Christmas surprise for my wife - USA Trains reefer cars

R

Rob Hab

Registered
I managed to acquire a USA Trains reefer car for every year my wife and I have been married - that's 22 cars for 1994 to 2016.

I want to surprise her on Christmas morning by pulling all 22 reefers around our garden. The track has no incline and is brightly polished for this event.

I have two USA Trains S4 switcher engines (the Xmas version) that I plan to connect head to head.

My questions are:

1. Will the two S4 engines have enough motive power to pull 22 reefer cars?

2. Will my 10 amp 0-22 VDC transformer provide enough current for the two S$ engines with this 22-car consist?

I am brand new to this site but have been G-scaling for 20 years.
I would test this rig in advance - but my wife doesn't miss much and it would ruin the surprise.

Thanks
 
I can't answer your questions about the Christmas train of reefers, Rob, but I will just say "Welcome to GSC"! :)

I'm sure some of those on here with experience of USAT equipment will be able to give you some opinions.....

Jon.
 
My only experience of the USA Trains loco's is on the bench, fitting decoders / repairs..

Assuming these are in good order, then I do not think you will have a major problem with this.

Just make sure the smoke units are OFF, and if you have a chance, check the wheels / bogies on the reefers are free-running..

Oh, and we like pictures on the Forum. Welcome!
 
Shouldn't be a problem at all, if your track is perfectly level then one loco might even manage the lot.

Just keep the speed slow and steady, and make sure the smoke is off, I would guess the current draw would be about 1amp per motor.

Here's a video of a nw2 hauling about 11 wagons worth on a line with gradients whilst running on a 12v battery


Dan
 
Shouldn't be a problem and your 10 amp transformer will easily do the job, and welcome aboard.
 
Hi Rob, my SWMBO of 65 years just read your post.......thought 22 red roses more appropriate and wishes you luck.......my thoughts looking forward to pics .........Best wishes. Mardy
 
roses - they wont last long!
 
Thanks everyone - I think she will be happily surprised!

As for the roses... we have two dozen rose bushes in the garden (dormant now), so she is rather used to fresh roses during the growing season.

I forgot to mention the special part of the reefer idea. Each reefer has a working side door with a nice latch. The reefers aren't exactly weatherproof, but close enough for a quick jaunt. With this in mind, I went through our married life together and found small photos of newborn grandkids (we have an even dozen between us), lockets of hair, news clippings (my wife had a very colorful public career) and other souvenirs with special import... etc. I loaded each item into the respective year reefer car for safekeeping.

This is not just a string of 22 novelty cars... the manifest consists of our memories together.

Rob
 
Excellent idea.
 
That's a great idea.
 
Greetings everyone

A post-Christmas update on the Memory Train...

The two S4 trains don't have rubber tires and could barely pull the 23 cars (we won't tell my wife I miscounted at first and forgot a car).
At 100% throttle they would creep along and the bare metal drive wheels would spin at the corners.
I tried to lube the trucks wheels with graphite - but the reefer wheels and trucks are low-cost plastic.
Do you think metal wheels would roll better?
I was concerned that the motors would burn up - so the trains only made two laps around the two upper decks.
The symbolism was ironic... my wife and I are carrying the memories of raising five kids and 12 grandkids.
Our wheels spun a lot too!

One of the couplings pulled apart, too - more symbolism, since this is a second marriage for both of us.

I have a few compressed photos but no experience creating a photo album or photo link.
 
Rob Hab said:
Greetings everyone


I have a few compressed photos but no experience creating a photo album or photo link.
Click to expand...


Simple, set up a reply like you do in the normal way, press 'Upload a File', then click on the photo you want to upload from wherever you store your pictures, press 'Open'. A telltale uploading bar will show, increasing in % until it is loaded. You will see an option ' Full Image'.... hit that. Then carry on with text of message, and post reply.
 
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DSC_0263.JPG

See, easy as that. Now, if you get the message 'file too big', go back to the photo, hit Edit, then Resize. 70% works for me.

DSC_0009 (2).JPG

We have managed to freely mix USAT, LGB, Aristo, and Bachmann.
 
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A pity it didn't roll better, I would have guessed it would be OK. and Yes - metal wheels do usually roll with less resistance.
 
Post mortem...
our GP-38 Xmas locomotive almost pulls all 23 cars - compared to the S4 switcher, it is a heavier engine, has larger track motors, and most of all, has rubber traction tires on four drive wheels.
I must decide if a second GP-38 at $300 plus is worth the gesture.
Some of the graphite that I packed into the reefer truck axle cups may have sprinkled onto the tracks - i saw traces of graphite on the GP-38 tires.

Not a pretty landscape... this is a deck-to-deck working train layout for our little grandkids

IMG_0717x.gif IMG_0714 x.gif IMG_0713x.gif
 
Looks like your minimum diameter may be 4 foot or so, which will also increase friction.

The locos can take a bit more weight for pulling.

I have no idea why people told you to turn your smoke units off, they only draw about 1/2 amp, no way you would pull 10 amps with that train.

Check your S4 locos for the dreaded and common split axle problem... look it up on my site for a full explanation, with split axles your pulling power will be compromised, but you cannot determine if you have this issue by visual inspection.

Greg
 
Rob Hab said:
Post mortem...
our GP-38 Xmas locomotive almost pulls all 23 cars - compared to the S4 switcher, it is a heavier engine, has larger track motors, and most of all, has rubber traction tires on four drive wheels.
I must decide if a second GP-38 at $300 plus is worth the gesture.
Some of the graphite that I packed into the reefer truck axle cups may have sprinkled onto the tracks - i saw traces of graphite on the GP-38 tires.

Not a pretty landscape... this is a deck-to-deck working train layout for our little grandkids

View attachment 217879 View attachment 217880 View attachment 217881
Click to expand...

Success, I see you managed to post photos OK.
 
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