Ac 6000 vs Sw 40 -2

Tommybza

New Member
I just saw a sale on the broadway limited ac 6000 cw .
my question is ,will it run on my 4 foot wide layout . the sw 40 -2 is good but the extra length of the ACE could be too much.
there both 6 axel so .....
what to do???
thanks
Tommy
 

jbaakko

Active Member
BLI says 22" minimum radius. What radius do you have?

Of not, if you're using sectional track (Not flex) make sure the joints are perfect, my BLI has a nac for picking the joints and derailing an axle.
 

Tommybza

New Member
22 I will try a sd45 first then see what happens with it .I think my hobby shop will front one to me . they told me good luck with a 22 min radius
thanks ,
Josh.
 

jbaakko

Active Member
22" is fine, don't let the hobby shop down you. 90% of what is made for HO is designed to work on 22", however, if you can spare an extra few inches, go up to 24" for the added reliability.

*Off-Topic* Has anyone noticed hobby shops seem to be giving out worse & worse advice, like they're forgetting about beginners?
 

MadHatter

Charging at full tilt.
Re: *Off Topic*

No, it's probably that they arn't interested in trains themselves and are too ignorant to want to learn. When I was still working at the hobby shop we had this problem before I came, they didn't know a thing about trains so couldn't sell them, whereas I could say to a customer that they can, if they want, buy SP because UP absorbed them, for example.
 

Tommybza

New Member
I found a tool that checks the wheels ,now the 40-2 runs much better than before around the curve's ,now I feel better about the whole thing willl wait to see how sd-45 2 runs when that comes in ,then i will think about going to the ace ,
I dont think @24 it will fit were already on the edge ..
T
 

jesso

Member
I run an Athearn AC4000 on my layout. My layout has 18" radius curves. It has never had a problem by itself running around my layout. The only issue I ever had was it would pull the car behind off the tracks around the s curves on my layout (I now know better than to do that). However, I put kadee long shank couplers on and even that is no longer an issue.

Included a picture so you can see it. You can see the track pretty clearly inbetween the trucks, so of course, it is up to you if that is acceptable.
 

Attachments

  • ac4400.jpg
    ac4400.jpg
    84 KB · Views: 10

Tommybza

New Member
Thanks ,Jesso,
I have noticed the couplers will have to be up graded ,why would the hobby shop owner say good luck ,he could have said yes 18 is good or 22 will be better ,HE could have said are your wheels in line on the sd 40 then i would have been happy and checked them ,I know this is a learn as you go ,and really enjoy the hobby ,I have to find me a nother Hobby shop .Iwould have to say this place is worried about there daily RING on the register not the long term customer base , enough on this place ,
thanks guys ,
for the good info
TOMMY
 

jbaakko

Active Member
Re: *Off Topic*

No, it's probably that they arn't interested in trains themselves and are too ignorant to want to learn. When I was still working at the hobby shop we had this problem before I came, they didn't know a thing about trains so couldn't sell them, whereas I could say to a customer that they can, if they want, buy SP because UP absorbed them, for example.
Oh, I was hinting towards TRAIN only hobby shops. I've been standing in my favorite train shop, and heard them trying to sell a $700 brass N scale unit, to a guy who has a cheap "on the floor loop", as he referred to it. I didn't want to butt in, but its some poor advice to try to convince someone who's asking "What kind of locomotives should I buy" then you get pointed at something 4" long and $700...

Anyways, my RC shop, is really cool. They try to step back from advice, on what to buy, and rather recommend that the person first decides what they like. They then help then through the process by describing pros & cons of the item. For being a RC shop, they know allot about trains!
 

jbaakko

Active Member
Thanks ,Jesso,
I have noticed the couplers will have to be up graded ,why would the hobby shop owner say good luck ,he could have said yes 18 is good or 22 will be better ,HE could have said are your wheels in line on the sd 40 then i would have been happy and checked them ,I know this is a learn as you go ,and really enjoy the hobby ,I have to find me a nother Hobby shop .Iwould have to say this place is worried about there daily RING on the register not the long term customer base , enough on this place ,
thanks guys ,
for the good info
TOMMY
If its not a train only store, the person giving the advice might now be the most knowledgeable, I dunno.

I'd think, just do as you see fit, if it does not work, change something, thats what I do!
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
Hobby shops are not the highest paying jobs you can get. My local hobby shop has a train dept staffed by a couple of full time employees, one of whom is a retired aerospace engineer who has been in model railroading for years and works at the hobby shop to supplement his pension. The rest of the guys there in the train dept. work one or two days a week. I've also noticed that even though there are a dozen solutions to every problem encountered in model railroading, there is a tendency for individuals to be partial to their own solution. A guy with a basement full of trains with a layout big enough to use a 30 inch minimum radius might tell you that 30 inches is the minimum you should use. When I first started into the hobby, a young kid at the local hobby shop tried to tell me that for steam or diesel 22 inch was a reasonable minimum radius. I think his view was that everyone would want to run sd40-2 & sd45 locomotives (late 1970's) or 85 foot passenger equipment. He was interrested in big mainline power, and it didn't occur to him that someone else might like to have a switching layout with an Alco "S" series or even a GE 44 tonner. Basically your minimum radius is determined by what you want to model and how many compromises you are willing to make to operate what you want in less than ideal space limitations.
 

Kevinkrey

Member
My local hobby shop can go both ways. The repair man is an engineer and works in real trains and really knows his models too. One guy is new and has many questions himself, and they all tell me the third guy does not know what he is talking about (but he sure likes to talk!)sign1
 
Top