can somebody PLEASE help me, I have tried everything…my loco STILL derails, not always in the same spot. Is it possible that I have nailed the track down too tight? I have cleaned the track the wheels, I’ve used the gage thingy, for proper spacing,etc, everything is copasetic, so before I freak out completely and burn down my home and train shed, can some body give my any advice?
If your track is in gauge that shouldn’t be your problem. The loco wheels need to be in gauge. The track needs to be as level as possible from rail to rail. If one rail rises or dips suddenly while the other rail is level that will cause a derailment on most 6 axle diesels in a heartbeat and has been known to derail some 4 axle units also. Steamers are even more sensitive to flaws in trackwork. A good way to check the track is to lay a level on it and see if the track dips or rises. As far as nailing it down too tight, that could be a possibility. The nails shouldn’t be driven down hard, only until the head just rests on the tie but doesn’t push it down.
I’m curious as to what loco is it that you are having problems with–the track(sectional, flextrack what have you) and the code–code100,83 or-- A lot of the information was left out from your post.
In general-look for burrs on track, it might have laid tight–although i’m not sure on that–are you derailing after you go through switches? there may be loose bits–ballasted tracks–too much ballast nailed me a couple of times–check that out.
Other ideas will come
Thank you very much!!! i may have nailed it down too tight, I thought that if I didnt drive it home then the track would be too loose. So, by nailing to tight I may have actually squeezed the rails closer toghther? I did hammer them QUITE hard, but then, hats me, my wife says that I am an extremist. Thanks for your help! 
Its a 4 axle loco, not sure on model. my track is flextrack code 100, all joints have been soldered and filled smooth(careful not to file too much)no ballast on tracks yet, I’m just a baby modeller. And yes, now that you mention it, it does derail on the switches,…but only the atlas code 100 no 8 turnout. I’m starting to lose my wittle mind, I’m getting fustrated and dissapointed, I really don’t want that, I just want my trains to work. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! sorry about the whinning Thanks for your help
Both nailing it down too tight and the Atlas turnouts might do it on their own. When laying track I usually use cork roadbed–you can use a caulk for that then lay the track on that. Using the rail spikes or whatever the things are called–don’t try to nail them into China!! Lol!!(laugh out loud)–I did that too!! As Jeff mentioned if you clobbered them you might have inadvertantly put them into a rising falling situation. The turnouts need to be gone over very carefully —check to make sure that all rails connect with NO gaps where they are not supposed to be–that may be why the train goes off the rails—
If indeed you did drive the nails down too far that would cause the ties to bend and make the rails pinch together.
-
Track nails, whether on cork roadbed or straight onto wood, should only be driven in until they JUST touch the ties. You don’t have very strong forces trying to pull them up. [:)] <\p>
-
Check for kinks - track joints that aren’t dead straight. <\p>
-
On the loco, check for free swiveling of the trucks - they might be getting hung up. (This is also true of the lead and trailing trucks of steamers.) <\p>
-
As others have mentioned, check for humps and dips. <\p>
-
Make sure the points of the switches meet the stock rails solidly, and that the wheels aren’t “picking” them (flanges riding up on them), or splitting them (the flanges getting between the point and the stock rail). <\p>
-
Clear out the frogs of any bits and pieces. Drive the loco over the switch VERY slowly, watching closely for any erratic behavior of the wheels. Note that Atlas Code 100 switches tend to have wide check gauges for the guard rails. This will allow the wheels to pick the point of the frog. It can be corrected by gluing a shim of styrene to the rail side of the guard rail, thus forcing the wheels away from the frog point (which is the purpose of guard rails anyway).<\p>
One other thing to check is that the wheels are centered on the axles. It is possible for them to be in-gauge, but off center. That makes the loco or car sort of crab-walk down the track and it becomes prone to picking the points or frog of a turnout. Here’s an illustration of what you want to avoid:
You see the wheels are gauged OK, but the top set is shifted to the left and the bottom set is shifted to the right. This can be one of the most non-obvious problems and it can drive you nuts, so check it before it’s too late.
Good luck.
When you say you have a “4-axle” engine, I assume it’s an 0-8-0, or another engine with 8 drivers plus some pilot wheels. Some of these engines are designed for large curves - at least 22-inch radius, and sometimes larger. If you’re using 18-inch radius curves, you may be asking the engine to take turns which it’s not designed for.
Run you engine very slowly over the spots where you have trouble. Watch for places where the wheels start to climb up over the rails. They may not derail at slow speeds, but this climbing motion is the starting point of a derailment. It may surprise you that the derailment actually starts about 6 or 8 inches before the train actually leaves the tracks.
It’s either the track or the rolling stock. If it derails at the same place[s] it’s the track. If it derails at random places, it’s the locomotive. Keep track. Stick a post-it note beside the track each time it derails. If the post-its pile up in the same place[s], it’s a track problem. If they are scattered around the layout at random, it’s a locomotive problem.
For the locomotive check
-
Things sticking down too far and catching on turnouts, uncoupling magnets etc. Especial offenders are coupler gladhands and truck bottom covers.
-
Wheels out of gauge. Also deep flanges that strike tie plates, nicked or chipped flanges, lumps of crud on the wheel treads.
-
Sticky trucks that don’t swivel freely. Trucks also need a bit of fore and aft freedom to ride up and over bumps in the track. On steamers the pilot wheels need enough weight or spring pressure or both to keep them on the track.
For the track check
-
There are three things that count in trackwork, gauge, gauge, and gauge. If the track is in gauge, don’t worry about how hard you drove the track nails. Check gauge everywhere, several times.
-
Kinks. Sight down the track and make sure each track joint is straight. It’s easy to get a little kink into Snap track at each joint.
-
Rail joiners. Make sure the rails are inserted fully into the rail joiners and not slide over the top.
-
Rough spots. If it feels rough to the touch, it needs to be filed smooth. Turnouts often need touch up at the frogs and the guard rails.
Or it could be a 4-axle diesel… [:-^]
You say “my loco” as if you only have one – what brand and type of locomotive is it? Assuming it is a diesel engine with 8 wheels, it should stay on the track better than a steam engine with 8 wheels, but without knowing the brand and type of engine we’re stabbing around in the dark on where the problem may lie.
I think most of the ‘trouble spots’ have already been mentioned, but I have one that is not too obvious.
I had similar ‘derailment’ problems with several of my Athearn “Blue Box” F-7 locomotives. It was driving me crazy too. I discovered that some of the break cylinders on the trucks were binding with the molded in ladders. This happens when the radius is 18" or less.
The problem can be solved by pushing the cylinders in as far as they will go, particularly on the operating end. In fact most of mine are now a little ‘cock eyed’ but they clear on the turns.
Since you didn’t specify your ‘locomotive’ maybe this will help.
Derailments are caused by a mismatche between rolling stock and track - (such as rolling wheels not following the track). Causes…are multiple, and there lies the rub.
Plan on revising trackwork, and using Gauges - NMRA .& Kadee - and judicious use of eyeballs to fix problem.
NOW it’s dealing with the laws of ‘probability’.- and welcome to the club…
The model loco is a athearen gp35 diesel 4 axel. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND SUGGESTIONS GUYS, I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DONE.
A couple of things to check that I have encountered with Athearn locomotives:
Take it off the track and put it gently down onto a very level surface such as a smooth table top. Shine a very bright light under the locomotive from both sides and look at it from the other side with your eyes at table level. The wheels should all be firmly down on the table top. Sometimes a truck gets warped and one or more wheels ride up off the rail.
Remove the shell and make sure both drive shafts are intact and you don’t have a broken or twisted one. If only one truck is actually pulling, the torque can cause wheels to lift off the rail and derail.
I had 4 Athearn Genesis SD70s that all had warped trucks that continually derailed on curves. The only solution was to purchase and install new trucks.