Speed matching

I not asking how to ,but I am looking at what to speed match. I know at the least I should speed match all locos in a consist. What I am really thinking is it more worth it to speed match all locos even though they will never be in the same consist. What has everyone else done????

 

Speed match them all. You never know when you might decide to MU them.

 

I second that.

Gary

 

I speed match by function, meaning I speed match Passenger locomotives are all matched to a top speed of 80 scale miles per hour. Freight locomotives are all matched to a top speed of 60 scale milers per hour , and the switchers are matched for 30 scale miles per hour.

 

I use 128 speed steps, I program them so that the speed step is the actual scale mile per hour. I "limit" the upper end of the curve to reflect a realistic top speed.

Now everything is matched AND I read the scale speed directly.

Greg

 

I haven't started the process of speed matching all my locos (only a 3 unit consist so far) but I'm thinking along Davids lines for the rest of the heard.

Brian

 

The only problem with speed matching everything is that you have to start with your slowest engine. It will never go faster so it will set your maximum speed for the rest. Setting a top scale speed would be the best place to start. That scale speed will most likely be slower then your slowest engine. That leaves room just in case a year or two from now an engine is purchased that is even slower then what used to be the slowest engine. I remember when Atlas introduced their scale speed motors. We had to reprogram a lot of older "fast speed" engines.

Martin Myers

 

I speed match everything similar to DCESharkman above, with maximum speed for each based on service (switcher, road freight, passenger). I also match the 25%, 50% and 75% throttle speeds using JMRI and 28 step speed tables to assure things do not get out of shape across the throttle range. Being N Scale, this helps more accurately match Atlas and Kato engines for example which have dramatically different speed characteristics. I have also build a test track loop to help with this and use JMRI decoder pro to set it all up - saves a bunch of time.

Dave

 

Thanks everyone for your comments I decided to speed match by function and evey unit in the consists are the same. 2 years ago I would have never thought dcc was so easy. Again thanks for the help the last 2 years.