Very powerful motive power needed

[Guest Jack Benson]

Hi,

Despite owning a selection of all metal kitbuilt  locos, none can shift the Roco track cleaning wagon that is currently unused in the yard, it used to be hauled by a large Roco diesel, even then it was a struggle. Btw, the Dapol track cleaner was not very successful. 
 

It seems rather odd to ask a retailer to simply supply the model with the greatest haulage capacity as most modellers are interested in fidelity rather than pure grunt? My best guess is a return to Roco and a big C’C’ diesel but happy to try anything with sheer muscle power……I am just after haulage ability.

 

Thank you, StaySafe

 

 

[SamThomas]

Easy Peasy solution - simply remove the springs & let the weight of the pad do it's job - that way it can be run with regular trains.

 

Same applies to the Piko one & the Gaugemaster branded "BR" & "NWR" versions.

 

The pads will last longer & be kinder to your track.

 

Hope this helps.

[Captain Kernow]

Maybe one (or two) heavy Heljan diesels? There was a Class 26 on Ebay just now for £39.99, I think.

 

[Paul H Vigor]

28 minutes ago, Jack Benson said:

Hi,

Despite owning a selection of all metal kitbuilt  locos, none can shift the Roco track cleaning wagon that is currently unused in the yard, it used to be hauled by a large Roco diesel, even then it was a struggle. Btw, the Dapol track cleaner was not very successful. 
 

It seems rather odd to ask a retailer to simply supply the model with the greatest haulage capacity as most modellers are interested in fidelity rather than pure grunt? My best guess is a return to Roco and a big C’C’ diesel but happy to try anything with sheer muscle power……I am just after haulage ability.

 

Thank you, StaySafe

 

 

What you need is a vintage Stewart Reidpath 4F!

[RedgateModels]

Accurascale Deltic?

 

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by RedgateModels

[Hroth]

Be like the Midland Railway, double head!

[Guest Jack Benson]

4 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

Maybe one (or two) heavy Heljan diesels? There was a Class 26 on Ebay just now for £39.99, I think.

 

There are cheapo Heljan25 and 26 power units, I wonder is it possible to cobble with a standard coupling? Sorry guys but I just need to power the cleaner, zero interest otherwise.

 

StaySafe

[DCB]

Nothing wrong with the Dapol Track Vacuum cleaner, as long as you don't try to clean the track with it.

I don't have a ROCO but I have my own very stiff graunchy track cleaner and two Hornby Dublo 0-6-0 chassis with Cast Mazak  Gaiety Pannier bodies drag it around. top and tail.   A GR Wrenn 8F will also haul it as will a Wrenn Rebuilt West Country.

[Halvarras]

Heljan Class 128 Diesel Parcels Unit. Unassuming appearance, massive weight. A windowless 'bubble car' which should be seen trundling along with a few parcels vans in tow but capable of hauling 20 passenger coaches (which of course would look really silly! 🤔)

[The Johnster]

Dapol/Hornby J94 is a pretty good puller for it's size, easily the most powerful on my layout, and might be able to do what you want.

[Pete the Elaner]

On 06/04/2022 at 16:12, RedgateModels said:

Accurascale Deltic?

 

I was impressed with Hattons 66, which weighs a little over 700g.

Accurascale's Deltic apparently weighs about 20% more.

[McC]

21 minutes ago, Pete the Elaner said:

 

I was impressed with Hattons 66, which weighs a little over 700g.

Accurascale's Deltic apparently weighs about 20% more.

 

Indeed, 900g for the sound fitted model

[cypherman]

Hi, One of the most powerful loco's I have seen is a tank engine. The H/D 0-6-2. Or if difficult to get hold of the Wenn one is almost as powerful. That should pull your track cleaning agon. You can use it for track day excursions on your layout if you run modern image stock. Just a couple of piccys of some of mine

 

Edited April 8, 2022 by cypherman

[Les Bird]

I have kept a Hornby Dublo Co-Bo specifically to haul a track cleaner. It never fails

[TheSignalEngineer]

For a bit of retro fun with No.2 grandson my 1958 Christmas present came out to celebrate its 63rd birthday last December.  My Hornby Dublo 2-6-4T will still haul 14 Dublo coaches with stub axles round an oval with 15" radius curves on a 6' 6" x 3' table.

[The Johnster]

4 hours ago, Les Bird said:

I have kept a Hornby Dublo Co-Bo specifically to haul a track cleaner. It never fails

Which is more than can be said for the real Co-Bos...

[Nova Scotian]

Best looking for a bogie diesel - especially if you have tighter curves. If looks etc don't matter you may be able to pick something up that others don't like, especially in HO. There are some US outline models by Life Like (proto 1000 and 2000) that are bo-bo or co-co, have twin flywheels and heavy chassis blocks. There's one on ebay for 20 quid right now - two of those (top-tail) and you'd be sorted. The challenge with those is they sometimes split gears, but there are ahearn and others that are capable too.

 

For continental outline, Fleischmann and Roco.

 

For UK - I'd echo finding some Heljan. Or make a frakenstein - find a random co-co, with a beat up body, old lima/Hornby pancake stuff. Then find another motor bogie. Drop a big lead weight in the middle and over each pancake motor. If it doesn't need to be smooth/quiet/accurate you could have some fun with it.

 

I've been thinking about a pugbash of a garrett type loco - hinging three jintys or pugs together, all wired up, with some movement in the hinge (so not just side to side, but 3 axis), all for fun.

[Grizz]

I’ve got a couple of those roco track cleaning wagons , the orange ones. They are not the only track cleaning wagons I’ve got but it was one of the first RTR ones I bought second hand. It has had a lot of use, so much so that we have replaced the pads a few times. 
 

My son and I have a huge collection of locos, 99% bogie diesels. Basically you need something with a large heavy chassis block, central motor with fly wheels. 
 

If you want grunt, then definitely a Hattons 66. 

Others we use, all with heavy chassis blocks and central motors are…

Dapol 68, Heljan, 26,27,33, 47, 57, 58, Lion, Kestral, etc

Hornby 50, 56, 60, 67, HST

 

US outline Proto 2000 GP7, GP9, E7, E8, E9 etc etc. 

 

Mehano Vossloh G2000, BlueTiger, Roco 185,, 151, 152 etc etc

 

Double headed Bachmann 24s / 25s / 37s / 66s. We’ve found it is better to double head these. It will run single but the performance is reduced a bit. 
 

McK (Danish) MZ…

 

They are all more than capable of hauling that roco track cleaner. 

 

Don't bother with anything with a pancake motor, old Lima or Hornby etc. 

 

 

Edited April 9, 2022 by Grizz

[The Johnster]

17 hours ago, Grizz said:

Don't bother with anything with a pancake motor, old Lima or Hornby etc. 

 

Agreed.

 

Some of those old pancakes were pretty good pullers, but relied on rubber traction tyres for grip, which defeats the object if you are trying to get the track clean; traction tyres are superb for spreading crud around your layout.

[melmerby]

I've got a CMX cleaner and none of my steam outline locos will move it, including white metal bodied ones.

So my between the wars layout boasts a Bachmann Class 47, It's heavy with 12 wheel drive and powerful motor.

It hardly slows when pulling/pushing the CMX cleaner.

[ColinK]

Miniature Wonderland in Hamburg use a pair of DB class 218 diesels. 
 

i agree with the Heljan 128 diesel parcels car, really powerful.

[Halvarras]

Oh yeah, of course - the Heljan Kestrel! 4000hp should be enough to.........er, no, wait a minute.......oh dear, I'm getting confused now 🤪!

[melmerby]

14 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Agreed.

 

Some of those old pancakes were pretty good pullers, but relied on rubber traction tyres for grip, which defeats the object if you are trying to get the track clean; traction tyres are superb for spreading crud around your layout.

Of locos with pancake motors, I had a Lima DRC and that was gutless, so were the 2 Hornby Tender Drives (one 3 pole & one 5 pole) and the Mainline locos.