# purpose of brake rods?



## Blue North (12 mo ago)

The beautiful little Mallard came today from Hornby, only took a week, not bad! It came with the most extensive instructions I've seen yet on a locomotive, much appreciated. It also came with an accessory pack of very delicate (flimsy) plastic "brake rods" and there's a diagram showing how to put them on amongst the drive wheels. 

What are those for? In case you just want to display it and don't want it rolling? It runs fine and stops fine without them. (I did learn the word "fitment" from these lovely British instructions.)


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Many models come with extra parts for the owner to install as this can be very time consuming to do at the factory. It addition, many of these parts such as mirrors and hoses might not survive the packaging and transit.

Some parts are only to be used for display models and many front and rear end parts will be in the way of coupler swing or can't even be installed without removal of one or both couplers.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

Blue North said:


> The beautiful little Mallard came today from Hornby, only took a week, not bad! It came with the most extensive instructions I've seen yet on a locomotive, much appreciated. It also came with an accessory pack of very delicate (flimsy) plastic "brake rods" and there's a diagram showing how to put them on amongst the drive wheels.
> 
> What are those for? In case you just want to display it and don't want it rolling? It runs fine and stops fine without them. (I did learn the word "fitment" from these lovely British instructions.)


In N. America we just use the word 'fit', as in 'fit and finish'. Or if it's the process, it's 'the fitting'. "Fitting' can also mean an appurtenance added to the major item for a purpose, almost always for function and not for aesthetics. An example would be a 'fitting' on the side of the boiler to which a rod is attached....the front end throttle on pretty much all modern steamers after about 1920 or so, or the injector inlet at the check valve, which itself would probably be mounted on a fitting of sorts. The classification lights would be on a fitting, and so on...

I would have thought excellent and comprehensive instructions would have described the circumstances and the intent for those details....as we call them. Many modern steamers, and diesels, come with items that can be added as the owner wishes for more realism, particularly if the owner would otherwise miss them, or if the owner intends to get close to the item, say for photography. Details become less obvious for things in motion or far away, which in our common scales of HO and N would be as little as 60 cm. My Rivarossi Chesapeake & Ohio H-8, called the Allegheny, a monster 2-6-6-6, came with chains to put on the tender trucks, for example, and even included an entire cab with a longer overhang roof if desired.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

They'll represent details that exist on the real-world engine the model is based on. (Most) Trains use clasp brakes that contact the wheel train.

They won't be "functional" on the model.


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## Blue North (12 mo ago)

cv_acr said:


> They'll represent details that exist on the real-world engine the model is based on. (Most) Trains use clasp brakes that contact the wheel train.
> 
> They won't be "functional" on the model.


Thanks everyone for the "details" on this! As you can see, this particular detail would be quite invisible to all but someone working on the wheels. Seems like a weird thing to include. Would have preferred some better-looking coal.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

European manufacturers love detailed models. You may as well install it, you paid for it. Anyone that is familiar with that locomotive would notice they are missing without having to turn the locomotive over.


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## Blue North (12 mo ago)

MichaelE said:


> European manufacturers love detailed models. You may as well install it, you paid for it. Anyone that is familiar with that locomotive would notice they are missing without having to turn the locomotive over.


You can barely see the wheels themselves, but OK.


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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

Are the brake shoes/hangers already installed?
If so, and if they're not interfering with the drive wheels, I'd leave the rods off (unless they'll go on really easily).

They won't improve the operation, and you won't be able to see them.


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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

Yup, one of those owners discression things.
I like detailed locomotives and cars but there is that fine line to ask yourself, is it worth installing for what I am doing.


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