traction tyres

tufty · May 08, 2025, 03:09:13 PM

Can I fit traction tyres to any wheel or do they need to have that special groove? I am trying to fun an 060 or 040 up a gradient and need some traction but cannot find a loco of that size with them on.

chrism · May 08, 2025, 03:13:19 PM

Quote from: tufty on May 08, 2025, 03:09:13 PMCan I fit traction tyres to any wheel or do they need to have that special groove? I am trying to fun an 060 or 040 up a gradient and need some traction but cannot find a loco of that size with them on.

No, they need the groove otherwise they'll come off very quickly. Also, they'll increase the wheel diameter so, as well as preventing power pickup from that axle, they could raise other axles sufficiently to affect pickup off those too.

Do you have any particular loco or type of loco in mind?

ntpntpntp · May 08, 2025, 06:06:42 PM

What @chrism said. Only fit tyres to grooved wheels.

The same goes for that Bullfrog Snot stuff - use it maybe to replace tyres if you can't get new ones (which is rare as usually there's something out there which will fit). I wouldn't apply the Snot to wheels not intended to take tyres, for the same reasons Chris described.

ntpntpntp · May 08, 2025, 06:17:52 PM

How steep is the gradient? Any curves (they add drag)? How long/heavy is the train it's trying to pull? Have you checked the coach/wagon wheels are running freely? Which loco is it exactly?

Traction tyres are extremely rare on 0-4-0 and 0-6-0 tank locos and diesel shunters as they reduce the available electrical pickup over such a short wheelbase. I'm struggling to think of one which has tyres in my fleet of 400+ locos.

PLD · May 08, 2025, 09:53:02 PM

Quote from: ntpntpntp on May 08, 2025, 06:17:52 PMHow steep is the gradient? Any curves (they add drag)? How long/heavy is the train it's trying to pull? Have you checked the coach/wagon wheels are running freely? Which loco is it exactly?

My thoughts as well... we have Farish 03s, 04s & 08s take 6 Farish mk1s or 15x 4 wheel wagons up a 1 in 40 with no issues.

tufty · May 12, 2025, 04:28:28 PM

Can I cut a groove for the tyres? I am trying to make a small loco run round the rim of a bicycle wheel like a hamster. I can do it hy turning the wheel by motor but would like to see if the loco can make the wheel turn.

PLD · May 12, 2025, 04:34:37 PM

To be honest, if that's the plan, I'd say not to do it in N-Gauge... I'd maybe look for an old Hornby loco with magnadehesion...
It will be more robust and fit with the 'novelty' aspect...

chrism · May 12, 2025, 05:01:13 PM

Quote from: PLD on May 12, 2025, 04:34:37 PMTo be honest, if that's the plan, I'd say not to do it in N-Gauge... I'd maybe look for an old Hornby loco with magnadehesion...
It will be more robust and fit with the 'novelty' aspect...

Something in n-gauge would be lighter. I doubt that an Hornby Magnadhesion fitted loco would run upside down, from memory it used the field from the XO4 motor and wasn't all that powerful anyway.

How about sticking a magnet on the bottom of a light n-gauge loco? Obviously, the bike wheel would have to be a steel rim, not an alloy one.

ntpntpntp · May 12, 2025, 05:06:57 PM

Quote from: chrism on May 12, 2025, 05:01:13 PMSomething in n-gauge would be lighter. I doubt that an Hornby Magnadhesion fitted loco would run upside down, from memory it used the field from the XO4 motor and wasn't all that powerful anyway.

I'm assuming the bike wheel rotates, not that the loco goes upside down!

Magnadhesion didn't use the X.04 motor magnet, there were magnet blocks inserted in the chassis. They were quite strong and had a tendency to pick up any stray pins or other bits of metal, causing a short circuit

Quote from: chrism on May 12, 2025, 05:01:13 PMHow about sticking a magnet on the bottom of a light n-gauge loco? Obviously, the bike wheel would have to be a steel rim, not an alloy one.

Surely that would simply bind the loco more tightly to the rim, not really what's needed.
Kind of needs a pair of wheels with full rubber treads (not just traction tyres) but then you're into the problem of loss of electrical pickup.

ntpntpntp · May 12, 2025, 05:21:14 PM

I just had a thought:

The old Fleichmann rack railway loco

That would have plenty of grip if you use the Fleischman rack track around the inside of the bike wheel rim.

The locos come up quite regularly on ebay, the track is a bit more difficult to find nowadays.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286552820081

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/405117927276

One problem might be the radius of curve that the track would have to be bent in the vertical plane in order to go round the inside of the rim. It might become so tight that the loco's middle axle (and hence the rack cog) would be raised too high from the top of the rail