Since I got into this hobby this year I’ve bought different brands of rolling stock, from $4 to $25. Today I picked up a Mantua tank car for about $9 U.S. and upon running it on my track for the first time it derailed a couple of times on a turnout. This is the car…
It was called a ‘heavyweight’ and it does weigh more than most that I have. But, when it derailed I got to noticing the car directly in front of it, one of those that I’ve replaced the trucks with Kaydees, went across the turnout as smooth as glass.
The Mantua has plastic wheels and metal axles…
and I see now that there is no screw that will allow me to change these to the better trucks.
The Sinclair tanker that was in front of it…
has the metal Kadees…
and I wonder what it is about the plastic wheels that would make it derail when the metal ones don’t? Is it the plastic itself or is it the design of the trucks?
In your humble opinion what is the best all around value in rolling stock?
Jarrell
Just a guess but I don’t think it’s the plastic wheels. If you click and enlarge the shot of the bottom of the Mantua truck, the bottom of the side frames (where the axle ends fit in) do not seem to be well formed. In fact, it almost appears that you can almost see the ends of the axles. Doesn’t look normal to me. You can see the difference in the shot of the other car.
I wonder if you don’t have a defective truck side frame that is either keeping the wheel sets from rolling freely or allowing them too much sideplay.
Just a guess based on the photos.
Regards
Ed
Jarrell
Intermountain, Kadee, and a few other companies make replacement wheel sets. Without having to modify the underside of the car, you should be able to replace just the wheels. There have been a number of topics on replacing wheelsets. There should be plenty of good information about axle length, diameter, etc.
Tom
Ed I saw that after I had enlarged the picture and was looking it over on my computer. I wondered why they were like that.
Thanks,
Jarrell
Ok, thanks Tom. I’ve give the seach engine a whirl and see what I can find!
Jarrell
Are any of the wheels out of gauge?
Is it the same truck ?
What happens when you reverse the car?
Sounds like a canidate for a wheel set transplant.
Replacement axle/wheel sets comes in various lengths.
Hi
If you enlarge the pic & look at the bottom journals it looks like those journals are worn away completely. I don’t think wheelsets will help. You need to get another set of trucks with good journals & then you can replace wheels.
Tom
Was it a new car? It certainly looks based on an older design. Mantua isn’t the best company out there, and some of their designs were based, among other things, on old TYCO products. Could be the problem right there.
This is actually normal. The pointy deformations is where the axle is forced into the frame by a machine. Many Athearn & RoundHouse look this same way. It really shouldn’t effect the performance since the side frames ride on the top of the axles not the bottom. However reaming them with a “the tool” or similar couldn’t hurt.
I am guessing something more like locomotive3 has indicated concerning checking the gauge, seeing if it does the same thing when reversed, is there enough side to side rock, does the truck pivot smoothly, Is one of the wheels bumping part of the frame.
If you hold tightly onto the walkway at the bolster end, you can twist and pull on the truck and it will pop out. Be careful - it will pop out suddenly.
I’d get a Plastruct tube of the correct OD to just fit the hole on the underframe and cement it in place. Cut off the tube at the bolster and dress the end so it is smooth and flat.
You may have to enlarge the hole in the tube slightly, but then you can install a new set of Kadee trucks with a 2-56 X 1/4" long screw. As long as the tubes are flat on each end and relatively close to the same plane, your derailment problems should be solved.
Anyway, that’s what I’d try. Using a tube as opposed to a solid dowel maintains the truck center hole for you, even if you do need to enlarge it just a bit for the screw.
Good luck - let us know what you decide to do!
Jarrell;
Check your LHS for scale plastic tubing,then pick a few that will slip inside each other,put one inside of the other untill you get them reduced to 2-56 screws,remove the old trucks,insert tubing in to to hole left by the snap-in trucks,glue in place,( C.A. meduim set),and get new trucks W/metal wheels,you would be suprised how easy this conversion is and WOOLAA runs great,I’ve converted all the cars I had that had snap-in trucks[8D][^]
JIM
[:D][:D]
Sorry I[:I][:I][;)] just posted the same thing,I should have read you post closer[^][^][:I][:)]
JIM
Ok I think I’ll try that. Grab and hold tight, twist and pull the trucks off. Get some tubing (always needing that for something it seems) and make a new screw hole. Next time I’m uptown at the LHS I’ll see what they have.
Thanks for the info!
Jarrell
I couldn’t say for sure without calipers, but to me it looks like the wheel flanges on the Mantua car are very shallow. That would make it easier for them to climb off the rails.
HELLO!!! Didn’t anyone notice in the first pic that the coupler thingy,(I can’t think of the name of it off hand) that hangs down is hanging too low??? Most derailments are caused by after market couplers not being set right.