[Chris France]

OK, so for Christmas I bought my 4yo nephew his first train set. Picked up the LGB toytrain set with the little porter based loco, coach, and flat with stakesides. I noticed when I ran it for him the first time that it gets quite a bit of wheel slip with both cars. For his birthday this weekend I got him 2 of the Aristo 20' cars for it and my brother tells me that it has a hard time pulling them and mostly spins its wheels.

So, I'm thinking that it has to be one of a few issues:

Engine needs more weight (it has always seemed a little light, like the sliders push up enough to take significant weight off the drivers)

Engine needs a rubber tire, it didn't come with one, not sure if it should have.

4 Cars on the 4' radius curves is just too much resistance.

Any thoughts or experience on this issue?

 

[Dan Pierce]

On a level surface with R1 (2 foot radius) curves, i run a toytraibn Cow engine with 8 cars. Also i have run the Ana toytrain engine with 6 cars. All cars are 2 axle with metal wheels and loads (candle toppers).

Outdoors i have run the MTS tyoe of porter and it does not pull as well as my 'COW' engine, but will pull 3 2 axle cars on R1 curves and track is not level.

I would suspect the wheels may not be quartered properly making the motor work very hard and is the first thing to check.

 

[Madman]

I've had LGB Porters off and on over the years. They always performed well for me. I do happen to have all of my rolling stock equipped with ball bearing wheels.

 

[Mik]

The porters I had were ALL slippery little beasties. More weight will always help, as long as it is balanced. Filling the beams, domes, and anywhere else you can think of with mallory metal would be a good start.

 

[Chris France]

Thanks guys, I think we will try some more weight first as it doesn't seem to be out of quarter binding type issues, it just seems slippery like Mik pointed out.

 

[vsmith]

There are two "Porters" with the Toytrain line, the "real" Porter with the saddletank which is quite a good puller for its size, the extra weight in the saddletank helps, and the fuax-Porter with no tank at all, this is the one thats in the current "value set" and its a flyweight and needs help with added weight.

 

[Mik]

One thing to remember is that a REAL loco that size would only pull 2 or 3 large cars or maybe 5 or 6 loaded mine cars max.

 

[vsmith]

Posted By Mik on 05/13/2008 10:00 PM
One thing to remember is that a REAL loco that size would only pull 2 or 3 large cars or maybe 5 or 6 loaded mine cars max.




True, but my saddletank Porter will easily pull twice what the starter set engine will pull.

Whats REALLY funny is that my Mack's, which weight less, will nonetheless pull more than either! Must be them shiny wheels on them Porters. Wheres my Brillo pad? /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif

 

[Madman]

I'm not buying it Vic. Your're saying that your Porter will pull more than your Stainz? The Porters are good pullers, but not THAT good.

 

[vsmith]

No no no, not a Stainz, THIS starter set:

 

[SandyR]

I have the same starter set, and it slipped so badly that it would just not move at all. A quick call to Ridge Road Station, and I learned that the problem is the sliders. They do not move freely enough. Just put a tiny bit of oil on the 'stem' of the slider, and work it up and down a few times. There's some flash there that the slider hangs up on. Once you get the sliders to move up and down freely, the wheel slip problem disappears.
SandyR

 

[Dan Pierce]

Instead of oil which is an insulator, I use the conductive paste on my sliders.

Be careful when reassembling the engine that the wheels/gears are properly aligned (quartered).

I take the time to grease the sliders/springs with conductive paste, LGB grease the gears, and a tiny bit of the LGB oil on the axels when I open the engine case.
Also, I reshape the slider foot if necessary.

 

[Chris France]

Thanks Sandy and Dan, I suspected that the sliders may be part of the problem from the start so I will call my brother and have him try that as well as the wieght

 

[Madman]

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Vic, then I will buy it.