4-4-0 Wheel Slippage

[eagle37]

Just put a Bachmann DCC Spectrum 4-4-0 on my layout.  It functions
just fine in the yard but the wheels slip on the main line curves.  This
is a 4X8 layout, small, but my guess is that the outer and inner ovals
are common enough, i.e., not unusually tight.  I don't know exactly
what the radii are but they are as big as 4X8 can accomodate.  As I say, the wheels
slip on the curves and the engine will not pull even a light car or two
around them.  I bought it for the yard but, still, it seems
to me it ought to be able to go around the main line when I want it to.
What's happening?
eagle37

[eagle37]

To reply to myself :-)--it just occurred to me (while reading
a post about weighted stock) that this engine may be too
light.  I have a 4-6-0 that takes the curves just fine.
Would it help the slipping problem to weight the
4-4-0 somehow?
eagle37

[Mark Damien]

G'Day,

I don't think you need any extra weight. My Spectrum 4-4-0's all pull four Roundhouse RTR palace cars, on a 2% grade.

Did you bend the wiring harness back at 90 degrees to the plugs? - as the harness can drag on the sleepers & lift the drivers off the ground.

I can't remember if there is any foam between the boiler & bogie, but check anyway - as this will also unload the drivers.

Let's hear how you go.

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

I've got 6 Spectrum 4-4-0's(1 Southern, 1 Pepsi Cola and 4 B&O) and they all pull fine. I had my Southern and a B&O one pulling 12(yes i mean twelve) of the Roundhouse Milk Cars on a slight grade. I had it pulling 3 spectrum heavyweights at one time too.

[eagle37]

>as the harness can drag on the sleepers & lift the drivers off the ground.
>as the harness can drag on the sleepers & lift the drivers off the ground.

Thanks for the response.  I'd hope this simple solution would solve the
problem.  Unfortunately not.  The harness easily clears the track.  Usually,
the engine will just sit on the track with it's drivers spinning. 

What's a "bogey?"

eagle37

[SteamGene]

In this case the pony truck.
Gene

[Ozzie21]

It's actually a " leading Bogie" or " Pony Truck"  or the leading truck.

Charles Emerson

Queensland
Australia

>as the harness can drag on the sleepers & lift the drivers off the ground.
>as the harness can drag on the sleepers & lift the drivers off the ground.

Thanks for the response.  I'd hope this simple solution would solve the
problem.  Unfortunately not.  The harness easily clears the track.  Usually,
the engine will just sit on the track with it's drivers spinning. 

What's a "bogey?"

eagle37

[Yampa Bob]

This is a wild stab, but something you might check. If the drawbar post is on the loco, the drawbar could be lifting the rear of the loco.

Set the loco and tender on a mirror, see if you can slide a piece of paper under the drivers.  If you can, then you might get a clue to the problem.

If the front pony truck has a spring, try removing the spring.  It might be raising the front drivers.  This, along with any lifting by the drawbar would keep the drivers from gaining traction. 

[eagle37]

You were very close, Yampa Bob, and sent me in the
right direction.  Thanks to you, problem solved.  Looking
at the post, I saw that it was in the drawbar hole closest
to the engine.  I moved it to the other hole.  That did it.
Apparently--obviously--the drawbar was pulling the wheels
off the track.  Many thanks!
eagle37

[Yampa Bob]

That's great news.

Sometimes you have to bend the drawbar up or down a little, the bar should "float" about the middle of the pin, with no up or down pressure.  I find it also helps to slightly ream/smooth the drawbar hole so it doesn't bind.

Examine the plastic post the drawbar slips over for cuts or nicks, indicating a rough drawbar hole. A tiny tapered file or sandpaper will smooth it up.

Another tip: To keep the bar from falling off the post every time you handle the loco, slip a short piece of 1/16" inside diameter model car or airplane silicone fuel tubing over the post.  Roughen just the post tip with coarse sandpaper to help grip the tubing.

Bob

[eagle37]

>Another tip: To keep the bar from falling off the post every time you handle the loco, slip a >short piece of 1/16" inside diameter model car or airplane silicone fuel tubing over the post.  >Roughen just the post tip with coarse sandpaper to help grip the tubing.

Great idea, Bob.  That post disengagement can be annoying.  In fact, much as
I like my new 4-4-0 I find it a real bear to re-rail--getting the pony on track,
and the drivers, and the tender wheels, which you can't see because of the
covers over them--and then the post falls out of the draw bar 

But, again, problem solved and I'm grateful for this forum.

eagle37