Wobble, Slip, Why?

[FECfan]

I have an IHC Mikado and Pacific, they both could pull six to seven Athearn Passenger cars with the weights in them with ease when I ran them, pre-layout redesign, and now they can't pull four Passenger cars without the weights, without slipping, not to mention on my 28" radius the Mikado Wobbles, (although I think a part of the side-rod is bent) Is there any way to make them stop slipping and pull at least 5 cars with the weights in them, and I have made adjustments, and the track is as level as I can get it.

[Michigan Railfan]

FEC,

Did you lube the engines at all? When I was younger, I lubed a steamer with WD-40, not knowing what it would do. It can barely pull 6 unweighed frieght cars. So, did you lube them with anything not recommended for trains,? or did you even lube them at all? Also, if you are using DC, make sure you're getting enough volts to the transformer, and that track connection is proper. If you're using DCC, then I don't know because I dont use DCC yet. For the wobbling Mikado, that bent side-rod is most likely the problem. On the same engine that I lubed with WD-40, the side rods just come off, and so, it wobbles. Now, I'm definetly not an expert at trains, but these are just some suggestions.

[Jim Banner]

In addition to Indie's excellent suggestions, may I add that sometimes lubricating oil will seep from a locomotive down onto the wheels and rails.  This can cause slip.  And the rails themselves may have some oil still on them from manufacturing.  You could try cleaning all the wheels and the track, then see how things roll.

If you have ever lubed the passenger car axles with the wrong oil, that could cause excessive drag and cause the locomotive to slip.  Wheel journals are a poor place for any oil, even plastic compatible oil, as it tends to gather up the dust kicked up by the wheels.  Graphite (including Kadee Grease'em) is a better choice. 

If you spin the wheels and they keep spinning for several seconds, then they are probably fine.  An even better test is to set up a test track that slopes about 2%.  I mounted a 2' length of track on a board and added a base and a spacer to give a 2-1/2% slope (when the test jig is on a level surface.)  If I were making a new one today, I would make it 2% or less as cars just role better than they did years ago.



On my layout, any cars that won't roll down this test track by themselves (no starting them off with a push, and no cheating) are off to the rip track for reaming/new wheel sets/new trucks/whatever it takes to get them rolling easy.  Most of my cars will roll on much gentler slopes, some on as little as 1%, but hey, you have to set a limit somewhere.  Bottom line, you may find it is not your locomotive that is at fault.

I don't think your problem is related to not enough voltage.  With too low a voltage, either in dc or DCC, the locomotive will not move at all, let alone slip.

Jim

[Michigan Railfan]

Thank you, Jim, and excellent idea for the car tester. I might have to make one for myself.

[GN.2-6-8-0]

Yep' thats a nice lookin' car tester you made there.....but don't'cha think it might work better if the car had wheels!..... snicker

[Jim Banner]

I was wondering if anyone would notice the lack of wheels.  I couldn't get any other car to sit there and have its photo taken.  It was only later that I realized I could have tilted the whole contraption to flat, put on a car with wheels, and rotated the camera a bit.  But then GN.2 would have been asking why the car wasn't rolling down the slope.  Ya can't win!!

Jim

[pdlethbridge]

 

[Bill Baker]

You guys are absolutely hillarious.  Keep it up.

Bill

[FECfan]

I'll give all that a try, and does anyone have an idea on how to fix the bent siderod (I can't remove the rod)

[jbsmith]

Bent side rods?

Carefull work with Needle Nose Pliers. Trial and Error method.
OR
If you have a nearby LHS the guys there Might be able to help with that.

Clean those Tracks! They may have oil on them!
Cheap Cleaning method:
A scotchbrite sponge. $1, at a dollar store
A bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol. $1,same as above
2 Old T-shirts.  $- I am sure you got some in your closet or dresser that you
have not worn in years.

First run the scotchbrite over the track, this will loosen things up.
Gentle but firm pressure should be enuff, you don't have to Godzilla it.
Don't worry,the scotchbrite is plastic,,it won't hurt the Metal rails at all.
Then wad up a t-shirt and wet it with the alcohol, rub down the tracks
untill clean.
Use the other T-shirt,dry,and dry the tracks, you should see a difference the next time you run a loco.