Number of Passenger cars a 9v train motor can pull?

[MillerTime]

Hi, I just have a quick question about the number of passenger cars a 9v train motor can pull. I already have a few but was thinking of getting a couple more but if it would require me to get a 2nd train motor to pull, I'll forget it. Thanks.

[Rijkvv]

The size of your cars is important. Are they 6-wide two-axle cars as seen in this set, or are they big 8-wide full length cars like you see here? If they are big ones, a second motor could be important and maybe neccesary.

[simonwillems]

It depends:

It depends on how big and heavy your passenger cars are,

It depends on how big and heavy your locomotive is,

It depends how curvy or straight your track is, more curves means that it is harder for a motor to pull a train,

In short, it depend!

[MillerTime]

I mean't the official 10015 Passenger Car. Sorry for not making that clear.

[Rijkvv]

How many do you own and how many do you want? I think one motor is enough, but it also depends how many cars you want to use. And like simonwillems mentioned, it also depends how heavy the engine is.

[muffinman42]

depends!

if you want a long train then run long carriages, since that reduces the number of wheels meaning less friction.

the lego train base is unrealisticly short so makeing it longer can make your train look even better.

[MillerTime]

I have a large engine with tender, 4 of the passenger cars and a 10014 caboose. I'm thinking of getting 1-2 more passenger cars but just thought I'd make sure it could pull all of them before getting anymore.

I think I read somewhere last year about the number 1 motor could pull but I totally forget. Anyone know?

Edited September 8, 2009 by MillerTime

[peterab]

I have a large engine with tender, 4 of the passenger cars and a 10014 caboose. I'm thinking of getting 1-2 more passenger cars

You should be OK with a couple more, I've run trains with five or six large passenger cars, like the ones in 7740, with a singel 9V motor at shows with no problems.

The more weight you put on the motor and the longer you run it, the more likely it is to overheat and shut down. Just let it rest and cool down and it'll be OK.

[aawsum]

I would also say it depends on how steep your track is.

If you are going up hill, then 1 would definitely not be enough.

I do not own 9v, but all my trains are motorised with 2 RC motors. The can carry 5 wagons and go up 1 brick per rail.

But if you feel better with 2 engines, then use 2. This is definitely better for keeping your engines in better condition

[muffinman42]

untill your train is really long or your useing small locos then two is unrealistic, just replace the bogies of the first car/truck/carriage (if it dosent have bogies then move/add a car/truck/carriage that does) with moters, this works best with PF since you can use the extension wire and link it to the same out-put as your first moter.

or maybe use a 9v-batt moter linked by a cable(s) and with replaced O-rings to help your locomotive.

Edited September 9, 2009 by muffinman42

[HoMa]

A long time ago, in the early 2000's Ben did some records in pulling LEGO 6-wide freight cars.

Check out: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=281532

Holger

[peterab]

I do not own 9v, but all my trains are motorised with 2 RC motors. The can carry 5 wagons and go up 1 brick per rail.

The 9V motors are far stronger than the RC ones, so using the RC motors as a guide will probably mislead people into being overly careful.

I read the recomended number of cars for a motor thing also, but it was for the RC motors (it was four cars per motor) and it caused a stir because those of us used to 4.5V, 12V and 9V motors were surprised it was so few.

The RC motors are the least powerful of the lot.

In HoMa's post you can see two 9V motors pulling 60+ cars, so one should be able to pull 30 on flat straight track, add curves and safety margin from overheating and it should cope with 10 short cars with no problems, or six to seven longer ones, as is my experience.

[MillerTime]

Thanks for the answers everyone!

[Diamondback]

Yeah, if we're talkin' my 10-wide, true scale length 70-to-85-stud-long four- or six-axles I'm designing (details vary by individual car), I'd be surprised if two 9v motors would even move ONE.