Tomix Thomas Pulling!!

[bill937ca]

Thomas pulling a tremendous line of freight cars.

 

[Densha]

How is it even possible that such a small loco can pull such an enormous length of cars? I'm still wondering that, I've experienced that with other small locos from other manufacturers too, really weird.

[nik_n_dad]

anybody ever attempt a dcc conversion on a thomas?

[Guest Closed Account 1]

Someone in my club has one. It runs very hot on 00.  I'll have to open it up and see where to solder in a Z Decoder.

[cteno4]

Wheels were spinning though when pulling the freight train!

 

Jeff

[bill937ca]

How is it even possible that such a small loco can pull such an enormous length of cars? I'm still wondering that, I've experienced that with other small locos from other manufacturers too, really weird.

 

Not unusual for locos it seems. This is 34 cars.

 

 

26 cars

 

 

[Densha]

@bill

But those locos are much bigger so have much more space for a larger and better motor.

[Martijn Meerts]

I've seen a decoder install for the Thomas train, and I believe the motor is pretty much the same as in most other, bigger Tomix locomotives. There's not that many different types of motors they use. Power shouldn't be a problem. The main issues is weight and traction, or lack of both in the case of Thomas =)

[keitaro]

i have the thomas he can pull annie and clara and a mail car up my inclines 4 - 4.5%

 

but on flats he could pull 7 sleeper cars easily.

 

percy and thomas together are an unstopable force.

 

btw thomas has no traction tyre same as percy so there useless on hills. though you could easily upgrade thomas to have one.

[Densha]

@Martijn

That's right, something I didn't considered.

[brill27mcb]

i have the thomas he can pull annie and clara and a mail car up my inclines 4 - 4.5%

 

but on flats he could pull 7 sleeper cars easily...

 

"Someday, Thomas, you'll be a Really Useful Locomotive!"

      -- Sir Topham Hatt 

[westfalen]

The Tomix Thomas has a fair bit of wheight and like a real 0-6-0 it's all on the drivers and Japanese n scale freight cars are usually very light so it doesn't surprise me.

 

I've been going to put a decoder in my thomas for years, I'll have to get him out and have another look now smaller decoders are available.

[CaptOblivious]

http://www.tcsdcc.com/public_html/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/N_Scale/Tomix/thomas%20the%20tank%20engine%20m1/tomix_thomas_the_tank_engine_m1.htm

[westfalen]

http://www.tcsdcc.com/public_html/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/N_Scale/Tomix/thomas%20the%20tank%20engine%20m1/tomix_thomas_the_tank_engine_m1.htm

That's what I was thinking of. There weren't any decoders as small as the M1 when I got my Thomas in 1994, that was back in the days when the Sogo department store in Hiroshima still had a model railway department. I think tomix had just released them because no one back home had seen one when I brought it back.

[Bernard]

Wow, my Minitrix Orient Express can barely pull the cars in it's set. Impressive.

[keitaro]

i'm wishing they would expand and renew the tomix series of thomas.

 

would kill for a gordon and a hiro and harvey the crane :D

 

I guess they just don't sell enough to do so though.

[nik_n_dad]

http://www.tcsdcc.com/public_html/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/N_Scale/Tomix/thomas%20the%20tank%20engine%20m1/tomix_thomas_the_tank_engine_m1.htm

 

ouch.  doesn't look like anything I'd try to get into!

[clem24]

Wow interesting, Thomas has a flywheel! This is fairly old model isn't it? Did it always come with one or was the chassis revised?

 

I used to torture my old Bachmann models like this. Would hook up all the freight cars I ever owned and then try to get them up a 4-5% incline with only their 0-6-0 switcher or the little Plymouth switcher. Made for some great entertainment LOL.

[keitaro]

i bought my thomas only 1 year n half back it has no fly wheel??

 

pretty sure anyway as i opened it up long ago to make all 3 6 wheels pick up power as they were not doing so.

[cteno4]

I used to torture my old Bachmann models like this. Would hook up all the freight cars I ever owned and then try to get them up a 4-5% incline with only their 0-6-0 switcher or the little Plymouth switcher. Made for some great entertainment LOL.

 

Now why did I think I was the only kid who did this kind of stuff with his trains! Adams family train wrecks, what's that on the track?, dukes of hazard ala trains... and it goes on...

 

Jeff

[Martijn Meerts]

Jeff, I did that too.. Head on collisions, cars on the track, seeing how well made track bumpers were etc.

 

Interestingly, the old, cheap H0 Lima stuff lived up to all the abuse over the years, including a 3 meter drop from the attack (with me following shortly behind, I came out worse than the train =))

[cteno4]

i expected everyone did that had a model train, but not everyone will admit it! i had some old beater lima and bachamann engines and cars i would use for my more adventurous ideas, surprised they held up so well!

 

jeff

[KenS]

I started with model trains a bit older (maybe 12?), and didn't make any wrecks with my HO set.  I was a fan of the Adams Family show though, and "assisted" my younger brother in doing some with his Lionel trains...    We never blew any up though. Fun with explosives came later, with fancy plastic models and firecrackers.