Traction Tires??

[MickEnright]

Some of the latest HO plastic steam power is really nicely done! I was admiring the great looking drivers and valve gear of one of the latest in a magazine ad photo, and I noticed that the ad listed "tracton tires" as a feature. What's up with that? I thought the concept of rubber traction tires died sometime in the 1970's. Dirt build-up, rough ride, difficulty in replacing them, and the impossibility of not using them on drivers specifically made for their use, would seem to negate any increase in traction. Am I missing something here...do they improve the performance of such fine-looking power?

Mick

[Medina1128]

I know that for most of the steam locomotives from Broadway Limited Imports come with a pair of drivers that come with traction tires. They give you the instructions to replace one set of drivers with the ones with the traction tires. I read the review of the Santa Fe 4-8-4 #3751/3755 and they were impressed with the increased pulling power with the traction tire driver equipped locomotive.

[cacole]

I try to avoid anything that has traction tires because they dry out and come off too fast in the hot, dry Arizona climate. If something today is advertised as having traction tires, I look elsewhere unless it also has a set of drivers without traction tires.

[dave9999]

My only experience with traction tires is with my Rivorossi Ally. They are both gone
now. Not that I removed them... they did that on their own. One came off soon after
I got the loco. The other hung around for about a year. She still pulls like the Dickens,
but I noticed a significant decrease in the pulling power without them.

I would replace them, but the effort involved just doesn't seem worth it... just to have
them come off over and over again. I wonder if a little CA would keep them in place??
Maybe...
Dave

[selector]

I would guess that they are a relatively inexpensive way to satisfy a customer who has placed unrealistic demands on his/her new loco, unrealistic demands with combinations of poor track, steep grades, and heavy loads. If the customer is loath to send back an otherwise nice loco, swaps the steel driver for the rubber treaded one, and gets good results, the sale is likely to be safe.

[Berk-fan284]

I have a few Rivarossi locos with them and the only one to ever shed a tire was my 4-6-6-4 Challenger, I used white glue to put the tire back on and it's been running fine ever since. I have the Rivarossi Allegheny also for comparison it would pull just 17 Athearn and Roundhouse cars spinning the drivers like it was on ice, with the traction tired drivers on it would pull 40 cars of the same type without any spin at all (I was too lazy to put any more cars on to try).

[Virginian]

A little super glue does wonders to keep them in place, and if you make sure it fits right, and fix it if it doesn't, I think traction tires are a great benefit. If I had a mini lathe and the skill I would put them on everything except my brass engines. The Stewart products tires do need a little fitting, but they hold up worlds better than any original equipment I have seen.