse Katie kit, without bodywork, as the power unit for a scratch built steam railmotor. Recently the coach portion of the railmotor fell apart so I decided to complete the Katie kit with its correct bodywork and add a Summerlands chuffer, a Paul Bailey whistle and a SloMo. For those who don't know it, the SloMo is an Australian product which completely transforms G scale live steam locos into highly realistic operation. This is achieved by a geared flywheel which adds inertia.

The Slomo is very well made and comprehensive installation instructions and videos are available. I thought that installation would be as easy for me as it has been for others on this forum....it wasn't. No problem with the SloMo or its instructions. The problem was my loco. Before SloMo was installed, it ran reasonably well. But with SloMo "reasonably well" is not good enough. It takes the full power of the loco to get the flywheel rotating and hence the loco moving. My old worn Katie was not up to it.

So, after a week my Katie is now up to the job. Four loose bolts fixed, valve gear re-set and the reversing servo adjusted. Now my Katie runs correctly with SloMo and it really is terrific. My problem now is that I have five other Roundhouse and Cheddar locos and running them now seems totally unrealistic compared with Katie. I see more conversions ahead.

Anyway, the reason for this posting is to say that SloMo works very well but only if your loco is in good nick.

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound
Click to expand...
See your pain, my 2 x 4 RH wheelers were done a few years back. Not a chance with Russell as they had not done anything Suitable. But now the RH Lady Anne has a SloMo this should be just fine for me Rus. But he runs like a pig, think the Servos are all shot so some hard work required before I invest in another SloMo.

Oh just looking at the RH site I see they have what looks to be a new Loco listed. Get excited you guys over the Pond another for you a Devenport. New for 2020.

Roundhouse Engineering Co. Ltd.

Roundhouse Engineering Co. Ltd.
www.roundhouse-eng.com www.roundhouse-eng.com
 
artfull dodger said:
Great to hear Peter, yes the Slomo will bring out the best, or the worst in a locomotive. IF valve gear and rods or worn, cylinders needing a rebuild, or the timing not spot on, it will show really fast. Also remember, you can loosen the grub screw on the axle chain sprocket if you want to run without the Slomo engaged. The axle will just spin inside the sprocket(make sure to lubricate it lightly if you run this way).
Click to expand...
I have Slomos in 5 Roundhouse locos varying between 5 and 20 years old. All the locos run with no problems despite the older ones now having some well worn coupling rods etc. They all start to move at around 50% of servo travel. I have not found them sensitive to bad valve timing or general wear. I tend to run the Slomos in from new by putting them in an electric drill and running them gently for an hour of two first, usually with some T-Cut or similar on the gear teeth. Only lubricate with a very light oil as heavy steam oil is likely to put too much load on the sytem and the loco may well not run. Because of the gear ratio, it only takes the very lightest of pressure on the flywheel to stop the thing dead, you can literraly stop it with a feather.
Hope you enjoy, as you have found already, they are far more enjoyable to operate and will get better with time as they bed in.
 
I read on another thread that you can install a SloMo in a trailing car rather than the locomotive. What are the considerations when doing it that way?
I'd imagine the car would have to be a decent weight so the wheels don't slip. :think:
 
Paradise said:
I read on another thread that you can install a SloMo in a trailing car rather than the locomotive. What are the considerations when doing it that way?
I'd imagine the car would have to be a decent weight so the wheels don't slip. :think:
Click to expand...
I have not tried it myself although SSP do sell a kit for a traing wagon
There are a number of considerations and dependencies on the design of the trailing car
You are correct that it needs to be heavy enough to stop the wagon wheels sliding along the track but not so heavy that the loco wheels slip trying to drag it
As supplied, the axle sprocket is quite large and the wagon axle and wheel diameters would need to be the same size as that of the the loco.
I run round the train a lot at the end of the line and shunt wagons, but wouldn't be able do this with the slomo in a trailing car.
Other than this I know people have done it and with continuous running I believe it has the desired effect.
 
Thanks. I may have to investigate further into doing that. I only run my live steam roundy roundy so one SloMo car would do for whatever locomotive I run perhaps, although not all have the same diameter drivers. :think:
Some having central valve gear which gets in the way of fitting one to the locomotive.
 
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Paradise said:
Thanks. I may have to investigate further into doing that. I only run my live steam roundy roundy so one SloMo car would do for whatever locomotive I run perhaps, although not all have the same diameter drivers. :think:
Some having central valve gear which gets in the way of fitting one to the locomotive.
Click to expand...
Once you get the optimum trailing wagon weight right for a given loco then it should work okay. However, if you then hook it up to a different loco then the previous optimum may not be right. Also watch out for significant inclines which would cause problems.

If you want me to bring my SloMo loco over for a run on your layout then give me a call on 0414 232 060.

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound
 
Thanks Peter, it sounds like a good option for me then. The cost to build a SloMo car is a little higher than on locomotives considering it will also need solid mounted axle boxes and bearings which SSP also supply. I have several locomotives and fitting a SloMo to all is out of the question. A SloMo car is relatively cheap considering. I usually don't have inclines with my temporary set-up and don't intend to when I build a permanent line. I can build a car than is purposely designed for weight adjustment. Of course, having couplings that work well being pushed too will also be a requirement.
No need for a demo. I'm confident it will work well. Thanks for the offer though, I am in Victoria but may meet you at the GSSU sometime. Cheers! :)

Below is the link for reference to the manufacturer/supplier in Australia if anyone else is interested.
S.S.P.
 
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