John H posted:Correct tire isn't the topic of this thread.
Geez... SO sorry to interfere in a thread about TRACTION TIRES.
RadioRon posted:One question that I have, which no one has really touched on, is about finding the CORRECT tire. Often there are literally dozens of varieties ... I guess one could go by your loco's parts diagram, but often they are not available, so it ends up being an "eyeball-guesstimation" match-up process between you and the guy you are buying parts from. Any suggestions here?
If you are going to YORK, stop by MTH parts booth, in the Orange Hall, they have them there for a buck each. Great traction tires.
Have there been any RECENT updates to the MTH traction tire usage list?
RJR posted:Have there been any RECENT updates to the MTH traction tire usage list?
The current list on their website appears to be the same. MTH hasn't produced a brand new locomotive model in several years, so the list should be pretty accurate.
laz1957 posted:If you are going to YORK, stop by MTH parts booth, in the Orange Hall, they have them there for a buck each. Great traction tires.
LAZ: yep, but I still have 2 that are unused that came with the set.
If applying weight, right now that will be done with me lightly pressing down on it, doesn't work, then my last option to help determine if it's the engine or the tires is to replace them. If that doesn't work, then I will just have to live with a weak pulling engine.
- walt
Walt. Since you already have new tires with the engine why don’t you just put them on and try it? You can always get some more tires at York while your there. Honestly I wouldn’t exepect more than 5 or 6 cars behind that little engine especially tinplate cars.
WALT, you should also check your axles for cross line. Set the engine down on a piece of glass and see if all drive wheel flanges touch the glass and the engine doesn't teeter. Also watch the engine when it's running to see if it wobbles.
Chris Lonero posted:Walt. Since you already have new tires with the engine why don’t you just put them on and try it? You can always get some more tires at York while your there. Honestly I wouldn’t exepect more than 5 or 6 cars behind that little engine especially tinplate cars.
You last sentence Chris is enlightening and I consider you well educated relative to tin-plate. That's why I place importance on that last sentence.
Not to say that you are not "well educated" about all things 
My engine as is can only pull 3 cars. I have 5 so I would love to have it able to pull between 5 and 6!
- walt
Dave Zucal posted:WALT, you should also check your axles for cross line. Set the engine down on a piece of glass and see if all drive wheel flanges touch the glass and the engine doesn't teeter. Also watch the engine when it's running to see if it wobbles.
thanks for the suggestions Dave. I already checked that the wheels are making good contact when I checked to see if the traction tires were actually contacting the rails.
The engine seems to sit solidly and I haven't noticed it wobbling.
I'm just getting used to tin-plate after 50 years of "non-tin-plate", the last 20 being all MTH Railking stuff. When I first ran both this train and my Baby Blue Comet passenger set I was flipping out because all of the cars wobbled!!! I called a buddy that's into tin-plate to come over. He said "That's tin-plate for you. It's normal".
- walt
I feel your pain Walt. I have a little ETS switcher that will only pull about the same amount of cars but there is no provision on the wheels for a traction tire. I added a little more weight to it by using stick on weights I got on EBay it helped a little but I came to the conclusion it’s only going to pull so much and that’s it. Something you might want to try if your engine is not happy with all five cars is just alternate the cars around so the train has a different look to it instead of all 5 together.
This is a video of the little guy in action the cars a heavy beacause the trucks are solid die cast but the bodies are tinplate.
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Videos (1)
wow Chris that's one small engine! As you can see by the pictures that I've included mine is a bit bigger.
With all the electronics inside these things there's not good extra space for tack on weights. I'll try pushing down on it lightly first to see if that helps.
I'd be disappointed if the traction tires themselves are bad. I've only had this for 5 years and as you know, I only run it 2 months at Christmas.
- walt
