LGB TRACK SKATES

[Gavin Sowry]

My little Field RR loco was starting to loose pulling power, mainly because the skates were getting worn. These worn skates also had a habit of picking poor rail joints and derailing.

I removed the skates, and tried running without them. No more derails, and a 50% increase in pull.

Anyone had similar experiences?

[Greg Elmassian]

I haven't done it myself, but recently people have been getting shorts on crossings and switches, where the skate is so wide that it hits an adjacent rail.

If you have enough wheels picking up power, and clean track, I would think this mod would be an improvement.

Regards, Greg

[Anonymous]

Seems to be a common opinion that the skates are a pain - the spring pressure is very high on some and reduces traction , looks unrealistic and  doesnt run well on complex pointwork.

I am considering removing the skates from my 2-4-0 lgb switcher . For such a big heavy loco its tractive effort is dreadful. Maybe add tender pickups to compensate . I have an aristocraft rogers  - runs well , powerful, never derails and never have a power pickup problem - it doesnt have skates either........................

If anyone has run LGB without skates I would be interested in results.

[amotz]

I run a number of older LGB locos (2080, 2073, 2085's) that never had the skates.  I find them sensitive to dirty track that doesn't phase most skate-equipped ones.  My solution has been to attach a pick-up car (preferably with the ball bearing wheelsets) wired into the socket on the loco.  The improvement is dramatic, and the ball bearing wheels offer no resistance.  The lighter the engine, the greater the performance is diminished by the skates. 

[piercedan]

The pick-up shoes do more than pick up power.  These are designed to aid in cleaning debris off the track.

I have tiny bugs that like to run on top of the hot rails and then a train comes along and the bugs get 'bug juiced'.

The shoes help in getting rid of this dried up crud.

I also find that running 2 axle locos with pick up shoes need to be electrically tied to either another loco, powered tender, or a car with power pickups.  This greatly improves the running and performance of any loco I have used.  Aristo, Bachman, LGB, USA.

[jerryl]

I have 2 Lehman Porters (0-4-0)   .One is highly detailed so i remived the skates. The other is an out of the box ' scout " engine. I put it on the track & run it around Looking for debris etc. on the track before I run my more detailed models. I see no difference in performance with or without the skates, but it might help keep the track clean. A friend  has a large GR & his LGB mogul would always stall at a certain spot. We cleaned the rails & still no luck. One skate was found to have lost it's  spring. when it was replaced it ran perfectly..... Go figure.  jerry

[Anonymous]

Ah now we have a problem which is current with me as we speak.

I have had trouble with worn power pickups on both my Stainz and ICE train, both losing power as the motor came and went and the headlight flashed in both cases. 

i got some new ones which are easy to fit and the ICE trains performance improved; however not so the Stainz, it is still very hard to get on with. will run ok for a few hours with poerfectly clean pick ups and tracks but it is very unreliable and i have the idea that i have a high resistance somewhere. It has already had its wheels cleaned and a new decoder fitted to it and has been back to the dealer for that purpose.

I never thought either train, being LGB would work without power puck ups, i will be surprised if they will.

Any thoughts gentlemen?

Rgds Ian

[Curmudgeon]

Gee, I remove all skates, plungers, brushes, springs, and they run flawlessly, more power, never stall....

[DannyS]

My LGB Sumpter Valley Mallet 2-6-6-2 will haul a train of 30 bogie wagons, this loco is not equipped with skates.  However my little LGB D&RGW Forney 2-4-4 will also lift this same train and with no wheel slippage either.  This loco is fitted with skates. Interesting hey, a big difference in driving wheels, plus the Mallet has two motors.  Definately Food For Thought!
Regards, Danny Sheehan in Oz.

[Puckdropper]

My LGB Porter ran quite well without skates.  I had it outside on the brass track and had more problems with grades than I did power pick up.  (This was after removing the weeds from the rails.)  On the flip side, last saturday I had all kinds of problems with my N Scale RS3... until we cleaned the track.

[Anonymous]

But Danny, you're in Oz, where up is down, and down is up. So the locos are not climbing up, they're coasting down!  :-)

Art, trying to be humorous; yes, I know, very trying.

(Edited to add the 'not' before climbing.  Wish I was perfect)

[DannyS]

Very good point, Art.  Worth consideration, perhaps running East or West could have a bearing also?
Regards, Danny Sheehan in Oz.

[Anonymous]

My Mallet doesn't have power pick ups and it will pull better than any other loco i have ever seen. However i thought that my Stainz wouldn't work without them! I just thought it was different designs.

If they were not necessary LGB wouldn't fit them in the words of the Scots "LGB are nay stupid"

 

Rgds Ian