Wheel Grinding

Those wheels will then be smaller in diameter than the other drivers.  I suspect that could cause some odd issues.

I agree with John.  Drive wheels of unequal diameter are not a good feature.

I'd simply run the loco upside down and run a file over the lip until it's gone.  Has anyone ever done this?

No, I have never done that.

And you shouldn't either. 

Why would I want to hold a locomotive upside down while creating metal filings that gravity will pull down into the mechanism?

You would indeed be likely to hold that little locomotive upside down "until it's done." 

It will be far quicker and easier to buy a pair of traction tires and just change them out.  The end result will be happier too.

You may want to figure out why the tires are being thrown.  Unless they are a) bad tires, b) the wrong size tires, or c) you're over stressing them. they shouldn't be being thrown.

Alternative to wheel grinding:

Bull frog snot

https://ogrforum.com/t...e-with-bullfrog-snot

(I've tried using link tool but the iPad has issues with that many clicks)

i have used jb weld, to fill in gap then file that round to size of wheel, i did this with G ga,,diesel wheels,,

Thanks for the tips - I definitely would like to try something different.

riki

I also am not a fan of rubber tires on trains, does the JB weld hold up well?

Clem

I used Permatex Black Silicone Sealant and it has been holding up very well. I just cleaned the area of the traction tire very well and let the sealant dry for 24 hours. You must make sure you fill the traction tire void completely and evenly with what ever you use or you will get a vibration when running the locomotive.

This sounds like a really bad idea for a number of reasons.  Regardless, if you do go ahead, please make notes and take pictures and let the forum know what happens regardless of how it works out.  

I have had six of seven locos with worn out or other traction tire problems and I would never recommend this. First, because chuck had a really good point.  Locos don't thrown their traction tires unless there is a problem.  One of those is age alone - traction tires get brittle as they get old and you did mention you brought this loco "back to life" so maybe it was old, but . . . 

Regardless, are you sure you have to do anything?  Realize the rim you want to grind off is typically slightly smaller diameter than the other drivers (so the traction tire sticks out just a tad, that being the whole point): grinding off the rim will make the driver much smaller in diameter.  Some locos run great if you just remove the traction tires and leave them be  My Vision CC2 is an example: I bought it used, the previous owner had abused the traction tires by "treating" them with a substance to make them gooey, which made them out of round.  Having made sure that was the only problem, I just removed them: it runs perfectly.  

If this particularly loco does not run well with traction tires installed, you could try filling the slot where the tire went.  I would not recommend JB Weld.  Its to permanent and too hard.  I've seen good results using silicon caulk: apply it to the wheels sparingly in layers until you fill the gap.  When it has hardened it will be rough, so with the loco upside down and the drivers turning slowly, you old an X-Acto (#11 blade would probably work best) against the driver to cut away the excess and round it off.  In time it will come off but I have one like this that's going nicely for some time now.  You can also use bullfrog snot although it will take forever to fill that slot entirely it goes on so thin: but a single coat while leaving the slot empty might work - it has on some locos for me.   

You said "back to life" which to me means the locomotive has been setting a while.

This also implies that the tire was not new. You can't condemn the whole concept of traction tires over one stretched, dry-rotted tire.

Replace the tires with new one.   It should work fine.

Weaver has (3) sizes listed on their website.

P764  27 mm

P765  24 mm

P769  Diesel units.

JB weld.,or other epoxy to each his own, i have had no problems with it, and that engine is heavier than  0-27, or 0,,engines,, to me tracction tires were a jump the shark, in trains, do real engine use them,,?,, that rubber wears on the rail,,,,,in the real world ,,want more pulling power, add more engines,,,,,,,nothing beats magna traction,, there is a product by loctite called flexane, you mix, not epoxy, google flexane 80.. but it is expensive,,  that would be a try and see, never have used it for that, not sure what that engine looks like, with the mods, i have done, i might of change it  and added magna traction, or machined new wheels...

You would wear out the motor in the loco long before you ground down the wheel,

anyway. These motors aren't really very stout compared to, say, the motors in

hand tools.

Not to mention that it's a TERRIBLE idea.

You can -ignore- the lack of a traction tire. I have many locos that run just fine with

few or none - when they go, if the loco shows no running problems, I ignore it.

Some need them for adhesion, some do not.

I tested a brass Dreyfuss Hudson last month that had never been run; all -4- traction

tires had split and fallen off while the loco was on display.

It ran like a charm on straights, curves and switches. Until further notice I'll

ignore the issue. 

I found this product called "Clear Seal" by Liquid Nails.  Similar to silicone but gets much harder.  I think I'm going to give it a shot and report how it does.

Filed off material (filings) will get into the gearing.