G F tender locos

[rogerdee490th]

What are your secrets to getting these to run correct, I always seem to have poor connection between tender and loco for the current collection. The little wiper arms feel the weak link on a couple of examples I have hard wired them.

[GeoffAlan2]

I've used thin wire soldered on both sides at convenient points to bridge the gap between tender and loco on a couple of mine.
The same solution used on Dapol tender locos.

[Paul-H]

I find the tender drive versions much harder to get reliable running with, generally the loco drive models run more reliably.

I think the main issue is

A, the drawbar not always making contact

B, the pickups in the tender are just about pointless, what the point of putting pickups on a wheel that has rubber traction tyres.

I actually have up on the tender drive models and sold them all and will now only by loco drive tender models

[GeoffAlan2]

Steam locos can be made that run beautifully.
Union Mills pick up one side on the tender and he other side on the loco, which I think is called the American system. The wire they come with connecting loco and tender is bit thick, and I have replaced them with finer wire to no ill effect.