# best a/f steam engine to pull long train



## dicgolfer72 (Dec 4, 2015)

ok so 
I'm getting ready to setup my layout with a pretty long train (going to be running all my operating cars)

right now with everything adjusted and oiled my 282 pulling 3 new haven heavyweight passenger cars and a caboose starts spinning out the wheels on my turns 


I want a nice smoke in boiler engine that can handle a good sized heavy load 
but is not going to knock out my pocket book 
what engine numbers should I search for on fee pay 

or is buying some of the repro rubber pullmore tires a option for my 282

my little 300ac does a ok job with the 3 passenger cars but no smoke and she gets a bit warm on extended runs


I guess I really should be asking what 3 wheel engines has smoke in boiler and are all die cast 
and can be purchased cheap


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

The easiest and cheapest is to get the small jar of a product called Bullfrog Snot from Portlines, apply it to the drive wheels per the instructions and you have traction tires on your existing engines. It will do more than enough steam engines. The danger is that it is easy to overheat and damage the small motors in the link coupler steam engines running them for extended periods with heavy loads. They were not designed for traction tires. Amusingly, the faster they run, the less likely it is to overheat the motor, slow running with a heavy load is not so good. With 10 or less cars and no grades you should be fine. More cars would be ok if the majority are the sheet metal design operating cars rather than the heavier die cast cars.


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## llskis (Apr 11, 2013)

dicgolfer72 said:


> ok so
> I guess I really should be asking what 3 wheel engines has smoke in boiler and are all die cast
> and can be purchased cheap


Digolfer72: Whichever one you choose for best results it would have to be run on DC. (More power at lower RPM) IMHO>Larry


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## dicgolfer72 (Dec 4, 2015)

llskis said:


> Digolfer72: Whichever one you choose for best results it would have to be run on DC. (More power at lower RPM) IMHO>Larry


 have no problem at low rpm 
its a full speed 

I'm not lacking in the power department 
its the opposite
I have to much power and not enough traction



AmFlyer said:


> The easiest and cheapest is to get the small jar of a product called Bullfrog Snot from Portlines, apply it to the drive wheels per the instructions and you have traction tires on your existing engines. It will do more than enough steam engines. The danger is that it is easy to overheat and damage the small motors in the link coupler steam engines running them for extended periods with heavy loads. They were not designed for traction tires. Amusingly, the faster they run, the less likely it is to overheat the motor, slow running with a heavy load is not so good. With 10 or less cars and no grades you should be fine. More cars would be ok if the majority are the sheet metal design operating cars rather than the heavier die cast cars.


thanks 
ill give that a shot 
I really like the 282 I have but since its a plastic boiler shell its just a bit to light around the turns with a heavy load

ill be running 1 or 2 716s coal unloaders
1 735 for my operating station)
1 or 2 auto car unloading cars
1-2 gondolas(for my electromagnet crane)
1-2 operating cattle cars (for my operating stock yard)
and eventually a log unloading car (to go with my log loader)
as well as some sort of caboose

pretty much trying to get it setup to use all my operating features on m layout


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

You've got some heavy cars there, and I'm not sure what engine would be good for you. A 290 or a 293 could work for you. They're both cast, the 290 has a sheet metal tender, while the 293 has a plastic tender. You should be able to get either for less than $100 bucks. A Hudson might be a good choice also, but a little more expensive. Add the bullfrog snot to the Hudson, and you should have a great puller.


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## llskis (Apr 11, 2013)

dicgolfer72 said:


> have no problem at low rpm
> its a full speed
> 
> I'm not lacking in the power department
> ...


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## Aflyer (Nov 10, 2010)

Side stepping the AC vs DC discussion my vote is with FlyerNut for a 293. I have three of them and they are unbelievable for there size and cost. 

We have pulled 20 cars, Flyonel Christmas cars with mixed in AF flatcars and Gondolas with more Christmas decorations. 

These things run all day long on our club layout, and never break down.
Aflyer


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## dicgolfer72 (Dec 4, 2015)

Aflyer said:


> Side stepping the AC vs DC discussion my vote is with FlyerNut for a 293. I have three of them and they are unbelievable for there size and cost.
> 
> We have pulled 20 cars, Flyonel Christmas cars with mixed in AF flatcars and Gondolas with more Christmas decorations.
> 
> ...



lol thanks 
I have my eye out for a 290 293 
but for now I have some snot on the way lol


I did just fix my 350 royal blue and it pulls great but alas no smoke 
so if the bullfrog snot does not help with my 282, ill just use it until I can come up with a heavy puller that has smoke


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## Aflyer (Nov 10, 2010)

Good luck, I have heard the bull frog snot works great. Looking forward to seeing how it works out for you.


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## longle (Mar 7, 2015)

Any of the Pennsy K-5 Pacifics (312, 313, 314AW, 315, 316, 21115 (Pul-Mor version)) will pull what a 290 will under the same conditions. It's diecast with the same motor and chassis (including smoke and choo-choo in the boiler) so you might want to consider it also. They generally cost a bit more than the 290 but bargains can be found.


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## dicgolfer72 (Dec 4, 2015)

got the bullfrog snot in yesterday 
applied it to the wheels (not as easy as the online vids make it out to be lol)
in hind sight I would have used a brush instead of a toothpick like the tuts online show

the tooth pick did not really transfer the stuff to well to the wheels 

I ended up using an old bit of cloth wrapped wire to smooth out the stuff after applied 
since the tooth pick method tended to glop it on in spots 

but overall great 

it stopped my spin outs around the turns 


vid of my 282 with the snot pulling my current operating cars
https://youtu.be/56PaO6_LZsY


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

It is running great. Looks like empty space is becoming scarce on the layout.


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## dicgolfer72 (Dec 4, 2015)

AmFlyer said:


> It is running great. Looks like empty space is becoming scarce on the layout.




lol yup

still want to add a coal loader 
and now I'm stuck trying to figure out how to install the trip for the car unloader on a curve

I can install it but the cow catcher hits it as the engine rounds the curve

since that's the only spot I have open that has access to the road 

I may just have to make my own trip out of some angle iron


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Good luck with that. I always put the outside pickup rail on a straight track at least 4" from a curve. If you make it lower than the bottom of the cow catcher the pickup shoe will not make contact unless you bend the shoe way down.


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