Traction Tires without Traction

[EIS2]

I frequently run older post-war trains on my layout.  The engines are normally lubed prior to operation.  As a result of the oiling, I inevitably get oil on the track.  I normally wipe the oil off the track after the train has completed a few laps, but the track will still accumulate some oil.

The problem comes when I run newer engines with traction tires.  The oil gets on the traction tires causing the tires to slip under load.  This is especially true of my Polar Express engine.  The engine slips a lot, even though the tires are in place.  Wiping the track does not help so I assume the problem is oil on the traction tires.  Is there a good way to restore the tires.

Earl

[3railguy]

Those God Awful traction tires raise their ugly head again. Traction tires are God's punishment to toy train operators. "Fake-a-traction" is the proper term.

From now on, buy only postwar. Smell the ozone and feel the power.

91% alcohol can be used to clean the oil off the traction tires or better yet, replace them. Do you oil your postwar engines before every run or on an hourly schedule? You could be overdoing it or applying too much. I like using white lithium automotive grease on gears because it sticks better and lasts a long time.

It's easy for a freshly lubricated engine to sling lubricant on the track. It's a good idea to have a small seperate loop of track so you can run the freshly lubricated engine in, letting the oil sling where it will do no harm. Keep wiping the engine until it's finished slinging then you can put it on your layout.

[EIS2]

Do you oil your postwar engines before every run or on an hourly schedule? You could be overdoing it or applying too much.

It's easy for a freshly lubricated engine to sling lubricant on the track. It's a good idea to have a small seperate loop of track so you can run the freshly lubricated engine in, letting the oil sling where it will do no harm. Keep wiping the engine until it's finished slinging then you can put it on your layout

I probably oil my engines too much.  I have a needle point oiler that I use to get a small droplet of oil.  I oil the engine when I place it on the layout.  I don't re-oil unless the engine sounds like it needs it.  The engines stay on the layout a couple of weeks until I tire of them and want to run something else.

 I don't have the discipline to setup a separate track for freshly oiled engines.  I will try the alcohol wipes.

Thanks for the reply...

Earl

[3railguy]

91% Alcohol will take the oil film off the rails too and won't hurt Fastrack. Atlas sells good plastic compatible oil for HO. I like it for use with O gauge because the needle is 1/2 the diameter of what you normally see for O gauge such as Labelle. The needle gets between wheel flanges and frames easily plus disperses very little where you want it which is all you need.

[riverrailfan]

If you are still leaving oil on the track well after you oil the engine, then you are over oiling them. From what I seen of PW engines, they seem to use bronze bushings which really don't need to be oiled as often. The bronze bushings are some what pourous and become self lubercating. I always clean the track with rubbing alcohol. I oiled my engines last week and haven't oiled them since. My side rods on my steam locos tend to won't more oil than anything else.

 

Were you pulling all 6 cars with the PE. Mine did the same thing yours did. Spining the wheels like crazy. Didn't help that it was going up hill around a curve. I took it off the hill and started on a level part of the track. After it went around a few times it has been fine. Almost seem like it had a coating on the traction tire from sitting a while. It has been sitting for 6 months. I don't think Lionel will come out with another car for this set. The engine seems to be reaching its limit with the 6 cars they have for it now.

[brianel027]

I perosnally have zero problems with traction tires, and for the money, they are as good a solution as can be expected. I also run some older postwar and MPC units too.

I use 91% Isopropyl Alcohol as mentioned above. I also remove traction tires upon purchase of a loco, and readhere them with industrial 3M carpet tape, which stops slippage due to loose traction tires.

Periodically I remove the traction tires, and soak them in hot water and dish detergent. While those soak, I put others on the locos by the same method of carpet tape. I have never bought extra traction tires beyond what I bought over a dozen years ago and have been using them in rotation ever since.

Some can dislike traction tires. But until Magnetraction locos are the same budget prices as starter locos with traction tires, I know the track I'll be taking... and it ain't Magetraction.