hey guys i am building a new N scale layout and was running my Kato sd70 when it derailed on a curve. what it does is the rear wheel just pops off the train runs but… do any off you no what is the minumuim raduis for a sd70??? Tim
Does it kind of ride up and fall off? That means it needs some track doctering, carefully placing shims. If it is a radius problem, I bet about a 12" would be the min for consists.
Your radius might be too tight for a big diesel like a SD70. A radius of 11" or 12" would solve your problem.
Cheers,
Cliff
http://cliffordconceicao3310.fotopic.net/c328807.html
a six axle loco is not as tolerant of small track defects such as kinks or bumps as are four axle ones. the trucks will raise one wheel off the rail and may cause derailments. when i was in ho i had an sd9 that kept derailing on curves. i removed the flanges on the wheels on the middle axles and no more problems.
No, that’s not the solution! The solution to six axle locos is track doctoring, not shaving off the flanges! Plus, when doing that, you might even damage the wheel!
[#ditto]
Cob jobbing doesn’t fix a problem…The ONLY real solution is to FIX THE PROBLEM!!!
Check gauge of the track if it is in one location. Otherwise, radii could be the problem. I would most definitely work on the track long before I ever looked to tinkering with the locomotive.
Try placing a thin, flat stick over the rails, not a long one. Run the stick along the track with a small marked glass with some water in it. Mark the water level with a thin black line when the glass is on the counter after you have filled it. Place it on the stick, and run the whole thing, grasping only the stick, along your track. You’ll see the uneven parts real quick.
You could also just use a LASER level if you have a small one.
when i removed the flanges on the center wheels it was because i had 15" radius curves and could not increase it. i did have several steam locos that had blind wheels( no flanges on the center drivers) from the factory for tight curves. and there were prototype locos with blind drivers in use on some railroads. i still have that sd9 and it was a cheap tyco loco and it still runs.
it sort of just goes along and the back wheel just slips off and rides the side of the rails
check the swing of the back wheels the wire may be binding and not moveing freely
jm2c