QUOTE: Originally posted by hminky I think all the wheels of the tender with pickup is the most important component. The flexibility of the tender trucks insures constant contact. I developed these pickups from an idea from another forum. They are probabaly too large for N but do wonders for HO. I have put them on IHC old time 4-4-0's and the performance improved 100%. They will even go over Atlas #4 dead frogs. There is no jerking or stuttering. I have a web article at: http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/1879/locomotives/wipers/ Since these locos are tender drive the performance can be tested without the loco. The tender pickup is the key, the motor never stops running if it is pushed down the track by itself Just a thought Harold