Will my traction tires last longer if I clean my track regularly? I am very bad about not cleaning mine since my trains run pretty well without it, but, if it helps the tires last longer, I would mend my ways.
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I can’t see dirty track making a tire fail prematurely. However, dirty track at some point will catch up to you........and those tires have been riding around picking up all that muck, so when you do finally clean your track, they’ll happily re-deposit crud on your rails for you.....free of charge....I could see if track was coated in an oily residue, making tires get all soft and pop off a wheel prematurely, but I’d tend to think there would be more problems than just that.........Pat
Irregularities or bumps due to dirt on the rail top surface translate into higher local stress in the contact patch of the tire. It may not be a big effect but the more evenly the stress is distributed, the longer the tire should last. More important is that the larger the tractive force developed through the tire, the more it gets stretched and the sooner it falls off the wheel. So, minimize tractive effort by using larger radius curves, shorter (lighter) consists, and lower speeds. Or just forget it, run however you prefer, and keep spare tires on hand.
MELGAR
tncentrr posted:Will my traction tires last longer if I clean my track regularly? I am very bad about not cleaning mine since my trains run pretty well without it, but, if it helps the tires last longer, I would mend my ways.
Unless you have very detailed locos and changing traction tires is difficult and or dangerous for the delicate bits, enjoy. You’re taking on a lot of effort for a difficult to measure benefit
Melgar, a consise, cogent summary!
