Slippery Steamer

[ALCOS4EVER]

I recently bought a Bachmann 2-10-4 (P/N 51202), it looks nice and runs well but it has low pulling power. I am a diesel man and I'm not used to slippery steamers. It will pull ten NMRA weighted (4.00 oz.) 40 footers on level track. My diesels can do considerably more. There are no traction tires on this one and to my knowledge no after market driver sets available from Bachmann. The locomotive itself weighs 18.5 ozs. and the tender is 6.5 ozs. (which is actually like pulling another 1 1/2 40 footers). I had considered adding weight but at 18.5 ozs. I don't think it will help very much. I have been reading about "Bull Frog Snot". It seems like the logical answer but at $20.00 to $25.00 per jar it is pretty costly. If it works great but I always worry about products like these that once you open the jar they seem to dry up quickly. It gets kind of expensive if I only get to use a little bit before it drys up. My question is has anyone tried alternatives to "BFS" for traction, such as a thread locker product or liquid vinyl, etc., possiblely diluted, which are considerably less expensive. It also wouldn't be cost effective to have the existing drivers machined to accept traction tires. If you have some suggestions I'd love to hear them. Thanks.

 

[Selector]

Model steamers suffer from lack of weight, poorly distributed weight, and because of crappy designs requiring sprung trucks so that the trucks follow along the rails nicely. The springs sometimes jack about a couple of ounces off the adhesion. Also, sometimes the drivers are not fully seated in their frames, and this not only causes some hitching in the gait, but it causes loss of tractive effort.

I resorted to BFS willingly because I was offered a free sample. I used it on four steamers as trials, the fourth requiring me to open the jar almost a year after the week during which I applied it to the first three engines. I am happy to report that there was no frosting, no skin, no scum, no evidence of drying or denaturing....nada.

And I would gladly fork out the bucks for the small jar you get. The stuff works like a charm, and it is quite durable. Just accept that your first application is going to be a learning experience, after which you are going to have to pare the tire to rid it of the goop. A sharp blade does that just fine. In time, you will know how to apply it, and you will consider it a valued tool like your NMRA gauge, your Opti-Visor, and your sprung tweezers.

 

[Espeefan]

What Crandell said, and with bachmann, you might want to look at adding weight. Some of their older models are pretty light. Weight should be balanced over the drivers too. Some break in will usually improve pulling powert, as the polish wears off the driver tires. I have several brass locos I have applied Bullfrog Snot to, and the improvement was great.

 

[ALCOS4EVER]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm going to get some "BFS". I also never took into account the black coating on the drivers would be slippery until it wears off.

 

[bobwrgt]

The BFS works good. When i use it i thin it out with water and put on with several coats. I used a very small brush. One jar will last a livetime.
On the Bachmann 2-10-4 check the front truck and trailing truck to see if the down pressure from the spring is too stiff. On some steamers you can gain traction by reduceing the pressure.

Bob

 

[bnsf971]

Too much help?

This was probably a one-time aberration, but I put some BFS on a Spectrum Decapod that had the same lack of traction. Afterward, it wouldn't slip, but still wouldn't pull more than one or two more cars. The motor would stall.
So, make sure the motor will still be able to move the freight or slip the drivers, you don't want to burn the motor up.

 

[Cjcrescent]

This was probably a one-time aberration, but I put some BFS on a Spectrum Decapod that had the same lack of traction. Afterward, it wouldn't slip, but still wouldn't pull more than one or two more cars. The motor would stall.
...

Terry;

Sounds like you have a bad motor. My dec easily pulls 10 cars around my layout.

 

[Y3a]

Adding weight to your loco is the best idea. swap out all the details for brass ones, load teh front end with weight, and make sure the trucks spin freely. NMRA weight is BS. It may have been OK in the 1950's but not anymore. I almost never add the weight to the cars. I swap the stock wheels for Jay-Bee wheels and let THAT be the weight. Its better as the weight is below the couplers so tehy won't tip going around super elevation. I can pull 30 55 ton Athern 2 bay hoppers behing one Powerhouse Y3 on a 3 percent grade without slipping. I took out the weights from my entire Walthers fleet of cars last weekend and now my lousy Y6b can pull 50 cars up the grade. The only rolling stock that I use weighted is Cabooses as I will push them from behind and don't want them to hop off the rails. Lighter cars mean less damage to your truck frames over time. Keep those axle pockets clean and your wheels free rolling and you shouldn't have a problem.