# Ho Diesel engine traction?



## spicercars (Sep 12, 2012)

I have a slight incline on my layout and want to pull alot of cars and the engine I have spins out. If I put more weight on the engine will I burn it up? Its a tyco and it drives only the front two wheels and the bands are good. Or do I need to shop for a better engine? Any help would be great. Thanks


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## Ranger (Mar 4, 2012)

Have you tried adding an additional engine to help out


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## spicercars (Sep 12, 2012)

I have not tried two because I dont have two that run the same speed.


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

Wheres that sanding tower at? Get some sand:thumbsup:


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

Extra weight may help provide more traction on the driven axles. The engine should not be so heavy that wheels can't slip though. If the engine fails to pull the weight, the wheels must slip. If the engine is applying full power and can't turn because the weight on the wheels is providing so much traction they can't slip, the motor will burn out.

Now, any engine will have a certain maximum number of cars it can handle, and big trains + steep grades (a 2% grade is considered significant on a real railroad) even on the model will required extra engines.

Now, your description has several things going against you. Only one powered axle is one big problem, and Tyco is known for making cheap train sets, but not powerful, reliable drive trains. Even adding weight to the engine it may not pull much more than a handful of cars up any sort of hill. How steep exactly is your "slight" grade (rise/run x 100 = %grade), and how many cars do you consider "a lot" (or your target to be able to pull)?


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## spicercars (Sep 12, 2012)

Maybe the grade is to steep. It rises 3.5" in 5.5'. The engine has two drives in the front both with bands on them. I would like to pull 10 cars if possible.


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

Crack open the shell and add a bit more weight.Ttest it out. Thats a reasonable rise you've got to negotiate...

Some of my cheap life-likes can do about 10 cars up a grade like that. Mind you we also have to strategically add weight to a few of the cars to prevent derailments... Probably would help if we run at protptype speed across switches though :laugh:


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

3.5" in 5.5 feet (75 inches) is just over 4.7%. That's a pretty stiff grade for any engine.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

you may want to add a second engine, usually what I do is I take what ever engine is the fastest (or faster of the pair that I am using at the time) and put it on the tail end of the train and the slower one it the one that pulls up the grade, usually this works out best as the slower one gets to get up the hill/grade and then I can just pull the other engine off (or put it on a siding if one is avalible for use), usually I would park a smaller "tug" type for this type of duty (or one of my steamers for this), I have so far tested this set up with a 15car train and I will keep pushing to see how many cars I can get away with before I can do no more.


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## spicercars (Sep 12, 2012)

It didnt look that steep when I was building it but now that there is track and an engine on it it look very steep. Hate to rip it all apart and start over.


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

Nah, don't rip it all apart!

Chuck a bit more ballast over the drive wheels and you'll be fine. Whats the worst that could happen, the train breaks? bugger, I better upgrade it so it doesn't happen again... or atleast you tell that to the wife :laugh: ofcourse I need this engine, the other ones don't work on my layout :laugh::laugh:


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## spicercars (Sep 12, 2012)

Well I solved my problem. Made my incline not so steep and bought myself a Kato engine. Wow what a difference. The Kato pulls 12 car up the hill with no problem. Thank for all the info.


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## Sasha (Jul 8, 2012)

Which Kato model did you buy?


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## spicercars (Sep 12, 2012)

I bought two. One is a Burlington Northern SD-40 and the other is a Union Pacific SD-40-2. Love them


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

Kato makes a good locomotive. 

Here is what I do with non DCC locos...put the load of the cars on the faster loco, then have the slower one be the lead. It worked for me on the inclines without slipping. And, there was no locomotive "fighting".


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