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Locos Traction Wheels
Ricardo from Buenos Aires, Argentina writes:
“Dear folks my first train set has been Marklin and eventually came over to DC. Don’t know why but since the year dot Marklin added 2 rubber bands to locos traction wheels to improve adherence. Well, if they were stripped of the rubber bands, how would the ride? How many cars could they move?”
4 Responses to Locos Traction Wheels
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Less than before. How much less? Depends on how many traction wheels (connected ) has the loco. Its proportional between them.
Traction wheels are often a bit smaller in diameter that non-traction wheels, with the difference made up by the thickness of the band. If you remove the traction band it is likely that the wheel won’t make contact with the rail. This would certainly reduce the number of cars the loco could haul, especially on inclines. Adding a little weight to the loco, or replacing the traction wheels with standard drivers could help – or just live with the traction bands.
Tracrio tires are available through the trade, and “Bullfrog Snot” a rubbery compound is also designed to help with adhesion and to replace tyres. Locos will run with missing tyres but not well. Retrofit extra pickups will help with electrical cinnection
The rubber tyres increase the traction, so increase pulling power, but decrease electrical pickup.
(Those wheels may not even have pickup contacts)
I’m with Dale on this, add some weight to increase traction for small locos with no tyres.
Girl’s hair bands are often just the right size for spare tyres !
(But get black, grey or brown or clear ones for disguise.)
Bicycle rubber tyre repair solution will be cheaper than Bullfrog Snot.