Almost Instant Tractive Effort

I have written a few times over the last year or so about traction "aids". On locomotives like the sharks, which normally run as a set, this hasn't ever been an issue. On locomotives that may run individually, this is a real problem. Case in point; my L1s 2-8-2. This is a fine running model and despite my best efforts, still looks pretty good too. It can pull a typical All East train of 20 cars on level track. Unfortunately the Allegheny Eastern is not flat. The ruling grade westbound is about 2%. With the helix out of commission, it can be 3% if a train uses one of the eastbound mains. The L1s cannot get 10 cars up that 2%, let alone 3%. What to do?

I could throw on a set of traction tires, but that requires purchasing the mythical traction tire drivers from Kato. I say mythical because they are never in stock, at least they aren't when I check. Not much help coming from Kato.

Then there is the magical product "Bullfrog Snot". It appears to work, and I have actually held a bottle in my hand. It is available, but at a price. A whopping $25 will get you an ounce. With apologies to the folks at Frogs, Frills and Daffodils, I don't think I'll fork over my hard earned cash so easily. $25 for an ounce of anything makes me think of my youth and controlled substances from Mexico. Didn't spend it then, not gonna do it now.

Hope is not lost. A company called Performix makes a product called Plasti Dip, known as AggTrac here at the Juniata shops...

Plasti Dip / AggTrac

It's much like Bullfrog Snot, but with a less colorful name. It comes in colors, including that green that reminds me of Shrek sneezing. But...does it work?

How about we find out. I attached the L1s to the same train the sharks pull up the 3% Slide and made a "before"  video...

The locomotive does quite well from Spruce Creek all the way to Brickyard. At SLOPE, the start of the 2% grade it begins to feel the weight of the train. It manages to make it a little further, finally stalling trying to get the freight through Wikes Curve. Admittedly, the train is more than a handful for a single engine, but I've done the same test with half as many cars. Almost the same results. Can't climb the hill. I don't mind putting a helper on a long train, but ten cars does not a long train make.

This is where the AggTrac comes in. When I first tried Plasti Dip I bought it in a 11 ounce can for about $8. Like "Snot" you put some on the end of a toothpick, knife tip or some other small applicator and run the engine as you put it on...This time I purchased the Plasti Dip as a spray for about the same price. To apply it I masked off the bottom of the locomotive with packaging tape...

Masking the Driver Prior to Spraying

I ran the engine to get the drivers spinning and sprayed on the Plasti Dip on the rear set....

Rear Drivers

Probably went on a tad heavy, but it came out OK...

Applied AggTrac

I went out to the garage to shoot an after video and the battery in my trusty phone went dead. So I grabbed a real camera and was able to get this before the batteries died in that too...

Wish it was longer and showed the entire climb, but you may get the idea. Remember I said the L1s could not pull 10 cars up a 2% grade? It stalled at the bottom of The Hill, not even making it through Wikes Curve. This "after" video shows the locomotive pulling 10 cars up The Slide, the 3% downhill grade on the eastbound tracks at Bennington.

So now I'm pretty sure that two of these modified steamers can pull a standard 20 car train up the east slope. This is great, since the main operating scheme is helpers working uphill to Gallitzin. Very few trains will climb The Hill on their own. Didn't happen in the real world and it won't happen in the miniature.

Now if only I can repair the other L1s so I can double head them.

Regards,

Frank Musick

Superintendent of Motive Power

Allegheny Eastern Railroad