USA Trains Pick-up Shoe's

[dwbeckett]

After doing a search of 10 page's I still need an ansure Are they required and can they be removed, do I need to add any extra wiring. I am Tired of derail's at the my switchs. BTW. Just ran my repaints with 7 aristo passenger car's over the new section of track ( sect.'s1 & 4 ) at max power 175foot (appoxamitly) in 41 sec with NO problems. I didn't make 1 pass thru the switchs with the F3's. runing thru the trun heading for section 4............ 

Dave, almost happy 

[Capt Bob Johnson]

I think I read some years ago that they could be removed, but the pick up is not as reliable.   I'd call Charlie Ro to find out!

[SALINAS HAULER]

I removed the pickup shoes on one of USA GP-9s as the shoes shorted as they crossed over switches. I run on code 250 track. Now the engine tends to stutter more. So now I spend alot more time trying to keep the rails clean to make up for the loss of power pickups. Wish USA would ditch the shoes and rubber on the wheels and make a "complete" product. If Aristo can do it so should USA..

So while they can be removed, you may see some degregation of performance some place else.

I finally modified my switches a bit so I wouldnt have the shorts by slicing the rails before and after the point of the shorts. Not ideal, but it worked. I dont recall problems like this in HO scale..LOL

[MRH044]

I took the shoes off my Santa Fe F3 ABBA set because they don't seem to like running across the first generation AristoCraft number 6 switches. I don't like the drag from the shoes either. The four units have not lost any pulling power or electrical conductivity from removing the shoes. Hope this helps,   Michael

BTW, it is super easy to remove the shoes. Unscrew the 6 screws under the gear box but not all the way so that the plate comes off. If you pull down and out on the shoe, the shoes will just come off. Screw the truck back together and there you go...

[Greg Elmassian]

If you remove the shoes, then you should swap out the traction tired axles for normal ones. Then the pickup you lost from the shoes is regained by solid tread wheels.

Even trade in my book, and no more stupid shoes causing problems.

 

Traction is reduced, so you will need more locos to pull the same loads, or add some weight, but this is likewise offset by fewer "Axle splits" from the traction tires trying to take all the load.

Read my pages on USAT motive power.

I have removed all my sliders and swapped all wheels for solid tread. I am happy.

Regards, Greg

[EMPIRE II LINE]

It's kind of hard for me to grasp the problem that everyone here is refering to, as I do have a number of Aristo # 6 switches as well as the wide radius 10ft diameter switches in my layout, also two 22.5 degree crossovers, I use all Aristo Stainless Track, and yes the shoes have shorted over the crossovers, I just take my Dremel and grind the outer edges off a bit on the shoes and also bend/angle them up a bit, that tends to alleviate/help this problem to some extent....

As for any catching on the switches, my oldest set of F-3's an ABBA consist has never caught on any of the switches in the four years I've been running them on my layout, and I'd guess these are first generation switches, see them running at "Empire 2 Line" on YouTube, that video was made last year so that's three years old, and the forward two of those F-3's were bought used from AL "San-Val" over six years ago....As the shoes get wear patterns on them, I just angle/bend them up a bit more to get a bit more use out of them before the eventual necessary replacement of them. 

You can see them spark just a-bit as they go over the crossover in the video, I need to grind/angle them just a-bit more, as yet, to date, I haven't done anything to them though, and I still am running them just fine....I just don't stop them right on the crossover at that particular contact point.

HOWEVER THOUGH.... I have had de-railment crashes right on top of a switch point before, due to my own lack of paying attention while running multipule trains, an engines pickup has gotten caught in between the rails a few times.....But the shoes have never caused any types of problems while just normally running through-out the layout, you can see that in the video.

So I don't know what the problem is, that is being refered to here.....BTW, I have not even made any of the frog Re-placments/Improvments to any of my switches to date either....Oh yes, wear is evident and a fellow club member has shown me the frog improvment kit for the # 6's and I will be making these changes in the near future to them all, including the wide radius switches that are in the main line loop.....I don't think I'll make the expenditure, nor effort in the yard areas though, I don't pass through there at high/mainline speed. 

Byron       

[smcgill]

Some replace them with the LGB sliders with out any problems.

[Superchief77]

I had trouble with the F-3 B unit, but after I bent the ends up it works without incident.  I also did that with my 2 SD-70's and I haven't had a problem at all. 

[dwbeckett]

So I guess i will try bending the shoe's up on the ends first. let you what happens.

Dave

[spla13]

 order some wheels without the rubber tires. if the loco slips add another loco and another ,etc. i have about 45 usa locos and i got rid of the rubber first thing. you can also take the sliders off and grind the width so they only are as wide as the rail. but most of all get rid of the rubber. .

[mgilger]

 You can use a toothpick to disable the shoe's if you don't want to take a chance of damaging them. Raise the show and you will see an open area just below and to the side that you can jam a toothpick into. Cut off the excess that protrudes outwards. If you ever want to reactivate or sell the engine, just pop out the toothpick and your back to stock condition. I have two engines that I used this method on several years ago and so far I have not had a problem.

Mark