Traction tyres

[geofff]

Probably on the forum, but searched and could find the answer.

I have two quite new (2-3 months old) Dapol tender locos being repaired and the repairer has stated that the traction tyres on both needed replacement - I did not even see them on the loco.

What is the purpose of the traction tyres? I have 3 1980's UK built Farish locos and they run perfectly without the tyres.

This will be my last purchase of a Dapol tender driven model ; they are just too much trouble with thin cable attachments and now the tyres. I bought one 3 months ago and I had it to run for 5 days.

Do the Dapol diesels have similar issues?


Regards

[martyn]

The traction tyres are to improve adhesion and hence hauling power on the relatively light plastic bodied locos of today, whereas the Poole locos had a heavier cast body (but some did suffer from lack of adhesion). The coefficient of friction between the rubber tyre and metal track is greater than the metal wheel to metal track and so for a give loco weight, more can be hauled; provided the tyres are fitted correctly.

Some makes last longer than others; Minitrix and Union Mills last a number of years, Farish sometimes not long at all (depending on the user's treatment of the loco) and Dapol somewhere between.

I agree the Dapol loco-tender wires are a pain, but I now loop them around the drawbar posts o avoid sharp kinks which snap due to fatigue when flexing around bends.

Farish use tyres on many of their steam locos, but not on their diesels as the cast body weight of the latter gives sufficient traction for most users.

Martyn

[Newportnobby]

I've stopped taking locos with traction tyres to a friend's layout as he's the sort who, if a loco stutters or stops, he drags it along the track as if that will solve the problem. So, some don'ts as suggestions but purely personal:-

Don't do the above
Don't push/pull locos with traction tyres off re-railers.
Don't run locos with traction tyres immediately after cleaning track, especially if IPA was used.
Don't bear down too hard on a wheel cleaning device, especially if like the Minitrix brass brushes one.

Geoff - I'm not saying you do any of the above but it seemed a good place to put them.

[ntpntpntp]

A high proportion of my Continental locos (steam/diesel/electric) run with traction tyres and they last for years, indeed many of mine are probably still running on their original tyres from the 70s/80s/90s.    Most of the tyre replacements I perform are for incoming second hand locos.

Keep well away from any potions used for track or wheel cleaning, and follow the advice above about not dragging them along the track (you shouldn't do that with any loco anyway).

[geofff]

Many thanks

The answers may be obvious, but to me they are all sound advice and I do recognise a few of the suggestions.


Regards

[Les1952]

In my experience of a lot of exhibitions with both analogue and digital layouts-

Analogue dead sections with automated call-ons generally see off traction tyres at a very high rate.  One layout I've helped with had Farish traction tyres littering the fiddle yard at the end of every show. The loco hits the dead section and skids to a halt, then as the call-on voltage has to make the most sluggish Farish diesel move, most locos slip wildly on starting when called on, race along for a couple of feet then skid to a halt again.

My own layouts are all digital and locos are (almost) always slowed to a stand and accelerated without slipping (a very occasional one gets forgotten and stops very quickly, generally by tail-ending the train in front).  As a result I have very few issues with traction tyres on almost any loco- and there are only very few around without tyres, mostly Bo-Bo diesels. 

With Dapol, when a tyre is getting worn the loco starts to wobble- generally that loco has a mileage in the mid twenties- quite a lot for N gauge.  I send the loco off at that point to DCC Supplies for a service.  If a Farish loco loses a tyre again generally it is into high mileage and a service won't do it any harm.   One of my Dapol B1s still has its tyres despite having bronze-coloured rims on the drivers- I estimate this one has done about 45 miles since new.

My latest layout, Bregenbach im Schwarzwald, has almost 100% tyres locos, and only one Hobbytrain loco has lost a tyre so far.  With a 1 in 25 gradient (LESS steep than the prototype!) and sharp curves the tyres are needed.  My tyreless UK outline locos have no chance of pulling even a short train on that gradient while a typical Continental Bo-Bo will take a heavy train round the line with no problems.

Les

[geofff]

Hello Les

I did not have any locos with Traction tyres until I purchased the two Dapol tender locos, so it was an annoyance when the problems started, with the tyres and the cable connection between loco and tender.

Many thanks for your detailed experiences.

Regards



Geoff

[PLD]

Unfortunately Geoff, your experience adds weight to the case (based on user reports) that for whatever reason the problem locos are concentrated in the hands of a small number of buyers and are not randomly or evenly distributed among the whole customer base.
This points to it not being a fundamental issue with the products themselves, but some other linking causal factor. It may be something the users themselves are doing such as using certain cleaning solvents or how they handle the stock, or it could be specific retailers in how they handle stock or the courier they use, or it could be atmospheric operating or storage conditions. We've never been able to get to a definitive answer.

Modern models from all manufacturers are more detailed and consequently more delicate and needing more considerate handling than the old 1980s stuff, so do heed the sound advice above, and give them at least one more chance. These models do have many more satisfied owners...

[geofff]

Hello PLD

Thanks for the comments. Yes, I am of the age that arthritus has set in the slippery fingers, but one of the cables broke whilst just running around the track.

I also offered them to a dealer who advertised in Railway Modeler, but he declined stating the breaking cables cause him too many returns.

I agree that there must be more satisfied customers than unhappy or Dapol would not be around. The Dapol official repairer (and they only repair Dapol) quotes 6-8 weeks for repairs under warranty.

Thanks for taking the time to pass on your views - I will give the locos another try, but I can't even do the most simple repairs.


Regards



Geoff

[Hailstone]

PM sent

Regards,

Alex