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 Posted - December 15 2015 : 10:28:33 PM
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I have 3 engines out and running so far and I have found that all 3 spin the wheels a lot. I checked the Tyco 241 switcher and it has no traction tires, so I can understand this one. The Tyco 630 and a Bachmann F7 both have traction tires and I can only guess that the traction tires have gotten hard over the years... These are pulling on all brand new Atlas code 100 nickel silver track. There is no gear slipping happening. Any suggestions?
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Posted - December 15 2015 : 11:30:50 PM
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I can't remember who, but someone on this forum has been a one man cheering section for using Goody's hair bands from Wal-Mart to replace traction tires. I got a package of the black ones for about a buck. They're assorted sizes and the smallest size was just barely small enough to work on my Ro-Co Baldwin Shark. Seems to be working well, so far.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - December 16 2015 : 1:36:40 PM
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| I've tried the Goody hair bands and the smallest ones work. Calumet also sells various sizes of traction tires - you can get them at Walthers or maybe your LHS. They are also listed on eBay in the HO scale section, just search for "Calumet".
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Posted - December 17 2015 : 02:42:34 AM
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I too have found Goody's hair bands useful replacements.
It takes a little patience to get them to lie flat, otherwise a
Gordian know forms and will give a rough ride as the wheel
passes over the twist. Once on correctly they do pretty good.
Bull Frog Snot at 25$ a small jar also works well on metal wheels.
Applied to the Derlin drive wheels of some of Tyco pieces, I found it
did not adhese well and eventually spun off the wheel in a wagon
wheel rim of adhesive, in short order, creating an obstacle on the
track. For this, the Goody's are superior for Tyco Derlin type wheels.
There are some useful Utube videos on how to remove and apply Goody
hairbands to Tyco.
Edited by - Chops124 on December 17 2015 02:45:23 AM
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Posted - December 24 2015 : 10:36:55 AM
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quote:I have 3 engines out and running so far and I have found that all 3 spin the wheels a lot. .. These are pulling on all brand new Atlas code 100 nickel silver track. There is no gear slipping happening. Any suggestions?
Originally posted by walt - December 15 2015 : 10:28:33 PM
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So you said all new track...is it possible that the surface is too polished, as in over-polished, and maybe that's why you're not getting traction? Might want to take some 1,000 grit sandpaper and rough a section of the new track up, and then see if the traction issue goes away. Even on new track, the surface should not be highly reflective nor polished, so maybe the surface finish is too smooth. I assume you've tried these engines on old(er) track and they don't slip?
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - December 24 2015 : 11:46:59 AM
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Hmmm...well before I hit that nice new track with sandpaper I would check off the other options first:
1. make sure your traction tires are good. I would replace even if they 'look' good.
2. go over the track with alcohol to ensure there is nothing oily on it that could be affecting traction. It does not take much to get wheels spinning.
3. how may cars are you trying to pull? and... pulling a train that will run fine on a flat straight will be harder to pull around a curve and/incline...and induce wheelspin.
4. Might want to experiment with adding a little weight (?) as a last resort.
"your results may vary"
http://tycodepot.com/
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Posted - December 24 2015 : 9:44:32 PM
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Thank You, Jerry & Jerry! 
AMC, I have had not old track to test with until just days ago I got my boy some brass track that was used and in need of cleaning. Haven't done that test yet... Great idea though!
W.VA Jerry, I done the alcohol cleaning of the new track as I removed it from the packages. It didn't take me long to think about all of the engines that I have are old Tyco stuff I have had these stored from 7 -15+ years depending on the purchase date so in my mind, the storage time alone merits new traction tires. Slipping occurs even pulling just 3 or 4 cars, and most obvious on the curves.. I ordered a pack of 50 traction tires on Ebay few days ago... 
Nice to hear from you both! Happy Holidays to You!
Edited by - walt on December 24 2015 9:56:17 PM
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Posted - December 25 2015 : 10:33:10 AM
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quote:Thank You, Jerry & Jerry!
Nice to hear from you both! Happy Holidays to You!
Originally posted by walt - December 24 2015 : 9:44:32 PM
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Merry Christmas and Happy Hoiidays to you as well, Walt. Hope your engines get to pullin' real soon. ;)
Jerry in VA
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - December 26 2015 : 1:09:26 PM
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quote: quote:I have 3 engines out and running so far and I have found that all 3 spin the wheels a lot. .. These are pulling on all brand new Atlas code 100 nickel silver track. There is no gear slipping happening. Any suggestions?
Originally posted by walt - December 15 2015 : 10:28:33 PM
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So you said all new track...is it possible that the surface is too polished, as in over-polished, and maybe that's why you're not getting traction? Might want to take some 1,000 grit sandpaper and rough a section of the new track up, and then see if the traction issue goes away. Even on new track, the surface should not be highly reflective nor polished, so maybe the surface finish is too smooth. I assume you've tried these engines on old(er) track and they don't slip?
Jerry
Yikes. My theory on abrasive track cleaners (such as Bright Boy), or sand paper in
general, is that the former, and certainly the latter, will cause micro grooves that
will decrease the amount of surface area to the electrical pick up of wheels. Additionally,
such micro-gaps would incur micro arcing and sparking, which will increase the rate
of oxidization- so I would guess.
The adhesion of metal wheel on metal rail was a great controversy back in the 1820's,
leading to attempts at cog driven and chain and rope pulleys in the first attempts
at steam powered railroading. Trevithick pretty much put all those concerns to
rest when his first locomotive demonstrated that tractive adhesion was entirely
possible between metal wheel and rail.
Suggest you look at Bull Frog Snot ($25 the bottle) or increasing locomotive weight or
changing plastic wheels on cars to metal. A lot of my el cheapo Tyco trucks have
a lot of rolling resistance.
Originally posted by AMC_Gremlin_GTÂ -Â December 24 2015Â :Â 10:36:55 AM
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