My Genesis 2-8-2 front end keeps derailing over turnouts even when I remove the 2 small lead wheels. When I push down on top of the cap the front end lifts off the track with hardly any force. I have other 2-8-0s, 2-8-2s, 2-6-6-2s etc. and none of them derail or do their front ends lift up when lightly pushing down on the cap like the Genesis. Has anyone experienced this problem? Any ideas?
Thank You
Steamers are fussier about turnouts than diesels. Start out with the NMRA gauge. Check the wheel gage, the track gauge, flangeway depth, wing rail clearances. Run your fingers over the turnout, any rough spots you feel need some attention with a file. Points should fit nicely into the stock rails. Switch machine needs to pull the points in tight, both ways. Check locomotive weight, and balance. It ought to weigh a couple of pounds, and it should balance right in the middle, in between drivers #2 and #3. Add as much lead ballast to the leading and trailing trucks as you can fit on. Make sure the coupler gladhands are not catching on the trackwork.
It sounds to me like there is too little weight in the front of your locomotive or too much in the back. My one friend had a similar problem with his 4-4-2 where the cab end would lift off the rails with hardly any force. Disassemble your locomotive and see if you can add weight to the front end anywhere to get it to ballance between the second and third drivers. If there is no room to add weight either inside or outside, consider finding a way to lighten the rear end of the locomotive such as cutting off a small piece of the frame. DO THIS ONLY AS A LAST RESORT. If you remove weight from the locomotive, you will lose pulling power, and it could be very easy to damage the motor, depending on the construction of the model.
Since it is an Atlas locomotive which are generally pretty good, I would expect that an interior weight is missing, causing the front end to be light.
S&S
Before You do any cutting filing, taking it apart,adding weght, etc. Put the whole loco on a piece of glass, even a large mirror and see if all wheels are touching the glass, even trying to stick a sheet of loose leaf paper under all wheels. You could possibly have a warped frame, or one not seated properly, causing it to do what You describe. At least You’ll have an idea of whats wrong.
Frank
Put a metal straightedge on the turnout, edge-on, and move it across the ends of the turnout. Make sure there are no kinks at the rail joiners, and the approach tracks are flat with respect to the turnout, not even slightly rising or falling on the way in.
I had a similar problem with a big steamer. What happens is that the drivers stay with the slope of the approach track until they get halfway over the rail joiner and the center of gravity then tips the nose down (or up) to match the slope of the turnout. If the wheels don’t come down exactly where they should, you get a derailment.
You won’t see this with diesels because the trucks can move with respect to each other.
I have had similar problems which were caused by the wires to the tender and / or the drawbar being too short or binding on something, which causes the locomotive to pop a wheelie. You should investigate that potential issue as well.
The Athearn Genesis Mikados were notoriously poor pullers, partly due to their light weight, but even moreso due to the fact that the weight was balanced at the rear of the third driver set, rather than at the mid-point of the driver wheelbase. They attempted to compensate for this by placing an overly strong spring on the trailing truck.
However, they were very smooth runners and generally tracked well - you may wish to check that the trailing truck’s spring is still in place, as it does help to keep some weight on the front end.
The stock locomotive weighs 12.5oz., but I managed to get mine up to 16.75oz. More importantly, that weight is balanced at the mid-point of the driver wheel base. I also removed the trailing truck spring, as it’s not needed for that truck and its presence now has a negative effect on the balance.
Also, I recently replaced the front truck on all of my Athearn Mikes, installing modified outside bearing trucks from Bachmann’s Berkshire:
This was done purely foer cosmetic reasons, though, as the stock truck performed just fine.
Wayne