Lionel trains were (well built) toys for kids. I find them very unforgiving of “ok“ (not jeweler quality) trackwork. It seems mere insertion of one piece into another doesn’t assure optimal allignment of the mated pieces. And if you are using twin coil switch machines with gargraves or Ross turnouts, adjustment of the motor is tedious to make sure the points mate properly with the stock rails.
I have heard it said to test your handiwork, run your test train with loco pushing, but I have enough trouble if the loco is pulling!
Maybe I should just leave it to the kids! They must know something I don’t, beside computers.
I believe you hit upon one of ther reasons why Lionel trains have always been popular: they challenge the user, indiscriminate of age, gender or social status, with minor mechanical and electrical engineering problems to solve. They give you a feeling of accomplishment when you build a layout that runs as good as it looks. They’re an educational toy in an electronic world that barely remembers they exist.
And I feel your pain. I spent the better part of a year trying to figure out how to level an O31 ovoid and a circle of Flyer track on a 4 by 6 board on the floor layout to get all of my locomotives on the two gauges to run without derailing. [;)]
I now have a very specific problem which apparently is not my problem; it has to do with the design of the number 1122 switch. I have a left-hand number 1122, and coming in to the straight branch of the switch are two 34 inch marx o27 curves. They are connected in such fashion as to parallel the curved branch of the switch so all tracks from both branches are going out to the left. I have found the same problem with two different 736 locomotives and two different 1122 left hand switches which I have exchanged in my arrangement in an effort to isolate my problem.
By the way, Let me say I have no problem running the Berks through the curved branch of any 1122s I have installed on my layout. In spite of their four in a row driving wheels, there is no problem. This problem is not because of the number of drive wheels and the length of the section of the loco
If you look at the guard rail for the straight branch of the 1122 switch, it is perhaps 21/2 inches long and molded with the ends at a lower height than center. Each segment might be perhaps 3/4 inches long. When the leading trucks of either 736 come in from the curve to the Straight branch, at the point the wheels get to that center higher section, they ride up on the guardrail center section and derail toward the curved branch. both Berks behave identically. Further I have removed one of the 1122 switches and installed a different one and get the identical behavior.
I have thought I might in someway modify a plastic gargraves guard rail and attempt to glue it on top of the lower leading end section of the 1122’s Molded guard rail as a way of retaining the leading wheels in the proper channels. I’m not sure I am enough of a craftsman to do this, and I’m not sure if this will work, even if I can do it.
I’m not sure whether or not installing a larger radius curve like 042s will help, and also, at firs
You may be a victim of Lionel’s typical use of too short a tongue on two-wheel pilot trucks. When the pilot-truck pivot is too far forward, the pivot moves too far to the outside of the curve, oversteering the truck. Put your locomotive at the point where it derails and see whether the truck’s axle is at a right angle to the rails.
Not all screwed down and tested but Managed to fit in an o42 90° turn to replace 034 and rework slightly a parallel track thank you so much smaller space so I am hopeful
Although some folks have reported success with weights and stiffer springs on the pilot truck, the only sure cure for a steering geometry problem is to move the pivot, which should be about halfway between the middle of the drivers and the pilot truck, with a corresponding lengthening of the pilot-truck tongue. Unfortunately, that’s a fairly invasive modification of the locomotive.
Seems I cured my original problem, but a trip through the curved branch yields same problem. I’m gonna test with a 2046 and a 773 to see if Bob‘s comments about 2 wheel leading trucks being problematic play out with my average track-work. If the 2046 is ok, then I have to avoid the Berkshires and just look at them!
I have a shaker box of small hobby wood pieces. My Allegheny’s front driving wheel kept “walking” over a certain curve. A small “shim” of wood (prob < 1/8"), under the outside of the curvature, was all that was needed to correct this matter. Just a slight super-elevation may be all you need.
I have checked Bob Nelson’s comments about the problems of Lionel two wheel leading trucks. My 2046 and 773 locos, which have four wheel leading trucks, run thru the 1122, curved branch or straight, with no problems (I continue to be amazed the 773 will do that!). On the other hand, the 736, with the two wheel leading truck, still will not run through the curved branch although the new track alignment has cured the original problem on the straight branch. If my layout used O22 switches, would that yield a complete solution? I may look further into that, but then I might create a new problem at the transition point from 027 track to the O gauge switch. Don’t want to trade one set of problems for another! Oh, well!
I find that I have to do something about the movable part of the frog in Marx turnouts. My solution is a 2-inch-long guardrail of curved O27-profile rail soldered to the curved stock rail opposite the frog. I pinched the ends of the guardrail railhead flat and bent the 3/8-inch-long flattened railhead and web away from the stock rail to create a tapered entryway. This also creates a space between the heads of the guardrail and the stock rail to get an iron between them to solder their flanges together.
Often overlooked is the front and rear truck springs which have typically long ago broken or worn out on Lionel locomotives. If you are unsure of the age of your truck springs replace them. I found my steam locos were derailing on switches often until I installed new springs wich decreased derailments dramticaly.
I have NOT found the solution to my poor track work; i have removed the problematic stretches–replaced an offending1122 switch with a Ross 072, and straightened out the approach route to avoid the problem Bob Nelson observes with Lionel two wheel pony trucks. But I did come across a video of a repaired 624 pushing a string of more recent (better trucks? lighter weight rolling stock?) cars backwards around a layout through 022 switches and o gauge curves. I cannot do that, and I don’t know why. I have a NYC gondola from about 1955 that finds reason to derail.Further, if i have it coupled betwen a 2426w tender and a 6464 box car, and it is stopped on an 027 curve, when the train begins to move, it will tend to be pulled over to the inside. What can I do so that doesnt happen?
Is it possible that the front truck wheels are slightly too close together? Coming from the curved track to the straight side of the switch, the outside wheel is rubbing the outside rail, but if the wheels are too close together, the inside wheel would ride up on the guard rail. The wheels can be adjusted on the axle. Try spreading the wheels a tiny bit and see if the inside wheel goes where it is supposed to go.
Thnks i will look into that. Might pick up 1/32" there.
But I think my original point was I am not a tremendous craftsman, but i believe I am not terrible. Should you have to be very good to get these toys to run right? I had mentioned the train i saw wuth a 624 pushing 10-12 cars though 031 curves and switches. I can’s do that without derailments. That makes switching operations a chore or worse. I try to remember to oil the trucks on a car which hasn’t been run recently to reduce friction and resistance, but…
But did that person have some weight in the cars to help keep them on the track? very possible. Where those cars of a heavier calibur than what you have?