What variables affect rolling stock performance? Couplers: type MTL/Marklin/AZL height free action truck/body mounted wheels: delrin vs. metal clean/dirty secure in bearings trucks: bolster pin too tight/loose car weight car length What else is missing from the list? I raise this question because I noticed how dirty the rolling stock wheels were getting at a show this past weekend. First day everything ran fine but the second day lot's of uncoupling. I never notced dirty wheels on MTL rolling stock since the wheels are black but I looked at some Marklin flatcars I was running and the wheels were filthy the second day. I would like to see discussion of what other factors there are and the why the matter and how to fix them. Thanks, Randy
Hi Randy, I don't know how much this applies to the running at that show, but I find many issues are resolved with clean and well laid track. I know it seems overly obvious, but I generally start with the track and trouble shoot up from there. I'm still amazed at the amount of oil and other matter I can clean off a loco's wheels after just a couple of hours of running on a small layout. I mention this as it seems dirt and oil would be the one thing that would have changed between the first day and the second day of your running pronlems. John http://www.ztrains.com
Thanks for the response John. Very illustrative. I wasn't so much asking about loco performance, I understand how dirt affect electrical pick up. I am more curious at this point about rolling stock performance. I'm not quite sure what dirty wheels on rolling stock would do to performance unless there are huge caked up clods on the wheels. Any discussion of loco performance would be welcome too. Would like to eventually understand the processes at work so I can make appropriate tweaking effective. Thanks, Randy
Hi Randy, I was considering what would have changed from the first day when things ran well to the second day when they didn't, and the thing that jumped out was fresh oil / dirt. If you were running long consists perhaps there is a cumulative drag effect of the dirt on the rolling stock that would cause uncoupling? John http://www.ztrains.com
Hmmm. Good thoughts. They were defintely much dirtier. Hadn't thought of increased drag before. Thanks, Randy
