Traction Tires for Diesels and Electrics?

[Green_Elite_Cab]

After thinking about it today, I think if you added traction tires to an Atlas model, with as powerful a motor as they have, you would likely spin them off the wheel while climbing a grade. IIRC, Rivarossi engines that had the traction tires had a groove in the wheel to accept a traction tire.

In the real world, out here in California at least, an Amtrak F59PHi is only good for six or seven cars before they add an extra unit. And our trackage is all FLAT on the San Joaquin runs, but it is 79mph most of the way, so, is it possible that a prototype AEM7 can only pull as many coaches as your model up that grade? I really don't know as I only ever worked with F40PH's, P40 and P42DC's, B40-8Wi, and F59PHi's. You might just have to cut your losses and add a second unit I'm afraid. :?

That might be a problem, but i'd like to test it out before i do anything. that bullfrog snot looks interesting, and its not a solid "tire", and i can remove it if it doesn't work. I was looking for grooved wheelsets, but i haven't had much luck. I'm almost thinking of steeling some off my ancient bachmann E60CP, which had traction tires (and no longer works), but i'm not sure the gearing is the same. I'll have to check it out.

As far as AEM7s go, I have a video of them going under the hudson river to get to New york, and i'm told that is a pretty ugly grade, so they must be able to be pulling these long-distance trains up that. That said, even on flat and level track, these locomotives have trouble pulling the prototype length trains. 6-7 cars really pushed the limits of an AEM7 on level track. This is fine considering that most of the amtrak trains i see are 4 coaches and a pair of food service cars. However, my ALP44 (basically the same as an AEM7) can routinely be seen pulling 8 car trains of Comets, and my ALP44 just can't handle that. Whats more, the AEM7-AC rebuilds can pull epicly long trains all on their own.

Adding a second AEM7 to a long distance trains (like those that would be pulled by HHP8s and E60MAs) might be alright, but a lot of the time these days, they are on their own with large trains

The E60s are technically capable of about 14 cars or so in real life. I think mine might actually be able to do that, but i don't have enough space to test it on my layout.

Sorry, I missed that part of your first post... :oops:

However, there are additional ways to add weight to existing parts - filling fuel tanks, replacing plastic gears with metal, or other metal parts with heavier metal parts. NWSL has replacement drives, wheelsets, and the like that may be heavier than those supplied in the original.

As for your Challenger, remember what DoctorWayne said in one of his old threads about balancedd weight in a steamer. Probably as important to balance it as to simply add the weight. In fact, IIRC, sticking weight in without accounting for balance can make performance worse, even if overall weight goes up.

Hope that helps.

Andrew

That AEM7 is compact. I just took my ALP-44 apart today to figure out why it was shorting (and that was a bizarre problem in itself). Even the underbody was full of weight. The only parts of the model that are open are the cabs, and a small region under the roof. I'm not sure what kind of gears i'd need to make it metal, and most of it is unique, so I'm really out of luck, it seems.

Yeah, i don't know how to ballance the weight of the Challenger. You're probably right though, all the wheels are attached to one of two pivot points. The pilot and front set of drivers are mounted on one assembly above the forward most driver, and the trailing tuck and rear set of drivers are essentially a mirror image. It doesn't look like the weight is applied over most of the drivers. Some have suggested placing weight into the sand domes, so i'll have to see if there is more space inside the steamer (i've only dis-assembled it once).

I've seen kits for making molds and casting parts with metal, but i don't know what parts i could get away doing that with. I already have a plastics molding/casting set, and its frustrating, lol.