# The Dreaded so called Slinky Effect from MT



## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

I noticed it right off as soon as my rolling stock started coming in from eBay. At slow speed navigating through a turnout the cars start bobble heading, for lack of a better term. Did not effect performance in any way, but honestly, to me, it looked like hell. I'm not a rivet counter, but that slinky effect was not for me, clearly.

Then yesterday, my caboose came in. For some reason with the caboose on the end, about 75% of the slinky effect would go away. Wat? Hmmmm. Looking closer at the caboose I notice one of the wheels has a small copper spring where the point mates to the truck and that wheel set rolls somewhat less then the others but not bad. Aha, the smallest spring in the known world has a job and it is doing it. 

So I get wondering, what if a small piece of sticky back velcro (the hook part) gets mounted on the draft box with a little hanging over to drag on the axle. Perfect! Works like a charm, cheap fix, easy to do without having to use large fingers on the worlds tiniest spring and don't have to take anything apart. 

I suppose you N Scale vets here already know this, but I am enjoying my new found revelation.


----------



## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

I guess I don't understand how a little extra drag causes the cars to not wobble. And what causes them to wobble in the first place?


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Vertical or horizontal?*



CV-62 said:


> I noticed it right off as soon as my rolling stock started coming in from eBay. At slow speed navigating through a turnout the cars start bobble heading, for lack of a better term. Did not effect performance in any way, but honestly, to me, it looked like hell. I'm not a rivet counter, but that slinky effect was not for me, clearly.
> 
> Then yesterday, my caboose came in. For some reason with the caboose on the end, about 75% of the slinky effect would go away. Wat? Hmmmm. Looking closer at the caboose I notice one of the wheels has a small copper spring where the point mates to the truck and that wheel set rolls somewhat less then the others but not bad. Aha, the smallest spring in the known world has a job and it is doing it.
> 
> ...




CV-62;

Before you added the caboose, did the cars "bobble head" up and down, or side to side? The spring you saw is a drag device marketed by Kadee/ Micro-Trains. It's original purpose was to keep cars with steel weights from being moved by the magnetic uncoupling ramps. The steel weighted cars would sometimes be drawn together and re-couple accidentally. The drag from the caboose is probably taking some slack out of the couplers.

regards;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

traction fan said:


> CV-62;
> 
> Before you added the caboose, did the cars "bobble head" up and down, or side to side? The spring you saw is a drag device marketed by Kadee/ Micro-Trains. It's original purpose was to keep cars with steel weights from being moved by the magnetic uncoupling ramps. The steel weighted cars would sometimes be drawn together and re-couple accidentally. The drag from the caboose is probably taking some slack out of the couplers.
> 
> ...


The cars would bobble toward each other and then away from each other creating a very unrealistic effect. Very noticeable at slow speeds thru a turnout. A drag device of very minimal effect seems to take care of the issue. The MT spring you refer to takes care of about 75%. Velcro, about 95%. Here is an example someone has posted of this effect on YouTube.


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Slack in the couplers*



CV-62 said:


> The cars would bobble toward each other and then away from each other creating a very unrealistic effect. Very noticeable at slow speeds thru a turnout. A drag device of very minimal effect seems to take care of the issue. The MT spring you refer to takes care of about 75%. Velcro, about 95%. Here is an example someone has posted of this effect on YouTube.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1InxjnhTTgs


CV-62;

Thanks for the video. Yes that is simply slack in the couplers, both between mated knuckles, and in the draft gear springs. It's quite normal, and won't hurt anything. I thought that, since you said you saw it (only?) on turnouts, that you were seeing wheels drop into the frog, and then being pulled back up. This is also common to all brands of commercial turnouts. Their frogs are too deep, and too wide, in the flangeways compared to NMRA gage specs.

Keep having fun;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

traction fan said:


> CV-62;
> 
> Thanks for the video. Yes that is simply slack in the couplers, both between mated knuckles, and in the draft gear springs. It's quite normal, and won't hurt anything. I thought that, since you said you saw it (only?) on turnouts, that you were seeing wheels drop into the frog, and then being pulled back up. This is also common to all brands of commercial turnouts. Their frogs are too deep, and too wide, in the flangeways compared to NMRA gage specs.
> 
> ...


I tend to be anal about certain things and this so called slinky effect, while normal and not hurt a thing, just makes me cringe. I don't know why, hell it's a first world problem if there ever was one, but I just have to make it go away. I think I have, actually. 

As for that wheels dropping into the frog thing, I have not noticed any weird behavior like that. All my rolling stock rolls through Peco medium turnouts like a dream and my engine runs great through them if I power the frog. If I do not power the frog, the engine will sometimes do a slight hiccup at extremely slow speed but keep on going. 

My future plans now include Peco all the way with their Code 55 flex track but still planning on running extensive tests on Peco Code 55 ElectroFrog turnouts to see how they perform compared to the Insulfrog.


----------



## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Prototype trains experience slack action. In fact, it's one of the main things an engineer has to be concerned with, because excessive slack can actually snap couplers. Our models actually behave the same way. You can tighten up some of the play in the couplers by making sure that the post inside the pocket fits the hole in the coupler fairly securely. You can also add shims inside the knuckles if necessary.


----------



## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

Oh, yeah I get that. Realism is what we strive for in our modeling hobbies. What I see, in my mind and opinion, for me is the effect is a bit excessive. I have found ways to dial it down a bit and I find the effect now very realistic. Others, maybe not so much. I find it interesting, though, that MT's offering of the Real Scale couplers does NOT do this. 

Cheers.


----------



## rrjim1 (Mar 12, 2015)

Check your cars they might be a little on the light side, if so NMRA has standards for n-scale, (1/2 oz. + .15 for every foot). I have most all my cars weighted and don't see much Slinky Effect. 

Another thing that will cause your problem is a poor running loco especially at slow speeds.


----------



## Overkast (Jan 16, 2015)

I have this slinky effect on my boxcars... it annoys the heck out of me! Great post CV and great tips all.



rrjim1 said:


> Check your cars they might be a little on the light side, if so NMRA has standards for n-scale, (1/2 oz. + .15 for every foot). I have most all my cars weighted and don't see much Slinky Effect.


rrjim1, what do you use for weights in the cars?


----------



## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

A properly weighed caboose with a bit of velcro drag cured 90% of the problem. I use small stainless nuts secured with 3M double stick tape. I will do the same for the box cars. Not sure yet how to do the tankers and 33 foot hoppers which are really on the light side.


----------



## Overkast (Jan 16, 2015)

CV, could you maybe take a few photos of the velcro drag setup you did?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

Overkast said:


> CV, could you maybe take a few photos of the velcro drag setup you did?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


I would be glad to. Stay tuned. In the meantime, for your FYI, all it is is use the hook side of a small tiny strip of velcro fastened to the truck and let the velcro drag on the axle of the rearmost wheel set. Works wonders and very cheap. A wonderful combination. LOL.


----------



## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

Best picture I can get from my old Samsung S5. I know old phone but I would rather invest my $$ on trains. 

The hook velcro is on the left coupler box and overhangs to rub on the axle. Works like a charm.


----------



## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I have a few Era II ÖBB and DR coaches that do this when strung together. Separately, they don't do this.


----------



## Overkast (Jan 16, 2015)

Thanks for the picture CV! Really appreciate it. I may experiment with this method myself... But first I'm going to try adding weights to the cars and see if that helps at all.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

Overkast said:


> Thanks for the picture CV! Really appreciate it. I may experiment with this method myself... But first I'm going to try adding weights to the cars and see if that helps at all.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


No problem. I am early into this hobby but learning fast and early on read and learned about the importance of having a properly weighted NMRA rolling stock. 

I have downloaded the NMRA weight rolling stock template. I cannot post it here as it is copyrighted and the mods may frown on that but a google will turn it up and it is an invaluable tool to applying weights. Cheers.

Hey look, I have been promoted to Brakeman. Either I am doing something right or I talk alot. LOL.


----------

