Accucraft Ragleth

SDJR7F88

SDJR7F88

Registered
Hi all.
After the success with my first live steamer (a Regner Konrad), I've been thinking about getting a second engine. One that has really caught my eye, and is within my price range is the Accucraft Ragleth.
It also meets my critieria for going around R1 curves, which my layout is consists off.
Another slightly cheaper option is a Roundhouse Basic line model, so would like to know which would be best.
First of all, is it best to pay that bit extra for R/C?
I don't have any issue with manual models, but I've heard the sometimes need a bit more omph to get them around bends (especially tight ones). This is where R\C would come in a bout more handy than manual I guess? Giving it a bit more reg on the bend then less on straights.
Second, cleaning.
I know live steams can get a bit dirty, so would like to know what us recommend to keeping the paint work and other things in top condition.
Any help would be greatful. As you all know a live steamer is not a cheap purchase, a would like to get it right.
Many thanks callum
 
Nowt wrong with a Ragleth. These days I wouldn't entertain a loco without R/C, IMO it increases the driving experience tenfold. Essential if there are tight bends or inclines anyway.

A good method of cleaning is to spray them down with WD40. You can give a light wipe over with a soft cloth after if you wish. Always re-lube afterwards before running again, WD doesn't stand any heat and doesn't stick like oil.
 
Callum, you have one loco that is geared and is fine without Radio. A Roundhouse or Accucraft Ragleth are a complete game changer and pretty well impossible on a Ground Level Line like yours without Radio Control. There are those that would disagree with this, but chasing a locomotive round a line at ground level to change the Regulator is no fun believe me. I would even find it no fun on a high level line like mine.
JonD
 
G-force1 said:
A good method of cleaning is to spray them down with WD40. You can give a light wipe over with a soft cloth after if you wish. Always re-lube afterwards before running again, WD doesn't stand any heat and doesn't stick like oil.
Click to expand...
But, as it is a solvent, in time it will attack the paint and make the surface "craze" so use it sparingly. I use hot soapy water and a soft plastic brush for my locos...
 
biggest thing is to keep the grit and grime out of the running gear if you run on a ground level garden railway. The dirt and grit that gets kicked u into the the motion and bearings can wear things out fast if allowed to remain. I picked up a small and cheap parts washing tank at the local discount tool store. I put a very mild solvent in the tank, safe for paint work. The tank has a small pump and wand that I use to flush the running gear and most of the boiler area that gets gunk from the stack all over it. I stay away from the RC electronics of coarse. I let the engine drip dry whist I drink a cup of tea. I then wipe the engine down with a soft cloth and re oil all the bearings and motion. Then the engine can go back on the shelf till the next steam up. RC is manditory non geared models unless you like running after it and lots of stress! My Merlin Mayflower has RC and it gives you the enjoyment of controling the throttle in real time, just like you were in the cab. If the railway I am running on is level enough, I can get the engine up to speed and switch off the transmitter and the engine will retain that speed till I turn my transmitter back on and change it. My RH Argyll is still manual control and not runable on my garden railway till RC is installed or I trade him off for an engine with RC. Either of your engine choices are good ones, I am a big RH fan due to the excellent parts support and the slide valve cylinders. But with proper care, the piston valves in the Accucraft should iast our lifetimes. Mike
 
dunnyrail said:
There are those that would disagree with this,
Click to expand...
Well somebody has to put the alternative case...
I have 3 live steamers based on Accucraft "Ragleth" Power Units. One is r/c equipped and the other two manual, so I feel I can make a few useful observations...
  1. If your track is reasonably level and doesn't have excessive gradients, there is a lot of fun to be had running manually controlled locos. There is some skill involved in setting them up so that when they do stall at an incline or tight curve, you just need to wait 30 seconds or so for pressure to build and off they go again.
  2. Costs - The r/c systems supplied by the manufacturer are often twice to three times the cost of retrofitting a system yourself. Also the factory supplied systems (in my experience) come with twin stick controls and would need to be replaced to integrate with the newer "knob" controlled multi model systems from RC Trains etc if you develop a string of locos in the future.
  3. There are some extremely good reasons for fitting r/c control - track with steep gradients; controlling a steam whistle and or shunting operations, BUT if you just want to run round level track it is NOT essential!
So a recommendation - why not purchase the model in manual configuration? Run it a few times and if you decide you need r/c or fit a steam whistle fit the r/c yourself later. You will save money and the manual Ragleth comes with all the fitting holes for switches, servo mounting, battery/ receiver compartment etc. Plenty of help and advice exists on this forum to do this as well.

Just a suggestion, best of luck whichever route you go and happy to help and advise if needed1
 
[QUOTE

Just a suggestion, best of luck whichever route you go and happy to help and advise if needed1[/QUOTE]
GWhizz said:
Well somebody has to put the alternative case...
I have 3 live steamers based on Accucraft "Ragleth" Power Units. One is r/c equipped and the other two manual, so I feel I can make a few useful observations...
  1. If your track is reasonably level and doesn't have excessive gradients, there is a lot of fun to be had running manually controlled locos. There is some skill involved in setting them up so that when they do stall at an incline or tight curve, you just need to wait 30 seconds or so for pressure to build and off they go again.
  2. Costs - The r/c systems supplied by the manufacturer are often twice to three times the cost of retrofitting a system yourself. Also the factory supplied systems (in my experience) come with twin stick controls and would need to be replaced to integrate with the newer "knob" controlled multi model systems from RC Trains etc if you develop a string of locos in the future.
  3. There are some extremely good reasons for fitting r/c control - track with steep gradients; controlling a steam whistle and or shunting operations, BUT if you just want to run round level track it is NOT essential!
So a recommendation - why not purchase the model in manual configuration? Run it a few times and if you decide you need r/c or fit a steam whistle fit the r/c yourself later. You will save money and the manual Ragleth comes with all the fitting holes for switches, servo mounting, battery/ receiver compartment etc. Plenty of help and advice exists on this forum to do this as well.

Just a suggestion, best of luck whichever route you go and happy to help and advise if needed1
Click to expand...
Not though of adding the R/C myself. Can it be easily done? What parts would I need too?
The price of the models I'm looking at is around £720 manual, and £890 for fitted.
Sorry for so many questions I've not though of that before
 
SDJR7F88 said:
[QUOTE

Just a suggestion, best of luck whichever route you go and happy to help and advise if needed1
Click to expand...

Not though of adding the R/C myself. Can it be easily done? What parts would I need too?
The price of the models I'm looking at is around £720 manual, and £890 for fitted.
Sorry for so many questions I've not though of that before[/QUOTE]
Edit the above bit is Callums quote, how it got messed up on reply? Probably me!

Callum,
I accept that fitting RC yourself would be a good option, but might be tricky for a first timer without local support. If you went down that road my suggestion would be:-
- Peter Spoerer (PS) TX23 Handset though this has been revised and still not showing on his WebbSite £60 ish
- PS Receiver to match above £15 ish
- PS Wiring loom will give you connections to Battery Pack, on/off switch, charging socket for NiMh Battery Pack around £10
- 2 Servo's Cost around £15 each
- 4 high value aaa batteries with holder and plug to match PS Loom around £15 ish
- Smart Charger to charge up batteries in situ £21
Around £136 more or a but less.
Pretty well all of that can come from PS. But you will still need to think about how the Servo's fit, though possibly Ragleth may have existing brackets I do not know.

I feel that Gwhizz is totally wrong about your line re handrolic (non RC) operation, he has not seen it as I have. But he does have merit on his RC suggestion, I do also hate the Stick Jobs that are more appropriate for Aircraft, Boats and Cars.
JonD
 
Last edited:
RCS from down under has nice radios geared toward live steam with knobs instead of the twin sticks. I prefer the gun trigger with a steering wheel for my RC cars, I'm ok with the twin stick for live steam. I find that chasing or trying to control a hot manual control side rod engine to not be much fun. Rather have RC on a non geared model. You will also find that converting to battery power for your electric engines a much better choice over cleaning up the oily mess that live steamers leave on the track. I went to onboard battery power and never looked back. So nice to just clean off the leaves and sticks and run a train. No need to scrub the rails clean, deal with rail joiners that decide to quit conducting power mid operating session, or dead point rails on turnouts. Battery also does away with the need to worry about insulated wheels on the steamers if your doing the conversion to battery correctly. Mike
 
artfull dodger said:
RCS from down under has nice radios geared toward live steam with knobs instead of the twin sticks. I prefer the gun trigger with a steering wheel for my RC cars, I'm ok with the twin stick for live steam. I find that chasing or trying to control a hot manual control side rod engine to not be much fun. Rather have RC on a non geared model. You will also find that converting to battery power for your electric engines a much better choice over cleaning up the oily mess that live steamers leave on the track. I went to onboard battery power and never looked back. So nice to just clean off the leaves and sticks and run a train. No need to scrub the rails clean, deal with rail joiners that decide to quit conducting power mid operating session, or dead point rails on turnouts. Battery also does away with the need to worry about insulated wheels on the steamers if your doing the conversion to battery correctly. Mike
Click to expand...
The Peter Spoerer one I mentioned is a similar type to the RCs with knobs rather than twin sticks, though probably quite different inards. I rather like the look of the Ragleth, somewhat similar to the Merlin Mayflower that was such a nice desiged shape. Funny how some locomotives just look right others not. Subject for a Forum there me thinks.
JonD
 
Personally I prefer two stick control, with one stick (up & down) full travel sprung for regulator and the other, for the reverser, un-sprung, but preferably some friction to hold it in place. It's for more like driving the real thing (yes I have, many times). The pain comes if you insist on one Tx for every loco, but even that can be overcome with modern Txs as they can bind to several different locos, and even duplicate them across a couple of Tx. If fitting a whistle, that can be added to one of the other axis of the main stick, I use the regulator so all that is required is a side flick of the stick without altering the reg. It all takes a little practice which ever mode you choose.
 
Sorry for slow response, I've been trying to find the thread I posted on installing r/c in my Edrig (Same chassis as Ragleth) but it must have been in the previous G Scale Mad forum as I can't find it here.

However there are plenty of other r/c install threads on the forum.

If you want to go "knob" control rather than "sticks" http://rctrains.co.uk/index.htm RC Trains is a good resource. Also future proof as one RC transmitter can control locos that you might add in the future via it's "Selecta" function.

_DSC2454.JPG

For the cheapest Stick systems around try Hobby King https://hobbyking.com/en_us/?cur=bfab7c49998f5863fb8d10c7f0ed8873 who can also supply all the individual components.

You only require one servo if you just need to control speed and direction.
 
Here are some pics I've found of the r/c install.....Radio 1.jpg Radio 2.jpg Radio 3.jpg Radio 4.jpg

This was the original FM r/c install, I've subsequently upgraded to 2.4 Ghz and changed the large black receiver seen in the last pic for a Deltang receiver from RC Trains which is about 1/4 the size and allows enough room for a 4 cell receiver battery pack in the underside compartment.
 
Not wishing to decry RCS I know that they are good kit and I personally would have no problem in sourcing from Oz. however for Callum on his first install, if he does one a UK supplier would be a better bet. Hence my Peter Spoerer suggestion. Plus I have installed PS kit in two of my own Locomotives and can also help out Callum if need be.

However what has still not been answered is the question of 'are there any brackets or kit for mounting servo's on Ragleth'?
JonD
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top