Williams sd45 diesel engine

foxholefella · February 19, 2014, 04:16:42 PM

I just purchased a new Williams SD45 diesel engine. Can anyone please tell me how many freight cars I can expect to pull on both flat surfaces and climbing up tressel? This is my first Williams engine and I'm curious to see how it compares to the Lionel Pullmore engines.

Chessie1971 · February 20, 2014, 01:00:15 AM

On level you can pull 25 cars and on incline i would only pull 10 to 13 cars

foxholefella · February 20, 2014, 11:01:42 AM

Chessie 1971
Thanks very much for the info and advice.

Chessie1971 · February 20, 2014, 11:49:43 AM

Your welcome!!!

stationmaster12 · February 20, 2014, 12:15:36 PM

I just got an SD-90 and I have an 8 X 7 layout and it yanks my freight cars around like the're not even there! I love it! Williams is the way to go!!!

phillyreading · February 20, 2014, 05:36:52 PM

I have an older Williams(before Bachmann) SD-45 and about 20 freight cars is the limit. I don't have any inclines so I don't know about uphills.
The Williams S-2 I sold a few months ago would pull about 27 freight cars on a flat surface. My layout is 11 ft. by 8 ft. on the lower level, the upper level is 4 ft. by 6 ft. with an extension or elevated track for another 3 ft. out and return.

Lee F.

r0gruth · February 20, 2014, 10:08:53 PM

Fox,

\The SD-45 will pull at least 40 cars.The problem is pulling the cars off on curves.I think this is called stringlining.
I pulled 43 with a single Williams gp7/9 and that was my limit because of stringlining.
I have no idea what it could pull on a level straifht track.Maybe 1oo.

Joe Satnik · February 21, 2014, 07:46:29 AM

Dear All,

I was surprised that I couldn't find a Classic Toy Trains (CTT) review of the Williams E.T. or WBB SD45 Diesel Loco.

I did, however, find Bob Keller's review of MTH's Railking version in the Feb. 2000 issue on pg. 126:

"The 4-pound, 6-ounce (MTH-RK SD45) engine chalked up a solid 2 pounds of drawbar pull.
This is more than 120 modern, free-rolling pieces of rolling stock on straight and level track."

Bold added for emphasis.

That's about 60 cars per pound of drawbar pull.

Do you have some way of measuring the Williams SD45 drawbar pull?

Perhaps a (hanging spring) scale for weighing fish would work...

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

phillyreading · February 22, 2014, 12:02:07 PM

Quote from: foxholefella on February 19, 2014, 04:16:42 PM
I just purchased a new Williams SD45 diesel engine. Can anyone please tell me how many freight cars I can expect to pull on both flat surfaces and climbing up tressel? This is my first Williams engine and I'm curious to see how it compares to the Lionel Pullmore engines.

I can tell you this, you will most likely buy another Williams engine or two after the SD-45. I have about 12 Williams engines in my fleet, some are over 12 years old, and never had a serious problem with them, a burnt out light bulb or wire came loose but that's it.

Lee F.

r0gruth · February 22, 2014, 09:41:29 PM

Lee,

I agree.
My oldest Williams is from 2003 and is a before Bachmann SD-45.
I have not had any problems with it at all.

phillyreading · February 23, 2014, 02:27:42 PM

Roger,

I have even bought some Williams engines from auction sites used and mainly just had to do a little lubrication or wiring repair and they were good to go.

I have three SD-45's by Williams; a Pennsy, two Reading Lines. Bought a Shark B unit at a train show for $20.00 and put a True Blast-2 diesel horn kit in it and added some wire connectors and use it between two SD-45's that don't have a horn.
I have four F-7 A units, three powered and one unpowered and two F-7 B units with QSI Station Sounds.
Also have two GP-38's, one powered and one unpowered, and one GP-9 powered.
I upgraded a GP-9 that I sold to a friend of mine to True Blast 2 horn. There is not much room inside a GP-9 or GP-38 shell to install anything else.

Lee F.

RRAddict2 · March 05, 2014, 12:27:16 PM

Any Williams and WBB can out pull any locomotive I have from MTH and most of my Lionel. I have no problem pulling +25 cars with power to spare. I would add more cars but this is all I have right now. They are both PW and modern freight cars and they pull the cars like they aren't even there and can handle mild grades with no problem. WBB cannot be beat in both value and dependability. I am just waiting for Bachmann to release some new E-8s.

phillyreading · March 06, 2014, 03:08:42 PM

Quote from: RRAddict2 on March 05, 2014, 12:27:16 PM
Any Williams and WBB can out pull any locomotive I have from MTH and most of my Lionel. I have no problem pulling +25 cars with power to spare. I would add more cars but this is all I have right now. They are both PW and modern freight cars and they pull the cars like they aren't even there and can handle mild grades with no problem. WBB cannot be beat in both value and dependability. I am just waiting for Bachmann to release some new E-8s.

I agree with you about Williams quality. At least most of the diesel engines have two motors unlike some Lionel that have only one motor. That is why I sold a Lionel GP-7 engine and bought a Williams GP-9.

Lee F.

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Williams sd45 diesel engine