slow spectrum 2-8-0

[tattooguy67]

Hi all am hopeing for some advice or help here, i just tried out my new 2-8-0 consolidation and it seems really slow to me, did not start to move until throttle was at around 40 and did not stay going until i was in the 50 plus range, i run an MRC 280 dual power and checked both output and track voltage and am right on with both, i have 6 other steam engines, all but one a bachmann so i do have some thing to compare to and they would all run circles around this one, even an old Atlas? switcher that has a bad gear in it! now i did not buy this one to win races with but like i said it does seem awful slow, any help would be nice, thanks.

[brokemoto]

I am assuming the SPECTRUM 2-8-0 and not the Standard Line 2-8-0, which, I understand, is currently out-of-production.

How much break-in time does it have on it?  I have a number of these.  Some are slower than others (and I like my consolidateds S-L-O-W), but some ran EXTREMELY slowly at first, but loosened up with subsequent break-in.

If it has the break-in hours, it could be a number of things.  The retainer plate for the drivers may be on too tightly.  This is a recurring complaint with this one.  If you will loosen the screws EVER SO SLIGHTLY, a VERY light flick of the wrist will do it, that might help.

Another problem is that the grease does not get onto the gears at the factory, only in the slots.  If you will remove the cover plate, scrape the excess grease from the gear slots, replace a VERY SMALL amount of grease on each gear, then resume break-in, that might help.

Make sure that all drivers are in-quarter and rods properly connected.

[r0bert]

they are geared alot lower than many other types of steam locos and will never be a speed demon.

[tattooguy67]

Hey thanks for getting back to me so fast guys, and as of right now it does not have much time on it at all so that is a possibilty, but i did try to factor that in i.e. comparing it to other new ones i have run, and like i said it seems so slow in comparison, but i will try your suggestions and keep an eye on it, check the lube situation and such, and did not know it was geared lower then most others, so thank you for that info, have not pulled with it yet as i am working on my layout now but i understand it has some good pulling power, any idea how many cars on average it will pull comforatably?, and yes i know that is a loaded ? ie are they 36' 40' or 50', well i like to run a mix of 36 and 40 box cars with my steam locos, save the 50 for my diesels, any info would help, thanks.

[Inder]

Well I have a Spectrum 2-8-0 and it is my slowest locomotive.  Slower than all my other steam and diesel locomotives.  I would say that it is 50 to 60% slower than my fastest one which is a Kato Amtrak phase IV.  I can hear the motor spinning happily so I know it's just geared down and there's nothing physically wrong with it.
That being said this little guy happens to be my favorite.  It pulls like no other.  The most I have pulled with it was a mixed bundle of 40's and 50's and and it didn't even twitch.   My Atlas C-628 Diesel had a hard time here and there.  My Metal Power 4-6-2 had a really bad time.  Now I know that the Metal Power locos are not the best pullers plus it's less drive wheels so it may not be a fair comparison but watching the Consolidation pull without any hesitation just blew me away.  I did not try to add any more cars because it's not even realistic for a steam engine to pull any more than that.  I could be wrong but I have never seen pictures where a single steam locomotive is pulling more than 20 cars.
So I guess you give up some speed for some amazing pulling power.

[bigjay7691]

Agreed. I love my 2-8-0 the best.  Yeah, same issue in order to keep up with either my f7 or 4-8-4 I have to use 60% throttle as opposed to about 30%-ish on the others.

You can hear the engine screaming at a high pitch too, as the gearing makes it run like that, but I have one steep grade on the layout, and it hauls everything up it like a breeze.