Steam Engines

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I have a nice large layout 22 x 26. My problem is getting my steam engines to run well. I don’t have any problem with diesels. I have nickle silver track with soldered joints but it still act like it is not getting current all the time. I even bought a new 4-6-2 engine and have the same problem. I have cleaned the track with track cleaner from IHC but that still don’t help. Can anyone help me. I can supply some close ups of my layout if that will help.
Thanks
Max Snyder
Lugoff, SC[:)]

2

I doubt that it is a cleanliness matter, but something to do with drives, levelness of the track from section-to-section, or radii that are too tight for the steamers…maybe just borderline.

Also, although much more remote, is the possibility that every one of your steam locos has wheel gauge problems.

Addendum - recall that steamers have a lot more outboard mass, plus all those drivers, that require a bit more juice to turn over. If the valve gear is misadjusted or dry, or if the truck axles are dry, all this contributes to power suck.

3

have you cleaned the wheels on the engines? My favorite method for this is the Kadee wheel cleaner. But a paper towel with some alchohol will work just fine. Put a couple of the wheels on the towel, but make sure it can still get power from the track. Hold the loco in place and let the wheels spin on the paper towel for maybe 20-30 seconds. then turn it around and do the same on the rest of the wheels.

4

I concur with Joe. Make sure the contact wheels are REALLY clean. A pencil eraser works well. Try doing one and I think you’ll see a lot of your problems go away.

5

add more power feeders, for better contact
and check if the rail is level

K

6

Max,

I think the wheel cleaning suggestions are a very good one. Just curious. What make steamers do you have?

Tom

7

I’m surprised this question hasn’t come up yet, but what radius are your curves? A steam loco mode will have a longer rigid wheelbase, requiring a wider radius than most diesels.

8

ditto to tom and selector

9

Max,
What brand of steam engines do you have? This could be the most important factor, since certain (usually low cost) steam engines just don’t run well from the start. Do these symptoms appear everywhere on the layout or just in certain areas?
The answers to these (and probably other) questions will help to find answers to the problems you’re experiencing.

10

sometimes the steamers will have fewer pickups. Investigate the engine and see what wheels supply power and what dont, if the lead and trailing trucks dont feed power, see if you can attach tiny wires to them

11
  1. Are you DC or DCC
  2. IF DC do you have a bus with connections to the track every 6ft
  3. Are ALL your rail joiners soldered on the curves and every other on the straight
  4. 4-6-2 will go down to 22" radius with no trouble.
  5. If all of the above is yes then what did you use to clean your track? Did it leave a film? If you “BRITE BOY” it gets dirty faster (little scratches in the rail trap dirt).
  6. The last question is humidty, this can make the rails damp and cause a real problem.
    THis is just a check list of what I would look at. Since we are 98% steam the question got my attention.