I was just thinking of this having had my own Emerald Night and others running this weekend. I only have a small loop at the moment although I plan to get more track, but looking at various videos on Youtube it does seem to me that people run the trains way to fast.

They also seem to just start and stop without putting much thought into how quickly they build up speed and slow down again.

I tired to bring my trains slowly into the station and then set off again building up speed just like real ones.

So what do most people do, do you have them whizzing around it only takes a few seconds to complete a loop or do you run them much more slowly and try to get it to look a little more realistic?

I do realise this is Lego and that it is not real and also that it is personal preference so am not suggesting one or the other is more right or wrong, just curious.

I'm working on a system that works alongside PF and makes the train slow down and gain speed. Testing it tomorrow at LEGOWorld / Zwolle, NL.

Yeah, if I'm playing, I do gradual stops and starts at the train stations; If I'm leaving it running for display (like sometimes at Christmas) I leave it running at a moderately slow speed.

I don't really crank it up all that high.

I also have several regulators and thought that a simple way to slow down/speed up would be having isolated tracks sections hooked up to different speed regulators. Yeah, I could try to think of a high tech solution, but why?

On the other hand, I'm using 9V... a lot of those people are using battery operated. I have battery operated, too... seems to me you get much better control over speed with 9V. I've seen a lot of arguments that PF is better for strength, but that never seemed like an issue for me... my tracks aren't that long. If I had so many cars it was an issue it would be laughable on my layouts.

Definitely could run my 9V's too fast either. The curve track is a bit to sharp for higher speeds, especially if they are longer trains (7+ cars). 3/4 dial turn is about it. I don't mind since the train was around the city anyway. Here in my town, and I'm sure many others, trains can only run at a max of 35-40mph, so it seems a bit more realistic

At exhibitions I tend to run trains relatively fast, because kids find that more interesting.

I've recently finished a BR 103 electric which was a relatively fast electric engine in its time, paradoxically the small amount of room I had for fitting the two XL motors means it runs pretty slowly.

At home I rarely run my trains apart from testing (waiting till I have enough room for a permanent layout), and in those cases it's mostly to amuse our cat, so whatever makes her interested, sometimes slowly, others quickly.

At exhibitions I tend to run trains relatively fast, because kids find that more interesting.

I've recently finished a BR 103 electric which was a relatively fast electric engine in its time, paradoxically the small amount of room I had for fitting the two XL motors means it runs pretty slowly.

At home I rarely run my trains apart from testing (waiting till I have enough room for a permanent layout), and in those cases it's mostly to amuse our cat, so whatever makes her interested, sometimes slowly, others quickly.

Yes, my cat finds them amusing as well!!

Edited October 24, 201113 yr by Hrw-Amen

Speed it up until it falls of the tracks I say :D

I mostly run my trains at PF setting 3 or 4.

Yes, I usually only go as high as 3 or 4 with PF. With my 9v, I usually never go above half speed. The only time I use full speed is if I'm intentionally causing a wreck. All the everyday interesting stuff (switching in a freight yard and coming into or leaving stations) happens at slow speeds.

Speed with trains in scale can be tricky to judge, though. The tracks through my town have a posted speed limit of 40 mph, but a 130 car coal train moving that fast still seems like its going 80 mph (and sounds like it too)! In contrast, running a model train at a scale 40 mph can be excruciatingly slow to watch, unless there's lots of scenery modeling to look at as well. When I actually measure my usual model running speed, I find that even my freight trains are clipping along at a scale 60 mph.

Yes, I usually only go as high as 3 or 4 with PF. With my 9v, I usually never go above half speed. The only time I use full speed is if I'm intentionally causing a wreck. All the everyday interesting stuff (switching in a freight yard and coming into or leaving stations) happens at slow speeds.

Speed with trains in scale can be tricky to judge, though. The tracks through my town have a posted speed limit of 40 mph, but a 130 car coal train moving that fast still seems like its going 80 mph (and sounds like it too)! In contrast, running a model train at a scale 40 mph can be excruciatingly slow to watch, unless there's lots of scenery modeling to look at as well. When I actually measure my usual model running speed, I find that even my freight trains are clipping along at a scale 60 mph.

Interesting, do you also use scale time to work this out? When I was a teenager, many years back I was in a modelling/wargaming club that ran campaigns and they had this really odd concept of scale time in which everything had to be done. I did not stay in it long mind you. (sorry had to edit, rubbish spelling, too much speed!)

Edited October 24, 201113 yr by Hrw-Amen

I mostly run my trains at PF setting 3 or 4.

Great theory and beutiful video sample!

I like your trains!

Maximum possible speed at all times.

"If I can keep it on the ground when I let that hammer down - I'll be Texas bound and flying"

Edited October 24, 201113 yr by andythenorth

If I'm running the train, then it's at 3 or 4 (PF remote).

When the kids get hold of it though, they will run it as fast as it will go until it derails and I have to rebuild it.

I've found that letting the batteries run down a bit before they get hold of it means the maximum running speed is low enough for it to not derail as often.

So do many of us make our trains crash on purpose, especially given that with LEGO it can easily (Normally.) be rebuilt without too much hassle?

So do many of us make our trains crash on purpose, especially given that with LEGO it can easily (Normally.) be rebuilt without too much hassle?

I don't crash on purpose given the fact my pets would chew and hide my separated Lego if given the chance.

Otherwise I would see how much speed my trains can handle.

I keep my 9 volt dial at the 3rd 'click.' My trains go at nice comfortable speed on my small layout that I enjoy watching for hours.

Interesting, do you also use scale time to work this out? When I was a teenager, many years back I was in a modelling/wargaming club that ran campaigns and they had this really odd concept of scale time in which everything had to be done. I did not stay in it long mind you. (sorry had to edit, rubbish spelling, too much speed!)

No scale time for the scale speed...it is just calculated based on scale miles. Here is a link to the table I use for my trains: Scale Speed Table. I haven't tried directly measuring with Lego trains yet, but "O scale" trains are pretty close in size, so those times could be used. The times on the table are for how fast the train traverses three (real) feet.

So, if it takes a Lego train 3.5 seconds to travel 3 feet, it is going 25 mph. I'll have to see if I can get my 7939 to switch the yard at 5 mph, but I doubt it...19 seconds to travel 3 feet is pretty slow!

About scale time...there is actually something called a "fast clock" that is used when serious (some would say far too serious!) model railroaders want to operate their layouts to a timetable. It helps because a train might be scheduled to travel between two stations in 30 minutes, but the stations are only 10 feet apart. Using scale time helps make the timetable match up with the model. I've never bothered with any of that and if I ever want to run a timetable I just have the trains arrive and depart in sequence.

Edited October 26, 201113 yr by architrains

No scale time for the scale speed...it is just calculated based on scale miles. Here is a link to the table I use for my trains: Scale Speed Table. I haven't tried directly measuring with Lego trains yet, but "O scale" trains are pretty close in size, so those times could be used. The times on the table are for how fast the train traverses three (real) feet.

So, if it takes a Lego train 3.5 seconds to travel 3 feet, it is going 25 mph. I'll have to see if I can get my 7939 to switch the yard at 5 mph, but I doubt it...19 seconds to travel 3 feet is pretty slow!

About scale time...there is actually something called a "fast clock" that is used when serious (some would say far too serious!) model railroaders want to operate their layouts to a timetable. It helps because a train might be scheduled to travel between two stations in 30 minutes, but the stations are only 10 feet apart. Using scale time helps make the timetable match up with the model. I've never bothered with any of that and if I ever want to run a timetable I just have the trains arrive and depart in sequence.

Yes quite, I have to admit that the scale time seemed a bit over the thop to me, but then these guys were reasonably obsessive about things. One of the reasons I did not stay in the club that long really. It was all a bit much for something that was supposed to be fun.

I'll have to time my trains though to see how fast they run, that at least is quite interesting.