# Flywheels - Not so bad



## rsv1ho (Oct 16, 2019)

Never was a fan, got a couple of locomotives with them. Athearn was a user.

Recently received a couple of F-3 Varney's with them. Previous owner add on's I would think. Ran them a couple of times, sluggish and because of the bulk of the flywheel restricting movement, limited to 20" radius and above. I set them aside.

Looking for something to do on a rainy day, I got them out again. Removed the optional Varney weight, lubed the wicked motor and gave them another try. Nice easy smooth acceleration from a standstill, smooth gliding stops from full throttle. Not liking the rubber band drive but the pulleys don't accommodate Varney's coil spring. They do surprisingly well if the weights are removed.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

My first flywheel locomotives were Athearns in the early 80's. I loved them. I would never buy a locomotive without flywheels today. Even my little BEMO ABe 4/4 III has dual flywheels.


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

When I re motor my brass locomotives they either get a keep alive or they get a flywheel if not a combination of both. I try to measure for enough space to add at least a small flywheel and I also use primarily iron core motors which have quite a bit of rotational mass themselves. I have very few issues with my brass locomotives. If I’m not mistaken almost all locomotives made today have flywheels in them, I could be wrong on that but that seems to be the trend from what I’ve seen with reviews and my own more recent purchases


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I will not run any locomotives that don’t have flywheels......been there, done that, will never go back to that.....


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

All of my locomotives have them. I don't believe they work worth a pinch of rat poo. When my locos stop, across makes and models, it's sudden. There's no slowing, even if over a paltry 4 inches until they come to a halt. They all stop dead, instantly. That tells me flywheels aren't worth.....


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Sarcasm at its best.....😂


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## Mixed Freight (Aug 31, 2019)

rsv1ho said:


> Never was a fan, got a couple of locomotives with them. Athearn was a user.
> 
> Recently received a couple of F-3 Varney's with them. Previous owner add on's I would think. Ran them a couple of times, sluggish and because of the bulk of the flywheel restricting movement, limited to 20" radius and above. I set them aside.
> 
> ...


I dunno, but is that green thing between the flywheel and motor a drive belt that connects the motor to the drive shaft? If so, I can understand why you may be limited to minimum curve radii, due to the pivoting trucks. The belt won't like it if the trucks pivot too far off of center. Mainly due to this being an older design. Modern designs won't have this problem.

Flywheels are a wonderful thing, in my opinion. Really smooths a motor out, especially at lower speeds.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

flywheels are a cheap and easy way to add a little bit of momentum to a loco, and the do help going over short spaces of dead / no power track ...


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## rsv1ho (Oct 16, 2019)

Learning about them. Took the large one apart. Internal has a centrifugal clutch that works off the motors shaft gradually spinning the rotating mass up to speed. Other one is just solid brass


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

I didn't know that some have/had centrifugal clutches. That would make them actually useful for their intended purpose, and would be to clutch to a halt, but over about 1-2 full seconds.


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## rsv1ho (Oct 16, 2019)

Found another one with a flywheel, this one geared not banded. Flywheel attaches to the motor's shaft by a set screw with no clutch action. Clutched flywheel has a major effect depending on how much throttle is applied. From a full throttle it will glide to a stop in about 6-8 inches, 3-4 from half throttle. This one stops right now. Same for throttle up. Fixed flywheel seems to have little effect.



















PO modified with a blub that lights up the headlight but the whole cabin too, and it's to large to shield. He also wired it backwards. 










Good runner though, just needs some attention.


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## rsv1ho (Oct 16, 2019)

I found an alternative to flywheels. I run trains almost every day. Blocks and switches allow me to run three trains at a time using all three tracks, keeps me busy. But usually I just run the three on separate isolated tracks.











Today I thought I would try to engage the little used Momentum feature on my MRC "Sound and Power" transformer and was surprised at the response. 

As this vintage Varney F3 with an ancient open framed motor was on the track already I used that as a test locomotive. Hardly state-of-the -art. Turned the throttle up to 3/4 power and watched as the F3 slowly gained momentum making a full loop before it did so, then reducing the throttle to zero I watched as it took another full revolution before it gracefully came to a stop. Much more realistic than what I could do manually.




















Perhaps nothing that I would use every day, but an interesting feature with potential that I intend to explore.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Well, when I had N gauge many of my locos did not have them, but I appreciated the ones that had them. Now that I do O-Gauge I would not have a loco without a big flywheel. Only way to go ..


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

A momentum feature on a power pack does not replace, and is not the same, as momentum built by a flywheel.....two different “momentums“ here......


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## rsv1ho (Oct 16, 2019)

Old_Hobo said:


> A momentum feature on a power pack does not replace, and is not the same, as momentum built by a flywheel.....two different “momentums“ here......


Yes, you have it right.


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