Question, why does one wheel on a truck that has magnetraction always appear to have magnetic power than the other three? I have noticed on just about my engines. They has to be an explanation but I have never came across it.
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I suspect to depends a lot on what it is or where the magnet is located. When Williams first introduced their FM back in 1979 they put the magnet in a slot in the bottom of the truck closest to the outboard wheels in the six wheel truck. For some reason they had trouble keeping it in place so eventually it was discarded and they depended on the weight of the engine to pull the load. I don't recall, didn't Lionel do the axles?
Lionel had a couple of different methods, including cylindrical magnets surrounding the axles, magnets in the chassis, and bar magnets above the wheels. Generally the wheels closest to the magnet(s) have the strongest attraction to the rail. I wouldn't be concerned if the force isn't the same for all wheels on the same truck, especially if as you say, it's true on multiple locos of the same design.
