for adding more traction to steep grades, would it help to run a small file across the railheads just to scratch them up a tiny bit so theyre not as slippery?my planned 2.5% grade is worring me, even if im running only 20 cars and 2 locos. but then, my cars are about as free rolling as cinder blocks…[:0]
GEARHEAD426
[8]
Well, really, it’s your layout and your trains, so you can do whatever you want to do, but we’d all like to hear the results after a couple of weeks of running.
In my opinion, for what it’s worth, scratching your track will just cause it to attract and retain dirt and you’ll be cleaning the rest of your layout and wheels more often.
A 2.5 percent grade should not be that bad with double-headed locomotives – try it and see if they can handle it before you wind up doing something you’ll later regret and have to tear out and throw away.
If you need more traction, you probably need more locomotive, in other words, a helper locomotive. Unless you have a locomotive that you can replace drivers on with a set of drivers that has a traction tire.
Do not file scratches across your railheads! I tried this once and it resulted in the track having to be replaced becaused the file marks became pitted by electrical arcing. It is not worth it. It also doesn’t do any favors for your locos wheels. If your loco is having a problem pulling a train up a grade, your loco may need more weight put in it (ie - an Athearn F7 Super Power with Super Wieght is a good example) or maybe your grade is too steep. The maximum suggested grade for a model layout is 2%. Try for less than that, say 1.2 to 1.5%. I’m sure sobebody out there has the link to an NMRA site for the grade limits. I have a P2K PA1 that can pull a 30 car train up a 1.4% grade without a problem. Of course the P2K PA1 is very heavy and has a dynamite drive system.