Medium-slow running Class 42xx NEW

[Jimbo1707820979]

Hello all.

I have just lashed out on a new 42xx and had it chipped by my local dealer. I have run it in carefully on half power for about 25 minutes each way. However, though it runs smoothly and reliably I am disappointed in its speed which I would only term slow-to-medium. Do you think it will

become faster after more use, just as cars used to ? Presumably I cannot modify the top speed on an Elite. I cannot see any reference to this in the manual ?

Maybe it is not meant to be a very rapid loco in view of its historical role hauling heavy freight. Any comments from owners of this model would be appreciated. Thanks./media/tinymce_upload/8105659645f6eafeeca03bdce9e93ec4.jpg

 

 

[Howbi]

@ Jimbo..............have a read of the decoder instruction leaflet............the Elite can access all the CV's and you could possibly vary the speed setting in the appropriate CV's unless the decoder is the Hornby R8249 which is very limited in it's supported CV's.   HB.

[Fazy]

With out seeing the thing moving frist hand it's hard to say what you're medium is. The 42xx is never going to be a sprinter.  

[2e0dtoeric]

I've got the other one - I forget the classification, the 2 - 8 - 2, and that is very slow in comparison with my other loco's, but as put above, it wasn't meant to be! It trundles along very realistically, and that is what matters!

[Nick_]

The 42xx is geared really low and mine manages a scale 45mph flat out, which is about prototypical.

Far too many locos are geared too high and manage well over a scale 150mph which is rarely realistic. 

[Wobblinwheel]

CV's 5 and 6 can control max and med speeds, IF they are supported by the decoder.

[Nick_]

The 42xx is the only loco I own that I haven't had to use CV5 to reduce its maximum speed at step 127. It is really geared that low. I wish more loco were geared more realistically like it is.

[walkingthedog]

It's a heavy freight loco. A hundred coal wagons, slow and steady. I have one. There's nothing wrong with it. 

[Fishmanoz]

Just confirming that, while the Elite can change any and all CVs, the 8249 doesn't support change of CVs 5 and 6.  If not an 8249 and those CVs are supported, the default value for CV5 or Vmax is its maximum value.  So unless your dealer turned it down when he fitted the chip, and I would think this unlikely, what you are getting is as fast as the loco will go.

[Jimbo1707820979]

Many thanks, gents, for your posts. The decoder is an 8249 so no variation of maximum speed will be possible and not really a realistic idea, as you say, for a heavy freight loco. It runs very nicely, "trundling" along as you described it, so I am relieved that it seems to be typical of its type. It also hauls a healthy rake of wagons without any prompting such as a nudge. Cheers.

[Wobblinwheel]

I don't understand why people use the 8249. There are several decoders in the same price range that have soooooo many more features, such as "firebox flicker", medium and maximum speed calibration, starting voltage, and doubleheading ("consisting") settings. I can get numerous ones here in the US for around $18.00, which is about £12.00. The 8249 adds a whole new dimension to the word "basic"!

[LCDR]

 Nice to see that model makers are now recognising that goods trains were rarely rattled along at more than 25 - 35 mph!

In fact this is recognised on BR by the maximum permitted speed for different classes of freight train. These were usually imposed by the lowest speed permitted by wagons in the train and the proportion of wagons on the train fitted with continuous brakes.

All vehicles continuous piped, and at least 90% of them with working automatic brakes - 55mph

At least 50% of vehicles with continuous working automatic brake - 50 mph

At least 20% of vehicles with continuous working automatic brake - 45 mph

'Express Freight' train not fitted with continuous brake - 40 mph

Freight train not fitted with continuous brake - 35 mph

Hand brake only Mineral wagons were usually limited to 35 mph. Even the 'posh' new merry go round hoppers (HAA) with air brakes were limited to 45mph loaded and 55mph empty! Some heavy specially constructed wagons (Flatrol & Weltrol) were restricted to 25mph loaded.

Then there were speed limits imposed by the route and the track. Many goods only branch lines were restricted to 20 mph.

 

.

 

[Tony57]

Hi LC

Great info as usual, out of interest what is the maximum speed for a shipping container freightliner train please? 

[LCDR]

 The information given above referred to trains in the early 1960s but after diesels took over the classification changed.

 

In the 1970s the classification was as follows -

 

Class 4, Freightliner and fully fitted express freight conveying special intermodal wagons, usually modern bogie wagons - 75mph

 

Class 6, Fully fitted goods with modern longer wheel based air or vacuum braked wagons - 60 mph

 

Class 7, Loaded Merry Go Round trains , and certain fully and partially fitted freight trains, including trains conveying most types of 4 wheel oil tank  wagons  - 45 mph

 

Class 8, Mineral trains and freight trains with adequate fitted head conveying wagons with short wheelbase . - 35 mph

 

Class 9, Mineral trains, ballast trains, and other freight trains without continuous brakes - 25 mph

 

The reason for lower speeds for certain trains (class 7 or higher) was numerous derailments with short wheelbase wagons and tank wagons.

 

[96RAF]

Interesting about the the various speed limits for trains.

I have a book called oddly 'The Train Book' which gives loco specs  for all sorts of locos across the world and it is interesting to see how slow many of these locos were.

Loco designs were usually for a quite specific requirement and there are some huge overseas shunting engines in my book that could barely break into a trot flat out, but they could certainly push a lot of stuff around the yards.

Many British main line locos only had a top end of around 45-65 MPH, it was usually only the crack express locos that rattled on at 75+ MPH, although there were the odd racehorses disguised as normal engines e.g. Black 5 .

[2e0dtoeric]

For power vs speed characteristics, just look at the Welsh narrow-gauge loco's. Although not fast (20 mph?) they can tow a load up a gradient that would make an A4 slip to a stand!

[LCDR]

For power vs speed characteristics, just look at the Welsh narrow-gauge loco's. Although not fast (20 mph?) they can tow a load up a gradient that would make an A4 slip to a stand!

Certainly the ex South African Garratts on the Welsh Highland are incredibly powerful.  In this day and age our perception of the speed of steam trains if days gone by is somewhat confused. Freight trains rarely moved quickly, and were routinely diverted into loop lines and goods lines to wait for faster passenger and parcels trains to go by. When I was Station Manager at Chesterfield in the 'blue diesel period', we still had goods trains held on the goods lines for half an hour or more, waiting a 'path' but old hands reliably informed me that back in steam days goods trains could be there for hours sat a time, whole queues of them!  One old driver was adamant that he was relieved off a 8F at Chesterfield one night only to be sent back the following night to relieve the same loco on the same train only half a mile further on!  Mmmm, perhaps a degree of embroidery here, but certainly nose to tail queues of freight trains were common place.

Many goods lines were signalled on the 'Permissive Block' system which allowed non-passenger trains to be admitted to an already occupied block section, and for the second and subsequent trains to draw towards the train in front, stopping short of the guards van, of course!