Well i am sure this has been asked before but how can someone help make an engine usble as in i have a cabforward that i bought in the mid 80s. it is to light and derails in meer seconds after starting. and its got old cuplers. I know nothing on how to do this, i am more a detail (cars, structures, weeds) guy. so i am at a loss with this. i have tried and failed, i really dont want to risk this one rather have a pro do it.
cheers Bill
Where do you live? Maybe one of us can recommend a local shop to take a look at it, or a club where you might find some help.
What scale? If it’s HO what code of track do you have? Look at the wheel flanges. If you have code 83 track and the flanges are deep, this loco won’t work. Joe
Like the previous posters wrote, we need more info… like scale, mfg, your location, track situation, etc., etc.
Although the OP did not state this, it got to be one of those:
IIt´s a HO scale Rivarossi Cabforward, built from 1966 to 1999. In the early years, it still sported the old horn-hook couplers and pizza-cutter flanges.
To the OP: The derailments might be caused by those deep flanges, which require minimum code 100 rail- They can also be caused by the loco being off balance - a little to light up front. To find out what causes the derailments, run the loco slowly over your track and turnouts and observe the wheels closely to find out, which wheel (s) is lifting up. This may give us an indication as to what is the cause and how to emedy it.
Sounds like the articulation is binding or cocked.
ok, I live in California, Prundale near monterrey. the engine is HO. runs on Bachmann EZ track, maker is AHM, All stock DC. I only use DC, so nno need to convert to DCC
what wheels derail are the whole tender, and at any time either the front or rear runner wheels. this happens at random. engine cant5 pull any anoumt of cars with out derailing. power wheels run great tho, no derailment on them.