OO Gauge Shunting Is Counterproductive*

I do not like being a Negative Nancy for the sake of content, but I found myself tied up in frustrations and setback after setback. Which, silver linings, neatly translates into today's video topic. Why would you even purchase OO Gauge shunting engines anyway?

LINKS

Outro music: Kevin MacLeod - Fiddles McGinty

[FlyingScott]

I think I have found the issue with the Hunslet: she does not seem to like 2nd radius curves.

An 0-6-0 unhappy with R2... What a daft design...

[little_britain]

For the Dapol Hunslet, I slowed down my video to 1/4 speed to verify something. It is not the middle wheel's fault, it is the leading wheels. They have already jumped the track before the middle pair hit the frog. It might help to see the other side, and see if the flange is striking the guard rail. If that is the case, your back-to-back gauge might be too tight. You can check to make sure it is 14.4 mm.

[knuckles]

From what i find, the more recent hornby starter 0-4-0s (such as the the churchward 101) aren't pocket rockets anymore and can do much lower speeds, nothing amazing but they might work for realistic shunting. Plus theres a dozen 3d prints body shell replacements if you find they look too outdated.

[VestedUTuber]

So, my advice when working with short-wheelbase engines is to use turnouts with live frogs, not insulated ones. The only advantage to insulated frogs is that you can run trains through them when they're set against the train without causing a short, which isn't a realistic practice anyway since a full-sized train would just derail if ran through a set of points set against it. Live frogs vastly improve the performance and reliability of small engines. I haven't had any issues with my MRC/Model Power Baldwin Modern 4-4-0 and Graham Farish BR Class 04 on turnouts on either my home layout or the club layout I run at, although by BR 04 doesn't like the code 55 Peco turnouts used by the club due to its wheel flanges being a bit too big.

[lukenoble]

So I'm a massive fan of the hornby shunters but admit I have the exact same issues with them as you! I've resorted to stay alive fitting all of them which is actually easier than it may seem, especially for the Ruston (video on my channel). But once stay alive is fitted you'll want to build shunting layouts all the time. If you don't want to add stay alive may I suggest electrofrog points and rigorous cleaning for the pickups/wheels/track. Reliable running is hard to get and super frustrating though.

The rapido hunslet is a bit disappointing on the points by the looks of it. Have you tried it on other point work? What about some right radius trackwork? Checked the back to backs on the wheels? Just some suggestions.

If you're in the market for an exceptional shunter I'd recommend the bachmann 08 which have a pretty beefy flywheel fitted. Good luck :)

[ThatScottishAtlantic]

Nice little video Scott, loved the new intro btw.

Two things, 1. That Hunslet shunter & the points hurts just my brain. & 2. If you did a TGL episode on anothor Dutch loco, what one would you do?

[FreakyFrisco]

Talking out my ass a bit here: But I've never really had issues with my 0-6-0's, I think it boils down to manufacture most of the time, Especially on switchs/points.

[iansmith]

Hello Scott, The barrier wagon is used in real life, sometimes to make track circuit systems. A shunters 'chariot' might be more visual, but needs converting to accepting pickups. Points? Try looking at live frog points to overcome the dead spots. After a while, the toe of the point blade needs tweaking to maintain electrical continuity. Finally, try a random number generator, to mix up your rolling stock.

have fun!

[muir]

For n scale tomix points have electrical pickups that run on the flangeways by the frog, hence there is always a continuous electrical pickup, and too add the small kato 4 wheel locos have a pivot in the middle, so adding a simple but effective compensated suspension which works.
to be really simple Zeuke and bttb tt for decades couldn't be bothered with all this high faluting isolated point frogs, they just made them out of metal, joined them to the switch point rails, isolated them at the other end and ended up with live frogs with no elaborate frog polarity switches or careful isolation, you just use them exactly the same as a normal point, but with no dead spot.

[CZtuner]

My only shunters, running under Zero One DCC, that don't have issues with Peco Streamline point dead spots (frogs) are:

Triang R.152 Armstrong-Whitworth 0-6-0 diesel electric, because I rewheeled it with Jackson scale wheels and even the centre axle has flanged wheels, so all the wheels now pick up power from the track.

Hornby Dublo R1 0-6-0T.

Hornby J52 with SSSP sprung rear axle.

Hornby Jinty with SSSP sprung rear axle.

Jouef for Playcraft NBL 0-4-0 diesel mechanical, mainly because it coasts for 1cm. when it loses power and clears the dead spot.

Kit built J69 because all 6 wheels pick up power from the track.

Welso 0-4-0T (1960's Welso-Brimtoy clockwork body on a Lima American Porter loco chassis). Packed with extra lead to improve running & traction.

Triang R.660 clockwork body on a Lima American Porter 0-4-0T chassis. Packed full of extra lead to improve running & traction.

All my old Triang 0-4-0 locos.

Weight seems to help locos clearing point frog dead spots. On 0-6-0 locos, having pickups on the centre wheels prevents stalling.

[modelrailfan]

I know this is an old video now, but have you tried adjusting the pickups on your J72? Mine also used to cut out a lot but now that I have adjusted the pickups it is fine!

[paulc]

Poor electrical continuity over points has always been an issue with small locos like these. Despite all the advances over the last 20-odd years the problem persists, even with supposedly bespoke new releases. I tend to keep 'real' shunting to a minimum with many of them and use instead on continuous running short goods trains. The following locos are the most reliable over points in my experience:
Bachmann 03
Bachmann 08
Hornby J94
Hornby (ex-Dapol) Terrier
Wrenn 08 (but cannot crawl as well as a modern loco)
Ironically the crude Hornby Railroad 0-4-0s with a metal chassis (Pug, 06 and Bagnall) are actually not that bad because the generic chassis is oversized, so they have quite a long wheelbase. Not capable of a realistic crawl of course but perform reasonably well for basic and cheap(ish) locos, particularly if you add some extra weight.

[modelrailwaynoob]

I transport the wickham Trolley on the back of my Ruston wagon

[unanimousowlcouncil]

0 gauge, also makes the 3 link couplings far, far less fiddly, superior detail

[RailwayManiaNet]

@Flying Scott out of interest what are the back-to-backs on the new Hunslet? It may also be that there is some tightness in the chassis that is not allowing the wheelsets any side play.

[andycromwell]

I would guess that the rapido Hunslet is made as a fine scale model and therefore does not like 2nd radius curves. You need better points, i.e. ones that are longer and more realistic from peco, not the set track version. I think the problem you've got is the track and not so much the engine.

I got the hornby peckett 0-6-0 and haven't had any problems on my set track points (I would imagine the hornby peckett 0-4-0 would get stuck in the dead zone of the points).

[richardlee]

Electro-frog points might work (such as the Peco small radius ones for their flexi-track). However, if you want a continuous layout on a baseboard such as an 8' by 4' (2 metres 400 mm by 1 metre 200 mm) you are probably stuck with sectional track such as Hornby, or Peco Set-Track.

Must admit that if I wanted to do an industrial layout with small shunters I would have a look at O gauge to see whether it was worth serious investigation.

[EtBEF_]

Personally, I have a small shunting yard on my layout with 3 shunters, a Planet Industrials 'Victory', Bachmann Jinty and a Hornby Peckett aswell as a Hornby Terrier that helps round the yard often. While the Peckett also has those issues (similarly only getting those when dcc fitted) and the Jinty doesn't have the best crawl, the Jinty, Terrier and Victory never have any points issues whatsoever and work flawlessly over every point on my layout. Theres even a siding modified to be even tighter then normal and all 4 take it with ease. Highly recommend giving one of the 0-6-0s a shot, specially the Victory with its flawless running.
Edit: Also occasionally use a Bachmann Small Prarie when the others are on the shelf. Perhaps a longer tank engine is the solution?

[scottdryden]

All my short wheelbase locos are fitted with DCC Concepts Zen black Decoders because they have a "plug and play" stay alive for them with thankfully gets rid of the electrical wiring problem.

[duck]

I have 5 Hornby 040s and most run well over points, adding some exta wheight can help as they are all very light .and i never paint my rails.