KeithT said:
The chrome plating of LGB locos must have some significant effect on their traction and yet most of mine rate pretty highly compared to Bachmann etc. One notable thing about my Bachmann K28 compared to the Annies is that it can't cope with so many axles as an Annie (80+ on a level dry track)despite its weight, number of drivers and sprung suspension. I notice too, looking closely at an Annie, that it is in fact a 2-4-0 as the flangeless centre drivers do not make contact with the track.
Keith, it may be to do with the gearing, the weight of the loco (with its heavier tender) and the power of the motor. The K28 is much heavier than the Annie and its gearing is known to be of a not advantageous ratio. In fact you can push the K28 along the track and turn all the drivers, in fact the loco will run away down a heavy gradient due to this. This is not so possible with the Annie as the gearing makes it harder to turn the whole assembly by pushing the wheels. The motor in the K28, whilst being more powerful than that in the Annie, uses a bit of it available power to just to get the heavier loco with tender moving.
But the cruncher, really is the poor gearing. There is a replacement gearbox, made by a guy in the States, which overcomes this (for a hefty cost!). With 80 axles it would be prototypical to double head now and again .......so maybe k28 number 2?
