I am always on the look out for 027 sized cars that run smooth without being so light they fall over on curves when pulling a heavy load through 027 switches. The current K-line sets have very short, well operating cars that drag a heavy load without jumping off the track.
Does anyone have other suggestions? Especially for cars NOT offered as sets.
Jim H
Well, you can always get in touch with me, Jim! I have a bunch of O27-size cars (Lionel and K-Line, for the most part, and all new or like new), that I’m trying to dispose of and I will entertain any reasonable offer. [:)]
Look for MTH “rugged rails”, Lionel “traditional”, K-line “train19”, or Industrial rail cars. These are all nice cars.
Jim, nearly everyone has something that will run and negotiate 027 curves and also clear the switch boxes on the Lionel 027 switches.
There are 3 main causes for the “jumping off the track” that you descibe and none has to do with the weight or heft of the car.
The manner by which the truck is attached to the frame or body of the car. If the truck is loose - that is wobbles back and forth when you hold the truck by the coupler - then you will have derailments unless you reattach the truck. The metal rivets used for so many years do not hold the trucks to the bodies as tightly as they should be, so you need to drill them out and reattach the truck using a blackened hex or truss screw with a stop nut for flat cars, and a silver truss screw / stop nut for inside cars like cabooses, box cars.
Coupler opening. This is a problem with the otherwise high quality Industrial Rail cars, especially on 027 curves that are a “S” shape… that is a left curve leading directly into a right curve track. You need to take a Dremel tool with a grinding bit and file down the inside space of the open coupler on the inside left hand-side of the coupler. The same problem and fix can apply to other couplers, espeically the Lionel non-operating dummy ones.
Wheel sets. Many short 027 cars made during the MPC era came with plastic wheel sets (and also had trucks attached with a plastic snap rivet… see #1). Many tiimes when the plastic wheel sets are replaced, the metal ones come from parts dealers who often get Korean knock-offs. Order a bulk of fast-angle wheel sets and you’ll see what a mean… the gauge of them can vary quite a bit within one bulk bag. Make sure the wheel sets on one single given truck are identical. They can vary a little from truck to truck on the same car, BUT NOT on the same truck… or you have derailments.
I speak with authority here. I have run 15 car trains with a nine inch plastic MPC car in the lead, going backwards through a “S” reve
Thank you for the suggestions! I think I will look for some Train 19 cars as that seems to be what I really like…
Brian, Thank you for the extensive email. I will try some of your tips as well.
Allen, Will you please send me an email. Your post email seems to be off.
Jim H
I took Brian’s advice regarding Industrial Rail’s couplers and it made a world of difference! My IR hoppers were literally 1 more derailment from the trash can. After opening up the couplers, they no longer derail (unless I’ve just jinxed myself by saying so).
Jim
Thanks Jim! I absolutely guarantee my tips here will work! Folks talk about adding weight to cars and such. And the golden rule of layout design is not to have “S” curves, especially with 027 and even more so with switches… well, I’ve broken every rule. And my level of derailments has gone down to almost zero, except for my own stupidiy and carelessness. And when I do have one, I find the culprit is one of the 3 things I mentioned above.
To tighen up the truck mounting on Railking and Industrial Rail cars, you want to remove the truck and then using a Dremel tool with a grinding bit, take down the height of the nub (that goes into the body mounting hole) just a little bit. There is a little bit of wobble on these trucks as they come, and probably not as much of a concern with larger radius curves.
I was frustrated with my IR cars too Jim. Even though I think they are without question the nicest 027 cars ever made by anyone (with the exception of the caboose they made). Then I noticed how the couplers would bind on the curves despite my correction the truck wobble. Ah ha! Results!!!
I know diddly about TMCC or DCS, but ask me about 027 - that’s my area of expertise!!!
Thank’s Brian, that was an education. Regards Steve
Yes, thanks from me too ! That’s great info for me down the road. I am going to try to save it, if I can. Thanks, John