I have built my layout using all atlas turnouts. One thing that I’ve noticed is that my trains seem to “bump” over the frogs which sometimes makes them come off the tracks. Should I grind the channel in the frog a little deeper? Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks.
What type of wheels do you have on your cars? I found that some of my cheaper cars with plastic wheels had tall flanges on them which would cause this.Changeing to a better metal wheel with a shorter flange will stop this and make your cars roll better. Be careful if you start filing your turnouts. You can mess them up real quick.
Make sure your couplers aren’t dragging over the turnout. This is ususally what causes derailments at turnouts.
Also, you might want to make sure that the wheels of on the trucks of the cars that are doing the “bunny hop” are in gauge. If they are out of gauge they will slip into the flangeway and then as it narrows it will bounce them out.
Another thing is just check and see if there isn’t something in the flangeway itself - a glob of dried glue, and old track nail, etc.
-George
[#ditto]
EVERY single piece of rolling stock that bumped over my Atlas Code 83 turnouts was found to have at least one wheelset out of gauge when checked with the NMRA gauge. Some modelers are quick to condemn Atlas products as cheap and inferior, and the source of much trouble - but none of my rolling stock or locomotives derail over any of my 100% Atlas track layout - not even large steam locomotives operated in excess of realistic speed.
–Randy
Sometimes if you loosen the screw holding the truck and give it more play it won’t be as stiff and will flow over uneven spots better. Had one yesterday where this took care of the problem.
Thanks for the replies. I’m sorry I didn’t get back here sooner.
I have replaced most of my rolling stock wheels with Kadee non magnetic wheels. I think that I need to invest in a track gauge. And probably the gauge for my couplers as well. I’ll check these things before I try to “butcher” my turnouts!
yes, a wheel gauge is definitely essential. Or just get a Micro-Train gauge which has eerything on it and just get a piece of styrene board of the right thickness to check the coupler arm height, that’s the most common turnout problem for me.
I’m going to a small train show this weekend. I’ll see if I can pick one up there.