Wheels slipping

No, it's you pulling 6 cars.

Yes. that's wheel slip, yes, even with good traction tires, that kind of abuse might make them stretch and fail sooner. Also, tighter diameter track curves contribute rolling friction (not saying that was your cause, just commenting on known limitations of model trains).

My Christmas LED LO-V set has the same problem. Sold as 3 and then 3 car add-on (thus 6 "cars"), but only one powered unit. Put all 6 cars on, and if the track is even the slightest bit less than perfectly clean (others run at club with smoke units, over oiling trains and so forth) it won't even move.

Again, here is the problem, one power unit, 5 cars, minimal weight in the driven unit.

You literally end up at-

• Run less cars
• Lube car axles, but at the same time do not over lube and get oil onto the flanges and wheel rolling surfaces- thus contaminating your track and traction tires. Needle oiler to get into the bushing/bearings axle contacts is key.
• Add weights somehow to the driven unit
• Buy another set with a power unit and make "MU" (lashup) of 2 power units
• Clean your track often
• Replace traction tires often- as they will fail faster with that kind of drag and slipping abuse.

Flip over the non powered cars and spin the axles.

Check for excessive drag. If there are copper wipers on the axles, these are often the culprit. I will bend these enough to remove excessive drag, while still maintaining contact with the axle for good ground

Lube as Vernon describes. Bachman makes a conductive lube. EZ Lube that is good for the rollers  andaxle wipers as it helps electrical pickup.

Thank you for the quick responses. I will check for drag. I did lube everything with the Labelle oil but I will look into the Bachman one. If I have to remove one of the cars, I will. I also noticed that if I use the add on set at the end, then I don't have the taillight/headlight feature like the last car on the 4 car set.

Wheel slipping is Prototypical

Enjoy it😁

But check for other issues, just to be sure.
No need to wantonly destroy your tires or trains.
Here’s 20 cars behind a Big Boy on a grade…definite wheel slippage.

The grade rises at least 7” in under 20’

https://youtu.be/Mn1XV7w1aYE

I believe you have other issues causing your slippage besides 6 passenger cars.

@Vernon Barry posted:

No, it's you pulling 6 cars.

Yes. that's wheel slip, yes, even with good traction tires, that kind of abuse might make them stretch and fail sooner.

This answer rings a little harsh.

To the OP, @RickO’s advice is good. Check the unpowered cars for wheels that are hard to move or that might be binding.  Even if they aren’t, try lubing the axles where they ride on a bushing.

Another thing you can try is backing up first to put slack in the couplers, then move forward.

Finally, there are just some powered units that are on the light side. One thing you can do is buy some lead sheeting. They sell it on Amazon. You can tuck that stuff in between the shell and frame, under the car interior, ant some times in the ceiling between the lighting. Obviously, only add weight to the powered unit though.

@1drummer posted:

Here’s 20 cars behind a Big Boy on a grade…definite wheel slippage.

The grade rises at least 7” in under 20’

https://youtu.be/Mn1XV7w1aYE

Why aren’t the front set of drivers moving in that Big Boy? Are there separate motors?

@rplst8 posted:

Why aren’t the front set of drivers moving in that Big Boy? Are there separate motors?

It’s a Railking Ryan, they have a separate motor for each truck,…

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

It’s a Railking Ryan, they have a separate motor for each truck,…

Pat

Well two things…

1) It looks really nice for a “semi-scale” model.

2) I guess in some ways the RK model is more like the real thing with two separate drive trains!

The front wheels weren’t slipping

Because if a measurement was taken of  level and plumb, it would be determined that the track, on that riser, is not true. Also, it might be close to time to change the tires.

But, it’s still pretty impressive that my engines can pull my trains up all my grades

https://youtu.be/x9RkBN4tmr4

the only grade I can’t pull more than 5 cars up, is over the reversing loop..because it’s a complete circle…so I just limit that to downhill runs😁

So I lubed the wheels and started adding one car at a time. It was doing good until I put all 6 cars. I noticed that if I pressed down a little it would go. I started thinking that maybe it needs some weight. I opened it up and placed the battery for my drill on it and it ran fine. I guess I have to figure out how to add weight to it.

@Brooklyn Corey posted:

So I lubed the wheels and started adding one car at a time. It was doing good until I put all 6 cars. I noticed that if I pressed down a little it would go. I started thinking that maybe it needs some weight. I opened it up and placed the battery for my drill on it and it ran fine. I guess I have to figure out how to add weight to it.

You can try automobile lead wheel weights  , you maybe able to sneak some in some where

@Dave Koehler posted:

You can try automobile lead wheel weights  , you maybe able to sneak some in some where

Thanks, I looked them up. I’ll buy some.

MTH adds chunks of metal inside. Your power unit needs to be heavier.  They did this under warranty to my LIRR MU MP15 commuter unit to pull 6 cars on an even track around 042 curves.

I have requested many times to MTH to offer separate helper power units we could buy for lash-ups. Crickets....

@Brooklyn Corey posted:

Thanks, I looked them up. I’ll buy some.

Corey, on certain shopping sites, you can order stick on automotive wheel weights. These are small footprint, with adhesive backing. Easily stacked up and stick to each other just fine. Only thing I’d advise against is sticking them to the shell itself, ….overtime, that might cause a sag,….stick them on the chassis wherever you have clearance ……15-16 bucks a box, probably last a lifetime….

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

Corey, on certain shopping sites, you can order stick on automotive wheel weights. These are small footprint, with adhesive backing. Easily stacked up and stick to each other just fine. Only thing I’d advise against is sticking them to the shell itself, ….overtime, that might cause a sag,….stick them on the chassis wherever you have clearance ……15-16 bucks a box, probably last a lifetime….

Pat

Cool, thanks

Harbor Freight has the self adhesive weights in 1/4 and 1/2 oz.  at $10 for a pack of 32 pieces.  I would use the 1/4 and add a little at a time.  Be careful not to trade wheel slip for overloading the motors.

I put rectangle metal plates under the M7's from Lowes and fishing sinkers in the front power unit. Just another option.

Simpson Strong-Tie 5-in 20-Gauge Galvanized Steel Tie Plate Wood To Wood in the Straps & Ties department at Lowes.com

How much did those batteries weigh?

@Brooklyn Corey posted:

So I lubed the wheels and started adding one car at a time. It was doing good until I put all 6 cars. I noticed that if I pressed down a little it would go. I started thinking that maybe it needs some weight. I opened it up and placed the battery for my drill on it and it ran fine. I guess I have to figure out how to add weight to it.

Take a shot at it with stuff like this.   Never did like how these shot, but they make perfect weights.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Take a shot at it with stuff like this.   Never did like how these shot, but they make perfect weights.

Thanks John 😀

@1drummer posted:

How much did those batteries weigh?

Not sure but I’ll check tomorrow

@SIRT posted:

I put rectangle metal plates under the M7's from Lowes and fishing sinkers in the front power unit. Just another option.

Simpson Strong-Tie 5-in 20-Gauge Galvanized Steel Tie Plate Wood To Wood in the Straps & Ties department at Lowes.com

Thanks, I’ll check that out.

@Danr posted:

Harbor Freight has the self adhesive weights in 1/4 and 1/2 oz.  at $10 for a pack of 32 pieces.  I would use the 1/4 and add a little at a time.  Be careful not to trade wheel slip for overloading the motors.

Thanks, I was thinking of going to harbor freight. They are not far from me. I just bought a few things from there the other day.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Take a shot at it with stuff like this.   Never did like how these shot, but they make perfect weights.

The Amtrak Bullet train.

You got it Dan, I was ahead of my time!