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Like others have said, I do not run my dcc locos on dc but I do have a dc transformer on my layout. It is behind a dpdt switch and I keep the transformer unplugged the majority of the time. When I need to run a dc loco, usually for testing before adding a decoder, I make sure my other locos are...

Once you take the plunge, you will never go back. I was resistant also, but now am thoroughly hooked in the dcc world. Running multiple locos at different speeds, in opposite directions has allowed for the model railroading experience I had only dreamed of in my youth. Almost every dc only...

Like others have said , I am a steam guy also but model to the mid ‘50s which allows for Gp7/9’s and Rs3’s or earlier. I have 24” minimum on the main line and 18” min on the secondaries but really like the smaller steams and diesel electrics. They are the work horses. Me personally, I will run a...

I would suggest inspecting the gears very carefully with a magnifying glass first looking for missing teeth or cracks. If you find none I would put a dab of Labelle's 206 grease on each gear and run it again. That should quiet it up alot.

I thought it would be easy until I tried it a couple months ago. I wasn't happy with my results but I like yours. Do you give lessons?

Since my post yesterday I slowed my pusher down by 1% and the challenger is slightly pulling the pusher except up the steep incline then the pusher is pushing to compensate the challenger’s loss of traction. The results were much improved with no derailments. I also added weight to the front of...

Thank you for sharing this , Alan. It does sound promising and I enjoyed your story also.

Not really a problem, just a different solution. Back in the day you didn't see Big Boys and Challengers double heading. Recently they use a diesel pusher to save their mechanisms, but I am modeling up to the mid 50's. Granted the articulateds were not used on 3.5% grades. I solved the problem...

I had missed this before. Do you feel these haver better performance than converting a diesel locomotive? Please elaborate.

Now that we've pretty much beat the causes of steam locomotives traction issues to death, let's move back to ways of improving their traction. Obviously, traction tires, bull frog snot and adding weight can make improvements, but adding weight is not always possible on some models. Traction...

Ok I stand corrected on that. Thank you. I had another couple paragraphs about internal combustion engines and decided my post was getting too long. With the editing process I mistakenly included some of the information about IC engines.

Torque surge is a phenomena which has plagued mechanical engineers and engine designers even before the invention of the first steam locomotives. It exists whenever liner motion is converted to rotary motion or the inverse. Prototype steam locomotives had pistons which created power every 2 or 4...

I used scarm a few years ago. You can do an awful lot with the free version and at the time, after you use so many symbols etc. it just won’t go any further. The paid version is the same but allows unlimited symbols. Now this was about 4 years ago and I haven’t used it much since but I don’t...

You are taking what I said out of context. A torque surge is not necessarily noticeable but it does cause a loss of traction. Have a good day!

Yes I am in agreement there but still state that steam locomotives, both models and prototypes, deliver a surging power. We already established that the drivers at 12 and 6 are at peak thrust and at 3 and 9 have a mechanical disadvantage. Properly quartered locomotives will shift their torque...

My 3.5% incline is on the mainline and I can either go up or down it but the preferred direction is up due to some sidings and their direction required to back in. I have been able to do a lot of comparisons and I really like to watch the steamers climb with some slippage. I have a Big Boy...

I am comparing to a diesel where the drivers are all constant and close to the rotation axis and is a better climber. With a single GP9 I can pull 20+ cars up a 3.5% grade, even though it's not prototypical but with my best pulling steamer, that number is reduced to 12. I do not agree that...

It’s been my experience that it’s not as much the voltage as the surging thrust. Let’s look at the physics. When the drivers are at 12 o’clock or at 6 o’clock they are very efficient pushing or pulling but at 9 or 3 o’clock they are mechanically compromised and relying on centrifical force. This...

If your wires are relatively short it should work flawlessly. BTW, the only time I use the program track is to change a decoders address or read a cv. The rest of the time I use mainline programming to modify the cv settings and all wirelessly.

You should be able to run a single red and black wire directly to your program track. Mine are the two center wires.