I keep getting mixed opinions on the desired rolling properties of cars. Some say that the fast, smooth cars, the ones that keep coasting and coasting are what's needed. Others say having an amount of drag is better, the ones which slow down and stop quickly are what's needed. I have an old tanker which is quite heavy and draggy (old, dry un-lubed journals). If I couple it to end, rest of cars stop doing that back and forth, slack/no slack dance down hill or around tight curves. I suppose tanker is holding cars taught. But, the slick rollers are so nice the way they fly along with their modern metal wheels in slick delrin frames. Do these need retarding ? Or do draggy ones need lubing or even all new trucks ?
I prefer free-rolling cars. "Draggy" cars tend to to have sliding wheels, in my experience. Depending on the brand of trucks, I usually start by swapping wheels in and out to find four that roll freely, I have replaced numerous stock trucks on freight cars with Accurail or Walthers trucks with metal wheels of some brand... sometimes Proto 2000 if I need an odd ball like a National B1 truck or something. Too many draggy cars at the end of the train can increase the probability of straight-lining a curve or hinder ability of a train to climb a grade. It's like leaving the handbrakes on a car, not good railroading practice. You'd be surprised how much drag one loaded car with handbrakes tied down can make, especially up grade at 3 mph.
Yeah, I see it that way too; the ones that coast ten feet on level track would seem to be what's desired. I wonder if having them all this way though would tend to correct that slack/taught/slack/taught/slack they start doing around certain curves and down-hills. I don't believe it's a jerking loco as my Bach RS3 and Consolidation are very smooth. I admit I've never bought a replacement truck. I do steal wheel sets from defunct cars and swap 'em out. Didn't think of this 'til right now: I'll make up a consist using only my cars which have that endless coasting quality and see what happens. If this does cure it then, yes I'll look at upgrading the others with good trucks or wheel sets and /or graphite in journals. Quick question requiring only yes or no answer: I was told by a very gifted MRRer at a club that we do not need to lube motor bearings because lubing the gear(s) from under gear box cover (steam anyway) , the oil tends to migrate up onto motor shaft and/or that modern drive-trains don't need lubing any longer (not including valve gear and axles of course). Is he right ?
