I have a IHC 4-6-2 that every time it goes over a turnout on my layout, the piolet truck derails. It does this about 1/2 through the point. Can any one give me and exclimation on why it does this and a way to solve this problem?
I will think either there is a kink somewhere in the turnout or the pilot might be stiff( ie not turn smoothly). or wheelset not true or… ergh…
Does it do this on both the straight and curved path, or only the curved path?
What kind of turnout is it?
Does the pilot swing freely if you lift it up and hold it in your hand?
Try running it very slowly over that point, and watch what happens. My guess is, the outer wheel at the front of the pilot will “pick” the points, and actually start riding up right at the tip of the point. This may be happening because the track leading into the turnout isn’t perfectly level, and the engine is actually at a very slight tilt upwards as the pilot hits the points. Thus, there’s no weight on the pilot, and it’s easy to lift it up and over the rails.
I had this problem with my Mehano (IHC) 2-10-2 when I first got it. The pilot truck was too light. I got a flat piece of lead and stuck it too the top of the truck with Super Glue Gel. End of problem. It could also be a gauge problem. Check the gauge of the pilot truck and check the gauge of the turnout as well.
It derails only when going straight. My other loco’s make it just fine exept for my bachmann sd40-2 and it’s the egzact same thing. the piolet truck is fine on mobility and gauge. I’ll check and see if the track is level enough and see if that fixes the problem.
!
sorry…[:D]
Hi there,
first get yourself one of these http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/98-1 and you will be surprised what you discover is not perfectly aligned. Next take a look at the switch and check for the frog and make sure that there is enough space for the flange to run along.
Take a gondola and run it along by hand and try and feel how the wheels roll across the track. That is also how you can feel differences in the track.
Frank
I had that trouble on a Mantua 2-6-6-2 logger. By going very slowly and using a little flashlight to observe the wheels I found that the wheel flanges were picking the notch in the stock rails. I really think Atlas got carried away on the point picking thing by notching the stock rails too deeply. I cured the problem by filing the notch smoother just like you would taper a point. BILL
Nathan, I will go with Jeff on this one. My BLI Hudson did the same thing, I added about 3/4 of a onces of lead to the front wheels and now it tracks great. For the heck of it pull the front truck and see if it makes it around that way.
Cuda Ken
All good suggestions. Also try losening the screw holding the pilot truck about a quarter turn. Sometimes they just need alittle extra play.
Well, the last time I looked at it the pilot truck, it’s riveted to a bar (but it still moves freely, it can take a 18R curve) and that bar is either riveted or screwed into the body some where above the driving wheels’ frame.
Gauge, Gauge, Gauge…
Gauge your wheels, gauge your track,
David B
exact, I have no clue maybe, its the weight like Jeff said
Well, now I’m realy scratching my head.
I looked agin and the pilot is riveted to the draw bar but the draw bar is screwd onto the front of the driving wheels’ truck so I took it off and got my LL 0-4-0 and got the screw and linked the 2 draw bars and ran it back and forth over the switch and it DID NOT derail.
So, what could be the problem.
I had the same problem with a similar loco- I found out that the front truck pilot had a spring holding it down to the track (gravity wasn’t enough) and everytime it came to a turnout it wouldn’t go the way the points were telling it to.
Here’s what I did- I removed the spring. Problem solved. It doesn’t derail and works great.
Lots of good advice. I’ll add my [2c].
This illustration shows one of the sneakiest derailment sources:
Notice that the wheels are in gauge but off center, to opposite sides. This causes that truck to “pick” frogs and points and derail. It can be worth checking.
Good luck.
Shayfan,
I have to do that all the time because the loco will stop running and ill shake the body thus moving the wheels from side to side and it runs. I did do this with my derailing loco.
Removing the spring on that truck didn’t work.
Sawyer; The bit about coupling it to another loco plus what shayfan said just gave me a clue about one of my own locos that does the same thing. I’m wondering if the manufacture process used by Mehano or whoever doesn’t make for a lighter than normal product. There would be little weight in the front hence… when coupled to something weight was added and then no more derailing?[:-^]