[hoarp001]

Hi,

I have spent about 40 quid and afew days making my helix (picture) and my three car Class 101 DMU wont make it up! It will get up there if you rev the nuts off it, but its not the way id like to run it, as the wheels slip. The helix is for the branch line, and its only going to take the DMU, so the fact that it wont run on it is quite serious...

I have been advised that adding weight over the drive bogie will help. how do I go about this? Can i get lead fishing weights or something similar? How much should I add?

I also thought about roughing up the surface of the rails, maybe with some wire wool or a wire brush. The rails are so smooth, I feel this is why it is slipping. If i roughed up the rail surface would this help provide traction for the coaches little tiny wheels.

Any help woudl be great, as I obviously want to make this work, if the DMU wont make it up, then I am a bit stuck

 

[goedel]

QUOTE (hoarp001 @ 3 Jul 2007, 23:27) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I have been advised that adding weight over the drive bogie will help. how do I go about this? Can i get lead fishing weights or something similar? How much should I add?

I also thought about roughing up the surface of the rails, maybe with some wire wool or a wire brush. The rails are so smooth, I feel this is why it is slipping. If i roughed up the rail surface would this help provide traction for the coaches little tiny wheels.
I suppose the ideal thing would be to bend space-time into an Escher drawing so that the DMU can always be going down the helix!

Failing that then adding weight should enhance adhesion, Electric Nose suggests self-adhesive lead strips because you can build up the layers slowly and test in between to see how much works. See here. This is a relatively cheap option to try first.

I would strongly advise against roughing up the track surface - it's smooth on the prototype, and dust and dirt will collect in the scratches and reduce conductivity to the wheels. Reduced electrical contact + helix = leaves on the line... You will forever be cleaning the track and to no avail. More weight means more friction and so better traction...but of course more work for your motor/pancake/frying-pan to do. The only other option would be to cannibalise another DMU and put a second powered bogie in but this is obviously much more expensive.

Defenestration is of course always an option of last resort for the said DMU and almost as theraputic as smashing up a Spanish hotel when invited to do so by the owner...

Goedel

 

[hoarp001]

Hi,

I dont have any lead strips handy, so I took the body off and stuck 10p peices inside the roof. You cant see them, and it has worked perfectly!

The train will start and stop from standstill etc, and runs really nicely.

Thanks very much.

 

[ozwarrior]

I am open to correction on this but I believe Hornby are going to be fitting traction tyres on subsequent batches of the ex-Lima models.

 

[Peter_Harvey]

I think I may have the answer for you take a look at this thread you may need to do as I have done to get a decent performance out of your model.

Adding more weight will help but getting rid of the traction tyres will give you the most benefit
Anyway something in it may help?

Pete

http://www.modelrailforum.com/forums/index...?showtopic=2942

 

[Brian Considine]

A good (often free) source of suitable lead weights is your local tyre depot - ask for the flat ones they use for alloy wheels. You could also buy new self adhesive ones from any half decent car accessory store.

As goedel says - don't roughen up the track ! - you will get dirt build up & it won't be that easy to clean in the helix (we'd be please to sell you a set of Lux Cleaning Wagons though !). Weight in the right place & make sure the non-powered axels are running freely is the answer.