I requested a sample of Bull Frog Snot approximately two weeks ago. I received it three days ago, but due to various impositions on my valuable train time, I was not able to apply it and test it until yesterday. First, the sample: I would say it was a very generous "sample", being a jar holding perhaps two fluid ounces, or nearly so...not sure. Pale green, very homogenous. It was shipped to Canada and Vancouver Island during a cold snap with lots of snow. I have no way of knowing how exposed it may have been to sub-freezing temps. The application: tricky, to say the least. Not unlike learning to solder, for those of you who have done it recently, or who have mixed recollections of your own distant first attempts. But, with practise, some not-unintelligent thinking and adjustments, it does get more effective. I had good enough results with my first steamer driver application, but the second got balled up (literally), and I had to remove it and try again. Note that, in my warm and dry basement, with a hot wood stove not 10 feet away, this had to be done in a determined and efficient manner. The stuff was close to dry and tacky within 3-5 minutes! Not wanting to corrupt the reputation of the product or its manufacturer, I followed instructions to the letter...used a toothpick, let it dry over night, etc. (actually, one of the things I enjoyed doing was inverting the engine and jury-rigging bared-end wire feeders from a programme track isolating SPDT and jamming the bared ends into tender wheels known for power pickup. It was weird seeing the engine turn its drivers, rods, and valve gear inverted.....but I digress....) Just to set the context for me: I have a BLI Niagara whose instructions say it was judged a sufficiently robust and heavy engine to not require traction tires, so none are included. Well, on my 3% grades on spline roadbed (not the best laid, assuredly..) this engine can use some help pulling three lightened Walthers Heavyweights, an IHC smooth side dome car, a weighted reefer, and two added BLI coal hoppers (H2a type). Normally I can hear the drivers scrubbing a bit with just the reefer and the heavyweights and IHC dome car. Results: Well, let's just say I'm a happy railroader:thumbs_up:. My decidedly inexpert application, probably worth a C grade, resulted in no scrubbing of the drivers, and even a mid-grade start of the entire augmented consist....that's the whole shebang at 3%. I made the train run three times around my folded loop of approximately 50', with about 36' being between 1-3% grade. The actual length of the rising 3% grade on any one circuit, in either direction, would be about 12'...plenty long and steep to give the Snot a good test on a somewhat needy engine. As of yet, I have not gone on to add more hoppers to see when the cure gives way to reality, but you must appreciate that the Niagara went from a struggling, driver scrubbing engine on the same mainline to a fully effective, no slippage, engine pulling even more weight. To me, that represents a marked and worthy improvement. My offer to the gentleman to report on my findings is partially fulfilled with this report, but I intend to go on to test the limits of the product. It should suffice for all interested parties that I award this Crandell's Seal of Approval. In other words, it works, and I would recommend it to those whose engines are marginal when they must work alone on your layout. If you routinely MU or double-head diesels and steamers respectively, and would rather continue to do that, you may not need it. For those who have non-traction tire drivers, and who are facing replacement of the tires or swapping them out for the regular metal drivers, you probably would be very glad of a purchase of the Snot. One thing I would like to know...eventually...and so would all prospective users: can the stuff be thinned to extend its life if it must be extended into the four-six year range...or is that a somewhat unrealistic expectation? What is the shelf-life?
As a follow-up, I added an additional 3 heavyweights to the previous load described. They were Bachmann heavies, nearly doubling the load, and while the Niagara did spin just very briefly for perhaps a 1/6 revolution, it was otherwise steady on my long grade and made it up it without apparent difficulty. I would say this is ample evidence of the utility of Bull Frog Snot. Bravo!
Thanks for taking the time to report your findings.........Now if I could get some sent to Canada, without the risk of freezing ???!!!
My sample came on the coldest day of the year--8 degrees F. It sat in the mailbox about six hours. I think it's not going to be any good. Anyone have any experience with this?
