Can-motored loco made WITHOUT rubber tires?

I think that some of the earlier Williams Trainmasters and GG1's from ~1978-1980 had magnetraction and can motors.

 

Other than that, I think that traction tires are the norm for locomotives driven by can motors.

Hi Ted

 

I feel your pain I totally dislike rubber tires on trains especially steam. Right now I only have one steam a MTH 2 rail 0-6-0 that does a good job on Gargraves and Ross. I am a NYC steam fan and ready to buy a dozen steam locomotives without traction tires.With the MTH 2/3 rail diesels, I buy the three rail wheel sets to replace the traction tire axles. 

 

clem 

Not steam, but my K-line GG-1 doesn't have traction tires, but used brushless can motor(s)(?)(I forget if its dual) "Cans" or not it's still 5Lb+. While lighter than postwar GGs, still heavy. 

I have an upgraded Lionel Reading 4-8-4 2100 that has a can motor and no traction tires.

Bob, great video and awesome steam power. Does your Reading 4-8-4 with can and no traction tires have good traction?  I ask because I am having Frank Timko convert some LTI era steam engines to can motors and would like to avoid having traction tire grooves put on the drivers. These engines would be pulling 4-6 18" heavyweight passenger consists and I am concerned if they are up to it without traction tires.

thanks,

Mack

So, what's the objection to traction tires?  I've had them in use on engines for some 20 years and really have had no problems with them.  Sure, I have had to replace them on occasion but that simply falls under normal maintenance.  They certainly do improve traction for any engine and that, alone, closes the deal for me. 

 

Paul Fischer

Early Williams diesels and some 3rd rail steam came without traction tires.

Paul, here are some of the reasons I don't like rubber tires:

-I would like a little prototypical wheel slip at start-up every now and then.  With rubber tires, this is almost impossible to achieve.

-Some rubber-tired locos without speed control slow suddenly and un-prototypically on sharp curves.  (The wheels cannot slide as they must to accommodate the different radii of the inside and outside rails.)

-Potentially interfere with ground pickup, especially on MTH Proto 3-2 locos

-If the tire(s) aren't uniform thickness, the loco will wobble

-Can't push the loco down the track if and when necessary.  

-Loco will stop very abruptly if it suddenly loses power, potentially damaging the rods or gear train.  (NOTE: Lionel's recent offerings with "back-drivable" gears mitigate the last two objections.)

-Possible to burn out the motor with sustained heavy loads that would otherwise result in wheel slippage.

-Tend to stretch and fail at the most inopportune times.  Future availability is unknown, and I would rather not have to mess with RTV or "frog snot."

-My experience with postwar Lionel suggests that a sufficiently heavy loco can pull a decent load on most "home-sized" layouts with reasonable grades.

 

Don't really like diesels or electrics much, but Matt I'm intrigued: Which 3rd Rail steamers came without rubber tires?

Thanks for your input all!  -Ted

 

MTH's Railking Docksider steam locomotive doesn't have traction tires.

F7s, SD-45s also, sans magnetic traction though.

The Rich Yoder GE 44 tonner does not have traction tires. 

Bob, great video and awesome steam power. Does your Reading 4-8-4 with can and no traction tires have good traction?  I ask because I am having Frank Timko convert some LTI era steam engines to can motors and would like to avoid having traction tire grooves put on the drivers. These engines would be pulling 4-6 18" heavyweight passenger consists and I am concerned if they are up to it without traction tires.

thanks,

Mack

The Reading 2100 pulls 10 coal cars or 6 passenger cars (Pa Red Arrow) Around a curve with 1.5 grade with no tire slip.

Frank Timko did the upgrade, I asked about adding groves for tires, Frank said the heavy locomotive would have no problem without tires. Frank was correct.

Bob

The early Williams brass pacifics had no traction tires. The Weaver chain drive RS3s also have no traction tires and can barely pull their own weight. Three freight cars and the wheels are slipping to beat the band.

 

Pete

Well apparently I don't know how to post video. If you want to see a diesel consist pull a 100' long train up a 2% grade without traction tires. Google.. Three Rail O Scale Train 100 feet long.

 

Clem k