Con-Cor 2-8-8-2 crumbly chassis

[brokemoto]

From what I understand, when WKW re-issued the USRA 2-8-8-2, it did add traction tyres.   I did not buy one, as I am not running too much big steam anymore.   I do have the original LL issue that lacked the traction tyres.  It runs well but is an anemic puller.  Another funny thing about it is that it has a twelve wheels live tender that is not connected to the locomotive electrically.  I understand that WKW corrected that as well.

Everything that I have ever read about the WKW issue suggests that the pulling power has improved.

I understand that ATSF did have USRA 2-8-8-2s that it rented to the Pennsylvania during the Second World War.   Unlike the 4-8-4s that Pennsylvania rented from ATSF in the 1950s, the Pennsylvania did put its lettering on the 2-8-8-2s.

[Mark5]

Broke,

N&W sold 6 old y-3 2-8-8-2s to PRR in 1943.
The same year N&W sold 8 Y-3s to ATSF. After the war ATSF sold 7 of them to the Virginian, which used them until the mid 50s.

UP also bought 5 of the old Y-3s in 1945.

Of course these are the USRA 2-8-8-2s, not the crumbling y6bs from the topic of this thread.

Mark

[mmagliaro]

Yes, the later Walthers 2-8-8-2's had traction tires.  But what if you don't have the later one?

Angus has 2 early-release ones, and some crumbling Rivarossi ones.   I am thinking about what his best option is.
Repairing the crumbled frames appears to be a dead end.  But he has two good-running Walthers ones,
whose only serious shortcoming is that they can't pull.  So, it seems to me that putting a tire on
those might be the best way to solve his problem.

Angus, try the 2-sided tape trick and see what happens.   Folks buy that really thin double-sided Scotch tape,
cut a thin strip with a straight edge and a razor blade, and carefully wrap it onto the driver.   You could try this
on two geared drivers on your Walthers 2-8-8-2 (one on each engine truck) and see if the pulling improves
to where you want it.