lionchief with magne-traction?

Nope, and I seriously doubt they have done any.  That runs up the cost a bit, and the LC line is the cheap spread.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...ompanion-3rd-edition

I did a little digging and i found the article that got me wondering. About half way down GREGR wrote:

"The Lionchief FT's continue the ongoing, and odd practice that Lionel has of equipping engines with magne-traction as an undocumented feature. The GP7's and RS-3's also have magne-traction. Even more strangely, all four axles on the non-powered unit also have powerful magne-traction."

I was wondering if anyone else had this experience with these engines or others?

I checked my LC+ FT ABA, and much to my surprise, all three units have strong magnetraction on all wheels!  Even the trailing A unit without power.   Wow!   I tested with a couple of screwdrivers, touching the flanges.

I checked my LC+ steamers, and they do not have magnetraction.  (but could benefit from it when the traction tires wear down).

Very surprising, I did not expect this extra feature for the FTs.   They pull very well, and are well worth the cost.

I have to say, that is amazing!  I would have never expected the LC+ to add that feature.

Ken-Oscale posted:

I checked my LC+ FT ABA, and much to my surprise, all three units have strong magnetraction on all wheels!  Even the trailing A unit without power.   Wow!   I tested with a couple of screwdrivers, touching the flanges.

I checked my LC+ steamers, and they do not have magnetraction.  (but could benefit from it when the traction tires wear down).

Very surprising, I did not expect this extra feature for the FTs.   They pull very well, and are well worth the cost. 

That is great news for a new product! Better traction AND better electrical pickup and (for the kids) better cornering capability on curves.

Can someone tell us where the magnets are? Inside the axles or between the frames?

Hey, Just checked my NYC RS-3 LionChief+ and it has magnetraction. A jigsaw blade sticks to both trucks.

I am glad I know that I have a metallic debris track sweeper.

Ace, the magnets are inside the axles.  But before you get too excited about magnets on your non-powered units, keep in mind they create more drag. Just try rolling one of these non-powered FT's along the track.  Magnets only have a tractive benefit on the powered trucks. The Lionchief plus products with magne-traction are limited to those with the postwar type F3 trucks like the FT's, GP-7's, and RS-3's. I don't think it's intended as a bonus gift from Lionel. They just haven't retooled those trucks yet, or they are ridding themselves of all this truck set inventory which had been previously produced in anticipation of continued Pullmor motored engine production. I would guess it wouldn't take long before we see Lionchief Plus Budd Cars. They can reuse these same trucks again, can motor them, slap in a LC PCB, and there you have it. No real investment. 

Looking at the parts list for the RS-3, I would say they are magnetizing the whole truck. The few guys that had the machine to remagnetize PW trucks did it that way.

Would they make rare earth axles?

Good story, GREGR, but it sounds like fiction.

I agree that the unpowered units with Magnetraction roll poorly, they are a drag .  The powered units have plenty of pulling power, in my case the powered A and B.  

In fact, I am considering purchasing a second AB pair in the same road name (SantaFe), and switching the polarity to the motors of the A, so that I will have a powered ABA, all with smoke, and two with sound.   Might be crazy but fun.

Why would you put magnatraction on unpowered units?

Common parts? Too top heavy for high speeds? String line rollovers? I know some MPC cars will roll off real easy. Weight would be the normal fix, but that effects the pulling more than magnetic wheels (I think)

I wonder if the bushings are small or large diameter o.d./I.d.. I need to rebuild my namesake engine; gears are skipping mesh. It's the second time I wore that 2037 out, lol. (Have them? Let me know please, I've been striking out )

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Why would you put magnatraction on unpowered units?

I can see no reason other than production efficiency. Similar assembly to powered unit minus motor.

Moonman posted:

Looking at the parts list for the RS-3, I would say they are magnetizing the whole truck. The few guys that had the machine to remagnetize PW trucks did it that way.

Would they make rare earth axles?

Good story, GREGR, but it sounds like fiction.

I'm very familiar with the parts list. Just because they don't sell trucks broken down into their constituent parts does not mean that the entire truck was magnetized after assembly. We will never know.

I have experimented with rare earth magnets for magne-traction. I have replaced Alnico magnets with similarly sized Neodymium magnets. These magnets are extremely powerful and can influence objects 18 inches away (and that is for the small sized cylinder shaped magnet I put in a 736 Berkshire). Just don't let an engine with these magnets near you cell phone or CAB remote or it'll get wiped out. To respond to your question, rare earth axles wouldn't have the ductility to function correctly. Rare earth magnets chip and crumble very easily.

What part of my story sounds like fiction, exactly?

Moonman, the remagnetizing could be done with the units (diesels at least) still assembled. My grandfather had one of those contraptions. A large horseshoe shaped thing (metal? Magnet?) about an inch square with a heavy gauge coil wrapped on it. Maybe an old plate rectifier too, ? It was covered VERY thickly with electric tape.

 My 2037 used to pick the carpet layout track up it was so strong. Im talking the piece it was on, plus a few, fore and aft of it. The thing got scrapped the 80s as I forgot what it was just sitting on top of a box of old pipe fittings. You just aligned it over the axle tips and plugged it in for a few seconds (5-10 if I recall). Last I checked the Adriatic still  picks up one disconnected track. I saw one online a few years ago and immediately realized my mistake . Hindsight, eh?

GregR posted:

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Why would you put magnatraction on unpowered units?

I can see no reason other than production efficiency. Similar assembly to powered unit minus motor.

Maybe it helps high-speed cornering of an MU lash-up, especially if the unpowered unit is in front.

GregR posted:

Moonman posted:

Looking at the parts list for the RS-3, I would say they are magnetizing the whole truck. The few guys that had the machine to remagnetize PW trucks did it that way.

Would they make rare earth axles?

Good story, GREGR, but it sounds like fiction.

I'm very familiar with the parts list. Just because they don't sell trucks broken down into their constituent parts does not mean that the entire truck was magnetized after assembly. We will never know.

I have experimented with rare earth magnets for magne-traction. I have replaced Alnico magnets with similarly sized Neodymium magnets. These magnets are extremely powerful and can influence objects 18 inches away (and that is for the small sized cylinder shaped magnet I put in a 736 Berkshire). Just don't let an engine with these magnets near you cell phone or CAB remote or it'll get wiped out. To respond to your question, rare earth axles wouldn't have the ductility to function correctly. Rare earth magnets chip and crumble very easily.

What part of my story sounds like fiction, exactly?

This part:

"The Lionchief plus products with magne-traction are limited to those with the postwar type F3 trucks like the FT's, GP-7's, and RS-3's. I don't think it's intended as a bonus gift from Lionel. They just haven't retooled those trucks yet, or they are ridding themselves of all this truck set inventory which had been previously produced in anticipation of continued Pullmor motored engine production. I would guess it wouldn't take long before we see Lionchief Plus Budd Cars. They can reuse these same trucks again, can motor them, slap in a LC PCB, and there you have it. No real investment. "