max cars for engine and track cleaning

[trentb716]

Hello, I have a couple of questions.
I have n scale locomotive and I am wanting to know what is the maximum amount of cars the engine can pull?
Is rubbing alcohol safe for cleaning tracks?
what is the best way to clean train wheels - or does this need to be done?
I have the N scale Prairie locomotive and I am not sure how to grease the gears inside the engine casing. An older video from Bachmann suggested removing a cap at the back of the engine by the coal tender. The engine I received doesn't have a cap, but a square fitting with a plastic protective cover. Do I pull it out, or try to pull this off?
Thanks. 

[ACY]

The amount of cars it can pull depends on any inclines present on your railroad as well as the weight of each car as well as any rolling resistance present. The greater the percent incline the less it can pull, keep this below 3%, 1-2% is a good range. I would guess on a level surface the locomotive you have can pull 10-12 free rolling cars that do not have any extra weight or aren't very heavy.
You can also use a track cleaning block/eraser to clean the track. You can clean the wheels with a purpose built device or with other methods.

[brokemoto]

First to the easy stuff:

1.  Alcohol is allright for cleaning track.  I prefer a track eraser.  I  like to use Life-Like track cleaner to clean electric motor armatures.

2.  Non-electrically live wheels can require cleaning.  Accumulated wheel crud causes derailments, makes cars wobble and is the source of other headaches.  Be careful, though, not to confuse the traction tyres on the locomotive with wheel crud.   Traction tyred drivers can accumulate crud, though.  I usually scrape it off very gently with a fingernail.

3.  Turn the locomotive onto its back.  You will see some gears' poking through a coverplate.   Put ONE drop of a plastic compatible oil (such as LaBelle) onto one of the gears.   Two drops is three drops too many.  Excessive lubrication does several things:  1) it attracts dirt  2) it can ruin electrical conductivity 3) it attracts MORE dirt  and 4) it attracts still even more dirt.   Ogre Numero Uno, where N scale motive power is concerned, is D-I-R-T.   LaBelle also sells teflon grease, which I prefer.  Put a micro-miniscule dab on one of the gears, if you go that route.

4.  On a good day, that locomotive, in its stock state, will pull two freight cars and a caboose on straight and level track.  There are two problems with this thing that affect its performance:  A) Keep in mind that the B-mann "Prairie" is really a USRA 0-6-0 with idler trucks added.  These idler trucks tend to take weight off the drivers, which reduces pulling power.  If you remove the idler trucks, which is a simple process, you will be left with a correct USRA 0-6-0 [the USRA 0-6-0 that B-mann does sell has a slopeback tender, which is incorrect for this locmotive.  The USRA switcher tender that is on the 2-6-2 is correct for a USRA 0-6-0.]  Removal of the idler trucks will address the pulling power problem only slightly.  The real problem in this one is B) the tender.  Only the forward truck on this tender is electrically live.  Said forward truck is constructed in such a way that it creates a tremendous amount of drag on the locomotive.  If you will purchase a B-mann SPECTRUM tender; either the slope back or USRA short, you will make a marked improvement to this locomotive.  In fact, swapping out the stock tender for the B-mann SPECTRUM will render a pretty good locomotive.  The SPECTRUM tender has all wheels electrically live and needlepoint axle pick-up, which first, reduces friction/drag and second makes for more reliable electrical contact.  This type of tender construction is, in fact, the current standard.   It is not difficult to do the swap out.  You must modify either tender, slightly.  A peek at Spookshow's website will show you the instructions.  

While on the subject of Spookshow, his site is considered THE Authority on N scale motive power.  If you want to learn what is good and what ain't so good, a visit to that site is a must.

If you are shying from modifying anything at this point, and want an excellent smaller N scale steam locomotive that is good right out-of-the-box, consider the purchase of the B-mann SPECTRUM 2-8-0.  This locomotive is one of the two standards against which all N scale steam locomotives are measured (the other is the Kato USRA heavy 2-8-2).   It is an excellent runner and puller.  Older issues of it do require substantial break in time, but the rewards are well worth it.  A well broken in SPECTRUM consolidated will creep so slowly that you will wonder if it is moving at all.   This thing will out pull the prototype.  It will operate on the eleven inch radius curves of your trainset.  Later versions of it have the "smart" decoder in it, so it will run on the DC power supply in your set.  Earlier versions have no DCC decoder at all, so they, also, will operate on the DC power supply in your set.

[trentb716]

Thank you gentlemen for your replies. This novice appreciates your information.