Traction Tire, do you run without them?

Absolutely!!  I hate traction tires especially on steam locomotives....  Many of the  earlier production steamers from the 1980's and 90's used narrow traction tires and thus when the tires broke, the groove in the wheel had no problem negotiating switches however I have noticed that more modern production has a problem with rough riding through switches...

Alan

Don't you know how to change a tire, Don?  Matt

I don't replace traction tires when they get loose/wear out.  Not worth the effort and hassle to me.

If I need more traction, I just add more locos!

I don't replace the tires but I don't run without them either.  I fill the grooves with silicone sealant.

.....

Dennis

I run with tires, and I replace them when they need it ever since my 1st locomotive lost a tire.  Until I replaced it, it had a hard time pulling just itself around, let alone add 5 cars to it, then it's just spin it's wheels.  It was a MTH PS-1 equipped NYC Hudson.  So to me they have proven to be a necessary evil.  Evil in that I also have a MTH PS-1 equipped NH EP-5 that is out of commission because it threw a tire, and the gears promptly ate it up, seizing the power truck and making it a lovely paper weight.  I still need to take it apart and see if I can save the locomotive.

Dennis taught me this trick years ago and Let me be the first to say that after you get the hang of the application part it is worth the effort.

Don:  I've always replaced the traction tires when they ultimately wear out.  I really do like the performance enhancement they give my engines.  I've tried running some engines without tires but they seem to "List" at an angle and they certainly do not pull as well as those with tires.  My layout has a lot of grades, as steep as 2% or so and so I like the added traction.

One of the secrets that I have found is that Weaver has had the best traction tires that I have ever tried.  They actually have a kind of tread on the tire which seems to allow the tire to move a bit in it's grove and therefore adjust to the  best location in the tire groove.  My traction tires last for many hours without needing replacement and do not represent any sort of problem for me at all.

Paul Fischer

No tires here and I can pull a 100' train 

CLem

I agree with Sinclair 's post.

I have owned locomotives that were not equipped with traction tires that pull very well.

Examples are the early WILLIAMS F7's and the 3rd Rail PRR J1

The LIONEL 1998 era PRR S2 did not tires and was not a good puller.

I never run an engine that is supposed to have traction tires without them. I worry that if I do, it will wear the sharp edge of the groove in the wheel, so when I do replace the tire, it will be more likely to slip out of place. On engines that have repeated problems throwing tires, I use undersized tires and put silicone adhesive in the groove before I install the tire. The service manager for a train manufacturer told me once that he uses super glue - it's so brittle that it's actually easy to clean out of the groove when the tire finally lets go. 

I have used MTH tires on many Lionel units, they're normally thinner and seem to stay on longer.

When steam engine traction tires wear out I replace them with diesel traction tires that are at least 3 times too small. They are a pain in the butt to put on but they last a really long time.

gunrunnerjohn,

"I have used MTH tires on many Lionel units,..."

How do you know what size traction tire to buy?

I'm too lazy to remove them until them come off by themselves, but when one of them does I cut the rest off.  

I have a Vision CC2 that I bought used and had all kids of vibration problems due to uneven traction tires: the previous owner had apparently oiled them or something.  It runs sooooo sweetly without any, and still pulls very well. 

I've run without them before. If they fall off during a running session, I'll just toss em out and keep going. I've recently been using the Bullfrog Snot without any problems. The only thing I don't like about it, leaving the engines sit, causes flat spots. Then again the rubber tires get flat spots too if they sit that long I guess.

Here is my Williams brass 611 J running without traction tires on the Paradise and Pacific Railroad in Scottsdale on Sunday with 5 21" cars.  6 cars was a little much for the 2% grade down the line, but it ran great in this configuration.  I have run as many as 10 scale cars on a level grade with it this way.  I love how the drivers spin a bit before gripping the rail.  If I had a functional sander in it, it would be great! 

I was running it in honor of the real 611 being moved for restoration.  By complete accident the train running on the other track was a 4014 Big Boy.  Interesting coincidence!

Some of my diesels run better with traction tires.  I've not had to replace any traction tires on the steamers as of yet.

Has anyone used Bullfrog Snot as a substitute for traction tires?  I've been told that it works well as a traction tire application.  Just wondering if anyone has had any experience using Bullfrog Snot  ( neat name btw )

If my engines came with traction tyres from the factory, then I run them with tyres, and I replace any that fail or wear out. 

Perhaps it's the way that I run my trains (I tend to be mechanically sympathetic.), but I can't recall the last time that I needed to replace a worn-out tyre.

MTH Scale wheels do not use traction tires. Why should Hi Rail wheels?

...keep the rails polished...

I don't take them off but I don't replace them once they come off.

Gerry

Possibly.   But what I really meant, was that I tend to accelerate and decelerate gently, rather than making rapid changes in velocity. 

Not a long in this as many of you but I've only had issues with tires on one engine.

It had a problem and once I replaced the can motor it was fine (Big Boy w 2 motorized trucks). Several years now and no issues with another tire.

Now my Phantom does not have traction tires. It can't pull more than 2 cars on non magnetic track. I will do something to fix that. I already added some weight and it helped, perhaps a LOT of weight...

Per GG1 4877

Here is my Williams brass 611 J running without traction tires on the Paradise and Pacific Railroad in Scottsdale on Sunday with 5 21" cars.  6 cars was a little much for the 2% grade down the line,

Out of curiosity, how many passenger cars could the real N&W J pull on a 2% grade?

Nicole - Maybe if I had tyres instead of tires on this side of the pond, I would feel differently?

Art

If I admit to never having to replace a tire or (tyres ) yet does that make me guilty of not running my trains enough? 

I replace a tire when needed. I would like to see the mfg. Eliminate the tires all together. Do what the prototype does, add a power unit when needed. 

Has anyone replaced traction tires on a cab forward?? Think about it: the tires are on the drivers that are behind the crosshead guides. Both Lionel and MTH. I can say with certainty that it's a huge PITA.

Try changing them on the MTH tri-plex, not a pleasure. 

The idea of a "rubber" tire (well, the ones that last are oil-proof neoprene) on a locomotive

is just off-putting to me. They should be banished to starter sets and the like - how

many of us who run $1500 scale locos try to pull a toy-train 6%+ grade? You shouldn't.

So, I run them until they come off or rot; I replace them only if the loco/track combination just gets unfriendly without them - usually not a problem. If they are

shown through simple use to be not needed...well, they're, uh, not needed.

I do not pull 50-car trains - no room, and I don't abuse my locos. Also, some of those

pesky switch/turnout dead spots are actually Common (running rails) problems, not Hot (center rail) problems, and if you remove the insulating tire from the wheel...bingo.

All of my powered units have traction tires. 

Many of ours have come off as they are run. Don't replace them....