Hardly rolling stock

[Clement Matchett]

I have got a bit of experience now with the TT120 track, engines and rolling stock, and am not entirely happy.

Of the eight Pullmans I have, only the three which came with the Scotsman set are what I would describe as free-rolling…the lit ones don’t roll well and on my layout, the engines struggle to get four of them moving.

I also have the three Mk1 coaches from the Eastener set. They roll embarrassingly well, like the unlit Pullmans, and disappear to any minor low points in my 18mm baseboard if not watched!

As for the tank wagons, I have six Carless and six Mobil and was hoping to get a longish tanker train working with one of my A3s, but they both struggle on R2 with a rake of six, though a bit less on R3.

Have others had this issue, and if so, found a solution? Oil springs to mind, but which oil?

Peter

[ateshci]

The coil pickups may have a tendency to seize up and induce excessive drag. The other issue might be cured like this - for a test, remove the trailing wheelset of your A3 - I have a 'Night Hawk' whose wheelset is roughly 1mm above the rails and this one is real puller compared to 'Blink Bonny' in its original form where I had to increase vertical play to cure the problem.

[Clement Matchett]

Thanks, I’ll try that!

[ntpntpntp]

Avoid oil or grease on axle pinpoint bearings, try a little graphite (eg. rub a soft pencil on sandpaper and use a tiny amount of the "powder") but only if they are not running freely. Another trick if an axle is obviously stiff is to gently squeeze the axleboxes either side, thus causing the pinpoints to make the bearing pockets a little deeper.

Unfortunately the lighting pickups will add drag. The axle-spring method of power transfer is better than traditional wiper contacts, but it's a shame Hornby didn't go for stub axles and live bearing cups as used many of the Far East made N gauge models nowadays, they add very little drag and also allow each wheelset to pickup on both sides.

I agree the coaches in my Easterner set are very free running :) Lack of track-powered lighting suits me fine, I'm not a fan of coach lighting anyway and tend to remove the pickups on any second-hand coaches I acquire.

I've not bought any of the wagons yet, I'll probably wait a while until a suitable smaller loco or green 08 becomes available.

[Daedalus]

You do not want to use pencil it contains clay as a harderner use a proper graphite lunbricant.

[Fishmanoz]

Now buried down on page 5 of the forum, this previous post on the subject - https://uk.hornby.com/community/forum/lit-pullman-severe-pickup-wiper-drag-345399?ccm_paging_p=1&ccm_order_by=&ccm_order_by_direction=

Note Peachy was returning a coach under warranty, no outcome posted though.

[Rallymatt]

One of my Arnold ferry vans and a couple of the Mobil tankers were less free running than others, I did as Nick described, push axle box inwards and work wheel back a forth a few times, that’s sorted it for me.

[ateshci]

For the nimble-fingered and daring, Markits on Section 4C(p) Wheels of its catalogue offers brass shouldered pin-point bearings to ensure friction-free pickup. I've used same from a German manufacturer to retrofit lighting toTillig carriages and improve old BTTB's rolling qualities.

[ntpntpntp]

You do not want to use pencil it contains clay as a harderner use a proper graphite lunbricant.

 

 

Which is why I said use a soft pencil as the source. a typical 4B or 5B for example may be around 80% graphite. Even an HB is around 70%. Not everyone will have graphite lube to hand but most people will probably have a pencil or two in a draw, and for the tiny amount needed for a pinpoint bearing it works :)

[Daedalus]

That's still 20% abrasive.

[Rallymatt]

I think I will be dead before the axle boxes or axle ends wore out, I’ll continue to risk it 🤣

[Daedalus]

I suppose you also recommend sand in engine oilface_with_rolling_eyes

[Clement Matchett]

Ad Daedalus

I take your point, but in one of my other worlds, keeping a harpsichord in playing order, the word is that graphite lubricant gets everywhere. I have never used it.

There isn’t much of a market for weathered harpsichords!

[Rallymatt]

Peter, I have spent years looking for a weathered harpsichord, no wonder I could never find one. Seriously a bit of pencil graphite will never noticeably wear the axles on a wagon, the rest of the railway would be long worn out before then 🤣

[Daedalus]

If that is the case why do you think they require lubrication in the first place. You can't have it both ways.

[Rallymatt]

education, try it some time, you may learn something 😉

[Daedalus]

I do not know if any lubrication is needed.

I was just pointing out the fallacy that ground up pencil lead is a lubricant. As has been pointed out a graphite lubricant " gets everywhere " because it is an effective lubricant.

There seem to be a lot of, "this is how we have always done things so must not be questioned by newbies" attitude in the model railway world.

I'm just trying to provide much needed education.

[Rallymatt]

How much graphite do you need in a mix for it to be a lubricant?

PS there is no lead in pencils 🤣

[Daedalus]

You need relatively pure graphite of the correct particle size not heat bonded to clay.

[Rallymatt]

Wrong answer, like I said, education, you just, if you apply yourself and don’t rely on Google, learn something

[Daedalus]

O.K what is the correct answer?

[Daedalus]

"PS there is no lead in pencils"

I thought any fule kno that!

Do you believe the thing that runs down the middle of a pencil surrounded by a wood casing is pure graohite?

[Daedalus]

Just like there is no chimney pot on a steam locomotive.

I thought any fool knew that.

 

 

I can't believe you still don't realise I was taking the mickeyblush

 

 

I can't believe how insular the model railway world is! But I have to admire the mutual support cliques

[LTSR_NSE]

Since the consensus & agreement is that checking/adjusting axles in bearings might be helpful, & that graphite itself is a suitable lubricant…

Perhaps other differences of opinion & disagreements could be left to slumber - unless getting a helpful thread locked is actively sought?

[david_watts1]

Graphite, silicone, sewing machine oil, what ever you use, do it very sparingly, things have a tendency to migrate where you don't want them.