# Scale Speeds?



## paulrail (May 22, 2016)

I'm still working on bench work but I do have a little
track laid out so I can play with my BLI switcher
(My only loco at present). 

I found a scale speed calculator online. The top speed 
at which I like to run my switcher is about 4mph prototype 
speed. Am I running it too slowly? Is realistic speed 
one of those things that doesn't translate well?

What speeds do some of you run yard switchers at?
Mainline trains?

Thanks


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Yard switchers working in the yard would rarely get going more than a few MPH, that's not unrealistic. Out on the mainline, freight can be running at any speed from around 15-20 MPH to 70 or so. They're always going more like 15 when I'm waiting at the crossing. 

I also point out that it's your railroad, so you can run your consists at any speed that pleases you.


----------



## paulrail (May 22, 2016)

Thanks. I now know I won't run trains at 60-70 
mph, that's too fast for my taste.


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Some of the times in yards you'll see a switchman
walking beside the train so he can throw switches.

And usually the spur and yard tracks have speed limits
because they may not be in top condition.

My switchers seldom seen much more than walk speed.

Don


----------



## paulrail (May 22, 2016)

Great. I'm not worried about the slow 
speeds which will occur in my yard any 
longer. Thanks!


----------



## NAJ (Feb 19, 2016)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I also point out that it's your railroad, so you can run your consists at any speed that pleases you.


Exactly what one of my seven year old Grandson's tells me when I say he is going to fast and it will derail.


----------



## ShaderMike (Jan 23, 2016)

My N-scale Bachmann Plymouth Switcher (similar to this one in ATSF colors), on DC, moves at about 44 scale MPH as soon as it starts to move.

It always has, even back when it was new-out-of-the-box in the late 80s.

I'm not too worried right now - still in the planning stages after all


----------



## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

I guess you'll run them at a speed that pleases you commensurate with the prototype, although spectators might not appreciate it.


----------



## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

The problem with running trains at a faster than normal speed is it makes the layout seem smaller when a train can run the entire loop in a very short time. Run em slower and your empire will seem to grow.
If ya want something high speed, you might consider slot cars instead.


----------



## wingnut163 (Jan 3, 2013)

slow them down till you think they are going to slow,,, thats the right speed!


----------



## santafealltheway (Nov 27, 2012)

D&J Railroad said:


> The problem with running trains at a faster than normal speed is it makes the layout seem smaller when a train can run the entire loop in a very short time. Run em slower and your empire will seem to grow.
> If ya want something high speed, you might consider slot cars instead.


You could always plop down an HO slot track next to your mainline. I think that could be fun.


----------



## paulrail (May 22, 2016)

wingnut163 said:


> slow them down till you think they are going to slow,,, thats the right speed!


Yeah I don't like to run them very fast
but I became curious about how fast
others ran them when I checked mine
with a speed calculator. I think my 
personal top speed measured about 
30 mph!


----------



## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

to some extent top speeds depend on the era and prototype ... i model 1890's geared steam , running at most 15mph scale ... and a couple of 0-6-0 that can blaze along up to 25 mph scale, on the mainline, maybe 5 scale mph in yards or switching ...
in the real world local CN yard limits are posted 10mph max, but if a conductor is walking alongside , it's down to his walking speed,


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*"Can it go any faster?" "How fast can it go?"*



D&J Railroad said:


> The problem with running trains at a faster than normal speed is it makes the layout seem smaller when a train can run the entire loop in a very short time. Run em slower and your empire will seem to grow.
> If ya want something high speed, you might consider slot cars instead.


D&J Railroad;

You are quite right about reasonable scale speeds making the railroad seem larger. I once belonged to an N-scale club that was fortunate to have a large building to house their railroad. The round trip on the mainline was about 25 scale miles. The time taken to make that run was about 20-30 real minutes. After you had run your train at scale speed over that distance, you really felt like you had traveled somewhere.
All visitors to the club's open house shows did not see it that way. The younger ones especially often asked the questions; "Can you make it go faster?" and "How fast will it go?" Different strokes for different folks, I guess!:

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

How about an O-scale trip that takes 17 minutes for one loop?


----------



## phillyreading (Aug 25, 2015)

Like others have mentioned it is up to you how fast to run your trains. However passenger trains do tend to run a t higher speeds then freight trains.

I tried to clock an Amtrak train between the cities of Okeechobee FL and Indiantown FL. On the straight section that paralled the highway 710 the Amtrak train(2 diesel engines and 12 passenger cars) was going almost 80 mph.

Lee Fritz


----------



## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

Then there's the old math question; If a train leaves Chicago going east at 70 miles per hour and a train leaves New York going west at 55 miles per hour, what is on the lunch menu? 
I don't know.


----------

