Large Scale Central

LGB 20542 Aster Hudson #71 Steam Locomotive - Traction Tire Size

General Discussion
#1

Hi Folks - Someone asked me what size traction tire to use on their LGB 20542 Aster Hudson #71 Steamer. I found the locomotive’s User Guide online, and believe it or not, it doesn’t mention the traction tire in the list of common repair parts like the light bulbs, etc. All the LGB locomotive user guides I’ve seen always list the traction tire in the list of common replacement parts. What an oversight! Anyway, I am guessing that the locomotive’s large wheels requires the 54mm traction tires which are also used on the Mikado steamers. Can someone verify for me to use the 54mm traction tires for the Hudson? The LGB Part # for the 52mm tires is E136259.

Thanks

#2

Tom, (do you really need 2 threads?)

My pal got one years ago and yes, the traction tires were defunct. He cut neoprene on his laser and made his own tires - they were so sticky the loco squirmed from side to side as it went around the curves. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-frown.gif)

If you don’t get any other useful responses I can email him and ask him to measure the wheels. However, I doubt they are 54mm if it is the 20542 Hudson. That loco is 1/29th and the prototype wheels were 79", which is 2.72" (2 3/4") in our scale, or 69mm. Here’s #5405 next to my Accucraft Hudson - and we compared the sizes at the time to verify the LGB/Aster was 1/29th.

P.S. I’m a bit confused about your “#71” in the description. The LGB 20542 NYC Hudson was #5405. There was another brass 1/29th LGB locomotive, the LGB Aster 21832 WP&Y mikado #73.

#3

Hi Pete - Thanks for the response. Yes, I’m a little impatient since no one responded to my question in the “General Forum” so I tried again in the Problem Solving Forum…okay my bad! I have a customer waiting to buy the traction tire from me and I need to solve the traction size question. I was going to next post the question on the UK Forum GScaleCentral.com if I didn’t get the solution today. So, the options for larger wheels the 46.5mm for Moguls or the 54mm tire for Mikados.

As far as the loco #71, I took it off the OnlyTrains.com Website for a old listing they had of one.

LGB 20542

#4

Just measure/compare the wheel and LGB tires. Sizes are:

69104 37mm (smaller than the width of the 45mm track rail spacing) Most common tire Stainz, F7 etc.

69184 46.5 mm (Almost the same spacing as the 45 mm between rails) Mogul tire

? 56 mm (wider than the rail spacing) Mikado tires

#5

Dan - I don’t have the locomotive in my possession and the customer has it stored away right now. According to the OnlyTrains.com Website, the Mikado traction tires are 54mm size.

Mikado Traction Tire

#6

the options for larger wheels the 46.5mm for Moguls or the 54mm tire for Mikados.

I’m sure the Hudson is bigger. I emailed my pal to ask about his - the one in the photo above.

#7

Response from my pal who owns one of these:

Hi Peter,

Please have your friend call Tom at www.onlytrains.com

Tom was able to get me tires that fit. This was many years ago.

I will measure when I can get to that locomotive. It is really hard to get to it right now in my garage.

#8

Thanks, Gentlemen: Yes I did email Carrie at OnlyTrains.com asking for the correct size traction tires for the Hudson…she handles most of the parts questions and orders for customers. I told her I do have the Mikado traction tires I previously ordered from them and whether they would fit the Hudson.

#9

Thomas White said:

Thanks, Gentlemen: Yes I did email Carrie at OnlyTrains.com asking for the correct size traction tires for the Hudson…she handles most of the parts questions and orders for customers. I told her I do have the Mikado traction tires I previously ordered from them and whether they would fit the Hudson.

OnlyTrains.com tells me they don’t stock that specific traction tire.

I’m sending my customer the 54mm traction tire to see if that will work. I think it should even if the Hudson wheel is a little bigger than the Mikado.

#10

Okay, here’s the final scoop. OnlyTrains.com is out of stock of the Hudson tires. They actually obtained them from Klaus Stork, another LGB repair and DCC sound decoder installer like me, located in GA. Many years ago he worked as a consultant to the original LGB company in Germany and he had the Hudson tires specially fabricated in Germany. He’s going to send me one for my customer.

Another Hudson posted a response to me on the GScaleCentral.com forum that he uses the Piko 36042 BR64 Traction on his Hudson and they fit well. So I’m also going to order some of them for my stock.