I have a Lionel L-3 Mohawk derivative that needs traction tires to pull full trains up the grade on my layout. Can anyone suggest soemone who does this work?
Thanks in advance.
You can do this work.
On older Williams diesels(without factory tires) I just stretch a tire over two wheels on the same axle(not the leading axle). Just a touch of CA(super glue) holds the tire fast(but lets you knock it off easily later should you desire).
Just source a couple of traction tires that will stretch over your rear drivers snugly, & glue them on.\
Rob
I appreciate the idea, Rob, but that's a no-go. Tried it: the heavy loco on big drivers pulling a load just shed the ties, possibly becasue of the angle of the tires. They need the groves to keep them in place. Another problem is that putting the tires over the full diameter of the tires lifts two whole sets off the track entirely, partially eliminating whatever advantage the rubber might have given.
I had the same thing done on a RI GP-7, convert from magnetraction to traction tires, and it worked out quite well. The only caviate being that it was a relatively recent diesel which made it easier to find parts.
I had it done by Brasseurs up in Mi., good work & reasonable expense.
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Lifting wheels off the rails won't decrease tractive effort. The tractive effort is the weight on the drivers multiplied by the coefficient of friction. Taking weight off a metal wheel means adding it to the rubber-tired wheel, but doesn't diminish the total weight. The part of the weight that is transferred is then multiplied by the much higher rubber-to-metal coefficient instead of the lower metal-to-metal coefficient. Having that part of the total weight multiplied by that higher coefficient is what increases tractive effort.
The reason that prototype locomotives have many drivers is not that the tractive effort is increased by having more wheels. It is because they are needed to support the weight of the locomotive without damaging the track. If you converted an 0-4-0 into an 0-8-0 without increasing its weight, there would be no increase in its pulling ability. Each of the 16 wheels would slip at half the tractive effort of the original wheels, because it is carrying half the load of an original wheel. You would have to increase the locomotive's total weight on drivers to get any improvement, with or without additional wheels.
Bob Nelson
Great info, Bob. On my 027, magnetraction holds the corners well, even if it doesn't pull as well as rubber tires. Or, maybe, I've just got old stuff!!
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Charlie
Forgot to add in my earlier post that I had mine converted because the vast majority of my running is done on the club's layout which consists of 90+% Atlas NiSilver track.
dougdagrump I had the same thing done on a RI GP-7, convert from magnetraction to traction tires, and it worked out quite well. The only caviate being that it was a relatively recent diesel which made it easier to find parts. I had it done by Brasseurs up in Mi., good work & reasonable expense.
I appreciate the tip, but he tells me that he can't cut the grooves: he must have simply changed your wheel(set)s.
Anybody know someone equipped to cut the grooves?
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