Hi Guys
I was wondering Is it normal for engines to sway slightly and I use the word slightly, when traveling over plastic frogs. I use E-Z track and I ahve noticed that engines do this. The cars and everything are fine and nothing even comes close to de-railing but I just wanted to know for my own comfort.also can plastic frogs become damaged???
Thanks guys
Jeremy
It may be that the flangeway (the space between the rail and the guard rail at the frog) is not deep enough. This is a common problem with Atlas snap switches too. You simply have to make the space a little deeper. You can do this with a small file and a bit of patience. Try running a truck (wheelset) through to see if this is in fact the problem. If you don’t have a spare, just take one off a car temporarily.
The other answer is - yes - even plastic frogs can be damaged, especially if you are not careful when filing them out [;)]
Andrew
Yes but! See which way they lean when they hit the frog. Toward the frog the wheels are dropping into the flangeway. Away from the frog the frog is too high and can be sanded down. Just use fine emory cloth in a block of wood. Just make sure the emory cloth only contacts the area you want to sand down. If the wheels are dropping into the flangeway you have to consider if all your engines have RP25 contours or you have some of the older engines that only run on code 100 rail, If they all are RP25 you can build up the bottom until the wheel flange just touches the shim. OR you can just watch them rock and roll which happens in real life also.
But BEFORE you do any modifications to your track or wheels, measure everything with a NMRA track & wheel guage. You only want to change the item(s) that are not conforming to the standards.