Optimizing stock locos

Reading through the Flywheel thread

David K. Smith wrote:

The friction present in the drivetrain is also a factor. The Micro-Trains mechanism has a very high amount of friction owing to large inboard axle bearings and wheel wipers. ... However, you can remove the flywheels and the loco will run exactly the same. It's all down to the quality of the motor, as Kim said. The rest is marketing.

Which got me to wonder what can done to optimize the performance of ones stock engines.

Take the MT mechanism, what can be done to reduce the friction?

~Paul E.

Yes... I would like to know, too. I know there are a few, highly skilled group members that have spent many hours tearing into their locos.

Please share with those that are really interested in this subject... unless, you believe your findings are worth the income of a small business of improving folks locos. Since I have minimal skills and time... I'd be willing to pay a reasonable amount for someone to make tune-ups to my fleet.

Alex
Tokyo, Japan

I'm highly surprized about the above statement about MTL's gearings: myself I simply feel that my MTL Geeps are terrific runners....

Domi

dominique wrote:

I'm highly surprized about the above statement about MTL's gearings: myself I simply feel that my MTL Geeps are terrific runners.

They are good runners--smooth and quiet, with good tracking abilities and electrical pickup. Most of the quality of the performance is due to an excellent motor coupled to a reliable, tried-and-true gear train design. The trucks are actually the very same ones from their 70's era F7, with a change in the gear tower design and electrical wipers.

Because the trucks have internal bearings--which, as a result, have large contact surface areas--they have relatively high friction. The wheel wipers add even more friction. There isn't much that can be done about this without replacing the whole truck with a new design, which is well outside the typical modeler's ability.

But I have to ask, why bother trying to change it? The loco runs really well as it is, in spite of the high friction of the drive. Why fix it if it ain't broke? If you're looking for "tune-up tips," it comes down to keeping them clean and very lightly lubricated. If they are balky, the fix is usually a matter of checking to be sure the drive train parts--particularly the bearings on the worms--are all properly seated.

I'm quite happy with mine, even after I shortened one by 8 scale feet to make an MP-15DC. The chassis ran just as well without flywheels as it did before I removed them. In fact, I'm now looking for more projects where I can use modified M-T mechanisms.