traction /slipping problems

[Anonymous]

We have just finished our railroad and were joyed to see it run several days ago. All went well with exception to some derailments that we corrected.

Today it seems that the LGB engine is slipping on some very slight grades with curves but does "power through". Later in the day there was no traction and is not getting anywhere. I did clean the track in the problem area, but this has not helped.

I do not feel it is a power issue.

Any suggestions to try or more information needed?

Thank you

[Curmudgeon]

Indoors or out?

Type of track (you say LGB engine, but no word on track)

Grades?

Number of cars, and type. (no mention of cars at all)

 

We have just finished our railroad and were joyed to see it run several days ago. All went well with exception to some derailments that we corrected.

Today it seems that the LGB engine is slipping on some very slight grades with curves but does "power through". Later in the day there was no traction and is not getting anywhere. I did clean the track in the problem area, but this has not helped.

I do not feel it is a power issue.

Any suggestions to try or more information needed?

Thank you

[Anonymous]

In this hobby we all have our own hobby horses and mine is camber.

Really to me it sounds like a camber problem, especially if your are getting disconnections as well.

To rule out contact conductivity, try running your loco around with the light on; if the head light flickers it is to do with contact between the rail and the power pick up. Do you have more than one loco and is it doing it with all locos?

So:

1/ check the power pick ups and the wheels and make sure they are all pristine. Although you may not realise it, this problem will be different in some parts of your layout to others and from loco to loco, why i don't know?

2/ Get a small spirit level, say about 50 to 100 mm long (2" to 4") and check the how level the track is from side to side, this is the camber. You should have something like a centre bubble. Particularly tough will be where you have adjoining sections with opposite camber, this is really a lot worse that you would think.  I actually own 5 spirit levels of different sizes plus a big water level to really know what you are doing.

3/ How do you know the gradient is fairly modest? looks can be decieving, have you measured it and if so how?

Rgds ian

[Ray Dunakin]

Maybe the loco needs more weight.

[Anonymous]

Would agree with Ian and Ray - It looks to be camber as this was a common problem on my old line after frost heave . It causes  a wheel to lift especially on 040 LGB locos with skates  - and  can cause decoupling

[Anonymous]

Yeah dave i don't get frost heave here in the tropics, we don't evebn get dew most of the time but i do have trouble with camber particual;ry where i have a lot of twists and turns.

rgds ian 

[mgilger]

Did you use conductive greese on your rail joiners?  I had the same problem after putting down my track. I had to go around with a rag and some degreeser and clean all of my rails. I then cleaned the wheels on the engine to make sure there was no residue on them.

I only had to do it the one time and never since.  I think some of the greese from the joiners oozed out and got spread around each time the train went over the rail joints.

Good Luck,

Mark

http://community.webshots.com/user/mvgilger

 

[Snoq. Pass RR]

If you KNOW that it is a track power issue.  Just install RCS into your locomotive.  Battery power will solve it hands down.  But if you are not sure, find out FIRST.

[tangerine-jack]

You may do well to refer to this other thread discussing traction:

http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/959186/ShowPost.aspx

 

Clean rails and adding weight to the loco is the cure for traction problems, once you ensure the track was laid properly of course.

[Anonymous]

Right on Jack mate, battery power with radio control is an option but you canonly go so far withit. This is why i didn't g down that track and went to DCC with radio control.

regards ian

[amotz]

I have had situations where a small LGB loco lost most of its tractive effort and found that one or both of the track skates were not moving freely. Sometimes a spring hangs up or the metal ceases to slide smoothly into the plastic. When this happens you have a very effective brake dragging on the rail. A minute drop of oil in the plastic socket can work wonders.

[Anonymous]

If your small LGB loco is a Stainiz you may join my club as i have ongoing problems in this area for about a year.

Rgds Ian

[RR Redneck]

Is your track dirty? That can cuase wheel slippage.

[Anonymous]

Well said Eric.

rgds ian

[Puckdropper]

When cleaning track, it's a good idea to clean the wheels too.  If your wheels are dirty, it won't matter how clean your track is, you'll still have problems.