Traction Tires for Diesels and Electrics?

[Green_Elite_Cab]

The Stewart tires are specifically for replacement treads on existing models.

Traction tires are primarily for low end under powered models to help pull more cars.

Apparently they are standard equipment on BLI Steamers... that cost me alot to buy, and as it turns out, my Lionel challenger can't pull a 9 car train of 36' hoppers up that grade. I know that on the straight and level, that thing can out-pull most other locomotives.

While that may seem handy, it makes for poor electrical contact and a tendency to derail . As the loco starts to dig in, the grip can cause the loco to hop. When they get old or sit too long, they can go out of round, making for an annoying wobble as they go down the track. Finally, the ability to slip it's drivers is a built in way to avoid smoking a motor on a loco. I'd recommend doing what the real roads do and just add another unit.

For the purposes of show season, they'd only be temporary, and specifically, only for some passenger locomotives. I'm positive that i'm not over-extending the power of the motors, i just need that extra bite to make it up the hill in the case of light locomotives. My layout doesn't have nearly the kind of intense grades, nor does it have room to fit trains longer than they are capable of pulling. Besides, I wouldn't add much more than i'd usually pull. For example, my E60 can routinely pull that 8 car train. I'm sure the engine won't burn out just going up the hill

Anybody here old enough to remember when AHM used to knurl a diamond tread into their drivers? By golly I'll bet that sent many a motor down the Magic Blue Smoke trail.

does adding traction to the wheels really put that much of a strain on it?