Kato N scale gp9 problem

[Anonymous]

I am a newcomer to the hobby and recently picked up a GP9 with a Kato drive (from ATlas). The unit has very poor traction and will just sit there on the track and spin. The wheels on it are very smooth and shiny, should they be replaced? Is there something I can do the the wheels to help them "bite"?
I am not having this problem with my other engines.

Thank you

[Wdlgln005]

Take your GP to the LHS. You may have a 1980's vintage Atlas/Kato RS-GP with an wrong wheelbase. They may be able to find replacement wheelsets?
Normal maintenance for loco wheels is to clean them & be sure they make electrical contact. The unit should crawl at very low speeds.
Due to the age of the loco, your best bet may be simply to replace it with a new Atlas or LifeLike GP. When you compare the new ones with the old, you will see how much better the new units are!

[Jacktal]

I'm not familiar with this particular model but do own a few Kato powered models and thet all run fine.My understanding is that your engine is used,but still,it should go fine.There are however a few possibilities I would investigate.First,I'd check if both trucks are powered,meaning all wheels are spinning.If not,you may have a broken or missing driveshaft,or a missing gear(it happened to me on a brand new loco).The live truck couldn't possibly pull the loco properly with a dead truck.
Another possibility I'd check for is over oiling.Clean and dry wheels are a must for good traction.Worse yet,if your loco spills oil on your track,it will eventually affect your other locos as well.Just make sure the shiny wheels aren't just oily.
I also suggest that you check that the trucks are free both horizontally and vertically,so that all eight wheels are in contact with the track at all times.Wheel spacing should also be checked,there may be a problem there also.