Traction tire problems

I have seen a friends loco do the same thing as you experienced . Sometimes the tires seem to stretch and lose tension and then slip off after a few loops on the layout. Sometimes the tire may actually split and then come off. If a locomotive sits on a track for an extended period of time, the tire can be stressed at the point of contact with  the rail and take a flat spot set. It is probably more prone to split after a few loops if that has happened. I have some locos with original tires for a number of years which seem to work just fine. I make it a practice not to store my locomotives on tracks with the tired driver making contact with the rail to avoid this stressing. seems to work for me.

Old tires die.  Also, once they come off, they're done IMO.  In the past I've tried to use them again, it's a waste of time.

What he said. And when you install the new ones, be sure the wheels are absolutely clean. Any oil or grease (including the kind in your fingerprints) can make the tires slip in their grooves. A good wipe with denatured alcohol is indicated. 

I have to agree about traction tires, when they come off replace them or be sorry!

Lee Fritz

Thanks folks for the replys..That was what I thought...Put new ones on and be through. I felt like the engine should be able to pull the 7 cars with no problem but just in case I wanted to ask for any experiences on it...Have a great day.....Larry

I will add agreement. Every MTH engine I have will pull plenty of cars.

And yes, an old dried out flat spotted traction tire is dead, bury it and get a new one.

That reminds me, I need to go run ALL my engines, to turn over the tires.

Ya, that sounds like a good excuse to disappear into the basement for hours tonight..

When they start coming off it usually means they're worn out and need to be replaced.  I have had some locos in the past that just seemed to have problems keeping their traction tires on. The solution is to install traction tires that are slightly smaller diameter that the originals. The under sized tires might be a challenge to get on but once they're on, they're not coming off easily.

I had a K-Line scale Mikado steam engine that continually threw its tires. I finally installed traction tires from a Railking diesel. That was years and years ago and they're still on.

You're right on one point, that's for sure.  If you get them really small, they are a bit difficult to get on!   I had a diesel that kept tossing them, and I found some thin ones that were significantly smaller in diameter, they're still on there.

I thought someone posted some time ago that they thought the Weaver traction tires were superior.?  Not sure if anyone has experimented with other manufacturers or not?

The advice above is good, so far as it goes. Seven cars is a very reasonable, even

light, consist.

However, I have had good luck with two things (they can at least be good stop-gaps):

Not replacing them - if the loco runs, pulls and tracks well without them, just skip it.

This is case by case, of course. The lack of tires does not harm anything. This can also

improve your electrical pickup (common side - which is sometimes the culprit).

Using CA to stick a marginal tire back in place. These are the tires that feel pretty good

when you slip them back in place, but still come off later. These are not the stiff, dry,

cracked and broken ones - okay?

Note: I have a moderate-sized layout, and do not pull 50-car trains (which is not a good

idea, anyway). I use but do not abuse my equipment (chuckle here). "Extreme O-gauge"

is not on my menu, so my advice may not be for you.

Thanks folks....Lots of good pointers especially getting size down.  Always like everyones opinion.

I personally don't like traction tires.  I can't wait until the manufacturers redesign their steam loco chassis so that the grooved, rubber-tired wheels and axle can be replaced as a unit with a non-grooved wheel set.

Have any "premium" steam locos been offered since 1992 WITHOUT rubber tires?  It's about time!  

I've had a couple of new/older engines have traction tire issues. Silicone is a fraction of the cost of bullfrog snot. The key is to let it dry between thin layered applications. I used three applications. Let it cure for about a week. That was over 4 years ago. MTH Railking Hudson 4-6-4 pulling 12 passenger cars. Sits on track 24/7 and no issues. Without the traction tires or silicone this engine would not pull 3 cars. When my Climax traction tires die, silicone for sure. No way I want to tackle that job. Do a forum search and find many topics on the use of silicone.

Good Luck,

Bob