slippery wheels syndrome

[RonnieS]

I was really pleased with 4592 (Bachmann small prairie) and the fact that it hauled 32 wagons around my Old Mills layout unmodified. So when the chance to acquire a green one s/h at a good price happened, I snapped it up BUT it suffered the Baccy slippery wheels syndrome and would haul only 14 before slipping to a standstill!

I took off the front bogie------15 wagons-------I checked the balance ----40 grammes bunker heavy. I turned it around. Haulage bunker first with bogie reattached-------24 wagons! Body off------ Turned a 15mm diameter lump of lead to fit smokebox--------- balance perfect. Chimney first-------24 wagons! Now Old Mills is 23 ft long and a complete circuit is about 50 feet so I have done 10 circuits with 25 wagons (slight slip on the curved bits) but as yet no improvement. Has anyone any tips on curing slippery wheels syndrome?

[Dagworth]

Traction tyres??

 

[runs away] 

 

Andi

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

My own experience is that the only cure is running, if it persists once all other potential sources of drag are eliminated. (You don't report on having removed the trailing truck to see if it improves with that off.)

 

The variability of the slipperiness was striking. When I picked up a dozen of their 0-6-0T which were on reduction circa 2004 for fitting into old whitemetal bodies, it ranged from maximum traction immediately available, to about a third of the potential traction. They all 'came round' in the end, some took hours of running.

 

Not seen so much of this on releases from 2010 and later. I recall being pleasantly surprised by the Pepp A2, and the most recent purchases, V2 and G5, pulled as they should straight from the box. However my Bachmann sample volume is now much reduced, as I have near all that's required, so would expect to see lesss variation...

[cypherman]

HI all,

I know this may be blindingly obvious, And I apologise now if it is. But is there anything on the driving wheels. Have they had a very good clean to make sure that it is not something on them that is causing the slipping. Try cleaning them with T Cut and then cleaning off with spray contact cleaner.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I suspected 'manufacturing residues' from such as the paint solvents and anything dissolved therein leaking around the masking, and tried cleaning with various polar solvents including THF, but none had any detectable effect. Running time to polish up the tyres was the only 'cure' I ever found.

[fulton]

As the loco is second hand, could it have been run on a layout where something like Rail Zip had been applied, a friend used it on his O gauge layout, and found locos that were marginal at pulling their trains now sat there spinning! only answer was to clean it off the rails and wheels. Before anyone reacts defending these products I have no preference either way, simply relating a friends experience.

[APOLLO]

Run it whilst stationary on the track and hold a slip of thin emery cloth under each driver in turn for a few seconds as the wheels spin to remove any contamination / roughen them up a bit. Worked for me.

 

Brit15

[RonnieS]

6 hours ago, cypherman said:

HI all,

I know this may be blindingly obvious, And I apologise now if it is. But is there anything on the driving wheels. Have they had a very good clean to make sure that it is not something on them that is causing the slipping. Try cleaning them with T Cut and then cleaning off with spray contact cleaner.

Yes I have Trix wheel cleaner and I follow it up with Isopropyl Alcohol on a cotton bud . I also clean the track with it. I used to use meths but it stinks. Yours was a good point and if anyone has a similar prob in the future and revisits this thread it may solve it.

[The Johnster]

One of my 4575s suffered with slippy wheels a bit, a problem as it needs to shift one of those old K's A31 autotrailers.  It wore itself in over time, but quite a long time, about two years with the layout in use four or five days most weeks.  Not much help in the short term, but all will be well; you just have to play the long game.

[Jeremy Cumberland]

8 hours ago, The Johnster said:

One of my 4575s suffered with slippy wheels a bit, a problem as it needs to shift one of those old K's A31 autotrailers.  It wore itself in over time, but quite a long time, about two years with the layout in use four or five days most weeks.  Not much help in the short term, but all will be well; you just have to play the long game.

I do admire your patience, with the 4575 slipping its way round your layout (in what I imagine is a most unprototypical fashion - they're big beasts, after all) for two whole years, while you quietly wait for it to get better.

Edited August 15, 2023 by Jeremy Cumberland
typo - how could I possibly make a mistake with 4575 I have no idea.

[The Johnster]

I used the other one with the A31, and a pair of rewheeled ancient Airfix A30s with Slippery Sam.  Metal replacement wheelsets on the stock made a big difference.  For a long time I just put it down to one loco being stronger than the other, but it improved eventually.