Okay, my layout uses Unitrack and my diesels all [Katos, Atlas and Lifelike] all run smoothly on the mainline. However, there is one spot on a curved elevation change where my smaller steam locomotives will have serious wheel slipping while going uphill. Going downhill, no problem. I am using Woodland Scenics' risers to keep the grades as smooth as possible. The track has been cleaned. Any ideas?
Could it be because the little steam locomotives are lacking in power? Remove cars from the train one by one and see if there's gradual improvement.
That is one of the things tested, and yes, the number of cars does make a difference. I wonder if they are just too light? But it is always at one particular spot.
I don't think there are any issues. It's a combination of the smoothness in transition from level to incline. You can starting the transition further away from the incline to get it as smooth as possible. Also, the weight, length of the loco, number of driven wheels, etc. of your little steamer is also playing a part. I bet you don't have any issues with a GP or SD diesels.
You are correct on the diesels, even my little Kato powered chassis units run right up it. It's funny, but it is not at the start of the elevation change, but farther along the rise.
My 4 axle locomotives slip on my 2 percent grades with 10 cars. My 6 axle locomotives have no problem. If I ever was to build another layout...not likely...there would be ZERO inclines.
On that spot where you are having trouble, stop the loco there and check to see that all your wheels are touching both tracks. There could be a little bit of torque of the track where one side is not touching all wheels thus losing traction power. Different wheel geometry locos may not encounter this on the spot.
Time for double heading your steam @DeaconKC . I rarely ever run one diesel on trains, usually always two because it looks cool, even three on heavy coal trains.
How many drive axles does the steamer have? The answer to this will will govern my response also need to know percent of grade.
Besides inspecting the track several options exist to improve traction. The first would be to stuff some tungsten putty in any voids in the shell. The 2nd would be to take some Bullfrog Snot and create a traction tire. This has to be done with the loco upside down and with power on and the wheel rotation is very slow. Apply just a tiny bit so the wheel has just a very thin coat with a steel dental pick or other sharp pointed device, You are trying for the thinnest layer possible. Let rotate slowly for about an hour or until the Bullfrog Snot changes color. It will go from a pale green to a darker green. Let the loco set for about a day before trying it on the track. You should end up with a dark green semi transparent very thin layer if you got it right and not enough of a layer to impact the loco on the rails other than traction. The last option is one that has been suggested and that is to double head the locos. Are these by any chance tender powered, that is the motor in the tender?
Tender drives are notoriously light footed so I would look into the Tungsten putty first because it is the cheaper option and can be found on Ebay. I have a tender drive loco and the putty was the route I took.
I am guessing that these are Athearn/MDC nineteenth century locomotives. They are good for about six or seven freight cars on a two per-cent grade. They will get three B-mann shorty HWs and an express box up the same grade. The passenger cars are all on MT trucks. Go to the B-mann SPECTRUM consolidated or later MP mogul for better results. If you get an older MP mogul, swap out the original tender for a B-mann SPECTRUM tender. The mogul will pull eight loaded MT gondolas and an MT wood caboose up a two per-cent grade at fifteen SMPH. It will pull fifteen of the same loaded gondolas and the caboose up a one per-cent grade. The consolidated is good for ten loaded MT gondolas and the caboose on a two per-cent grade. I did not try any more on it.
Correct on the Athearn loco,there is also a MP Mogul that are having the problem. My ancient Minitrix Mogul walks right up it and the Bachmann Spectrum Consolidation handles it okay.
Is it the very newest version of the MP mogul with the decoder? If so, that one should be alright, as it has an all wheels live tender with needlepoint axle pickup. If it is an older version, it is only half wheels live with wiper pickup that does put some drag on the locomotive. I have an older MP mogul. I took out the stock tender and substituted a B-mann SPECTRUM USRA standard tender. It is all wheels live with needlepoint axle pickup. It performs as I have posted supra. Another possibility is that the rail surfaces are uneven at the joint in the pieces of sectional track. I have seen that stop a locomotive on straight nd level. Kato UniTRAK® is difficult to assemble with a misaligned rail joint, but it can happen. I have seen it. Even if the joint is not misaligned, though, still the surfaces can be uneven. The little blip from the higher sitting rail can create a stop (it also can chew up your traction tire). Often, it is not visible even under magnification. You must run a finger over it. If you find anything that is uneven, make the adjustment. Uneven rail surfaces have several different origins.
