Running my Athearn heavyweight passenger cars on Karl’s layout a week ago showed that they’re worse off than previously thought. My BLI Pacific, which is a pretty strong puller, slipped significantly on a couple of inclines, the steepest of which was about 2%. I knew the cars are overweight, and I knew my homemade phosphor bronze power pickups were causing drag, but I was still disappointed to see how hard it was to pull them up grades. My test runs used a consist simulating the Washingtonian (five or six cars), with a coach filling in for the combine. Two of the cars had the newer “floating brass” pickups, which I think have less drag than the others with phosphor bronze wire. The test run confirmed that I have to try loosening the wire to reduce drag.
Earlier that day, I found a good deal on four B&O heavyweight cars made by Bachmann Spectrum (in the late 90s, I think). It was two coaches, a combine and an observation car for $40. The cars are in great condition, but the lighting sucks and they …