No matter how smooth and even the track is, some cars occasionaly wobble, particularly high cubes etc negotiating complicated crossings. A way of solving this problem that works for me is to remove the truck and with a thin toothpick, apply a VERY SMALL dab of Vaseline petroleum jelly to the pin or screw. The Vaseline should provide lubrication between the pin and truck, as well as between the truck and car body. Reassemble and test. I find that so far (over 4 years) there has been no interection between the Vaseline and the plastic truck/pin/screw. The viscosity of the Vaseline is such that it will not weep, run or spread to unwanted areas (providing not too much is applied) but at the same time it still allows N Scale trucks to negotiate track curves and crossings without problems. A cheap, small jar of Vaseline will last for years.
What do you think of this idea, or have I re-invented the wheel. Have not heard of anybody doing this.
Being sans a layout at this particular moment in time I can’t check this procedure out but you can bet your bottom dollar that I’m going to just as soon as the opportunity presents itself. I hadn’t thought about using petroleum jelly but I do know that back in the stone age–the metal trucks and underframe age–they used to lubricate the kingpost(?) point with 90 weight differential grease. A couple of members on a club I once belonged to did this.
Add weight. Every model piece of rolling stock I’ve ever seen is way to lightweight. Add one or two ounces to each piece of rolling stock and that should reduce the wobble to something that is more prototypical.
Vaseline attracts dirt. What I do is add weight, metal wheels and use #2 screws in place of the truck pins. I tighten them down so the truck just has enough side play to allow for uneven track. The problem with truck pins is that they are no designed correctly where the pin goes through the truck. They are too small and do not fit snugly to hold the truck in place.
Being a tightwad dinosaur and don’t add weight,use metal wheels or screws to cure any wobbles-to date I had one Atlas Trainman car to wobble…I simply ensure the truck pin is pushed completely in.I do this by using a small phillips head screwdriver.
what kind of #2 screws do you use, like machine screws or self tapping and how long?? I have some cars the pins just will not stay in and this sounds good