# Slipping wheels p



## Jerbear 500 (Apr 21, 2020)

I have one kato steam engine clean wheels and still slips on certain places


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Generally, adding weight to the locomotive will fix this.


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

What's the length / weight of the train ? And if it's on a grade, what's the length and height of the grade ? A curve track alone causes extra drag on the engine. And a curve on a grade is that much more drag... A 2% grade = a 2" rise in 100 inches.. A 1" rise in 50" is a 2% grade. A 2" rise in 25" = 4% grade.. Most real RRs go no more than a 2% grades on the main...Most model RRs can negotiate 3%.. If you have steeper grades than these, or too heavy total weight of cars in tow, this may be your problem...You can also look into adding traction tires to the drivers...


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Traction tires on two of the drive wheels make a huge difference in pulling power. Unfortunately, most American locomotives do not come with them from the factory.


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Regarding my post above, I actually don't like added traction tires...They raise the surrounding wheels up. They get caked up/gummy/wear down and snap. And what wheels they're on have poor conductivity (mostly flanges, while blocking wheel's metal tire pickup)..I believe factory rubber tires are in a slot in the rim, and so are level with the surrounding metal...Yet this way you've no choice if you want THAT engine !


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## Jerbear 500 (Apr 21, 2020)

MichaelE said:


> Traction tires on two of the drive wheels make a huge difference in pulling power. Unfortunately, most American locomotives do not come with them from the factory.


Only on a curve and it just started only on one engine I can only pull 2 or 3 cars I could pull 10 to 15 with no problem I have over 20 engines all the rest have no problem cleaned the wheels to make sure no oil on them


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

Are all the other wheels on the loco and tender free rolling? Are the wheels on the rolling stock free rolling?


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

Jerbear 500 said:


> I have one kato steam engine clean wheels and still slips on certain places


Jerbear 500;
Kato doesn't make many U.S. prototype steam locomotives in N-scale. I have two of their 2-8-2 Mikados, and I know they also make a 4-8-4 Northern, but I think that's all. Which model do you have?

As CTValley suggested, more weight may help.
Before trying to add weight inside, Which can be quite a challenge, try this experiment. Set something mildly heavy on top of the locomotive. To keep the weight on the loco while test running it, you might try something like BBs or buckshot, stuck to a piece of scotch tape and draped over the boiler like saddlebags over a horse. Coins could also be stacked and taped over the boiler. If the added weight helps, then a permanent ,internal, weight would be the next step. You would need to take the shell off the locomotive. You will probably find a weight inside the boiler, and not much extra room to add more. The factory weights are often not the heaviest weight per volume. A bismuth alloy called "Lo Temp" can be used to make a heavier weight. The Lo Temp melts at a temperature lower than the melting point of plastic. I've used this product by melting it with a 30 watt soldering iron and dribbling it into cavities in the model. It is possible to get LoTemp hot enough to distort the plastic. Drip it in one thin layer at a time, rather than a large, thick, blob. Let it cool down and solidify between pours.
You can also protect the plastic shell by propping it upside down in a shallow tray filled with ice water, with the open bottom of the shell just above the water level. Another trick is to line the inside of the boiler shell with aluminum foil and let some foil hang out to the sides. Then pour the Lo Temp into the foil-lined plastic shell. The foil acts as a heat sink, and takes away the heat from the Lo Temp very quickly, thus protecting the shell. 

Traction tires also help, but I agree with the comment about not adding them on top of the driver. Factory traction tires are set in a slot running around the outside of the driver. You might check with Kato and see if they sell drivers with traction tires that will fit your model. Lastly, there is a product called "Bullfrog Snot" It can be "painted" on the rims of drivers in a very thin layer, and it is supposed to increase traction like a rubber traction tire does. I have not used it, but what I've heard about it seems to be favorable. 

Good Luck;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

Jerbear 500 said:


> Only on a curve and it just started only on one engine I can only pull 2 or 3 cars I could pull 10 to 15 with no problem I have over 20 engines all the rest have no problem cleaned the wheels to make sure no oil on them


Jerbear;

I just read back through this thread and noticed your comment above about "Only on a curve." What locomotive, and what radius curve? I have two Kato 2-8-2 Mikados that supposedly can operate on !!" radius curves. While I didn't have any binding problem, I did find out that they tended to derail a lot on my 12" radius curves. I did some real world testing and found that 16" radius was the tightest they would repeatedly run through with no derailments. I ended up ripping out the 12" radius curves and replacing them with 16" radius curves. If I remember correctly, the Kato Mikados don't have any "blind" (no flange) drivers. I wonder if you are trying to run a 2-8-2 Mikado, or a 4-8-4 Northern, through a 9-3/4" radius or even an 11" radius curve, could the eight flanged drivers be binding against the rails on that tight a curve?
You say none of your other locos have the problem. Are the others also steam locomotives with eight drivers? What brand are the models? 

Traction Fan


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