Paul Kallus posted:Does running a steam engine with traction tires removed damage the track or wheels? Obviously, there's a loss of tractive effort, but the engine still runs, and am wondering if over time, if it'll damage the track or wheels (due to the groove in wheel cutting the track or smoothing out the groove).
BTW: I removed the traction tire so that the locomotive would make it through a crossing without stalling. The engine is a 2-truck shay that only has 2-axles of grounded wheels, thus very limited grounding through switches and especially crossings. The other two axles (4-wheels) have traction tires, so with two tires removed it still is a good puller and makes it through the crossings.
Except for the loss of traction, I haven't noticed any damage to my steam or diesel engines that do not have traction tires. I haven't noticed any damage to my Atlas 3-rail track either. I have found that I need to take the tires off the wheels on both sides of an engine to prevent it from wobbling. Most heavy diecast engines can pull all the cars that will fit on my layout without traction tires.
The only engines that can't pull without traction tires are plastic engines with only one powered truck. Older Lionel GP-9s with one Pullmore motor come to mind. NH Joe
