Opinions on Engines and Inclines

A non-powered engine will doing nothing for adding traction... its just a boat anchor shaped like an engine. If its having trouble going up an incline, you need to first check and see if the traction tires are ok. If they're loose and slipping, or gone, then it wont go up an incline. Also clean the track, maybe there's some dirt or grease on it.

You havent said if you're running it with DCS or in conventional. The speed control should maintain its speed when climbing a grade. Your comment that says you have to put it on max speed to get it to go over it leads me to believe that you have the speed control turned off. Also check the voltage on the track and make sure you have 18V with DCS.

4% is a fairly large incline, but it should be able to pull 4 cars over that without a problem.

I have 5% grades on my layout and all my MTH engines can make it up just fine. In fact I have Lionel, K-Line and a number of others and they can all go up the grade with ten cars behind them.

My first question is are you sure that you are dealing with a 4% grade and not something alot steeper.

I know you said that your other engines are doing fine on the grade so I would agree with what "Boilermaker1" stated above; it sounds like there is some problem with the engine. Is it possible to get someone with an engine like yours to run it on your layout?

That said, most people hate anything more then a 2% incline for a number of very good reasons. I live with my 5% and the shorter trains it demands because I wounted to get to the top of that grade and I only had limited real estate to do it in.

Thanks for the response. I am running all the engines with DCS, and have more than 18V on the track/transformer (20-22). Would adding the same powered engine increase the pull and provide the necessary power to get over the incline? The track and wheels do not appear to be a problem. 

Thanks,

When the MTH engine goes over the hump dose it bog down as if it is fighting gravity, or dose it stay at a fixed speed but slow? It is possible that the U-boat has it's slower speed settings screwed-up. Have you tried to reset the engine and reprogram it.

But, I would strongly suggest that you take this issue over to the DCS thread. We got some very smart people over there.

I'll check on your post at both locations because you got my curiosity up.