I have just a few cars that will stay on the track for a few laps. One is a Tyco 50 footer, has the trucks worked, PK 2000 wheels, Kadee coupler, Kadee couplers boxes, wheel flanges are in a row, weight is NMRC standers plus a little more with 20 cars behinde it and coupler height is with in .10 of a inch.
When it derails and comes unhooked front truck is the one off the rails. I nhave yet to try running it backward’s. Some times that seems to help for some reason. I have all so flipped the axles, sometimes that help’s.
Any ideas what I am missing?
Oh, the CK record? For it to be a record train pull it must make 4 laps around the board. Just pulled 62 cars quaded headed with old BB’s that came from E-Stupid. That is 43 feet of train with most being 50 footers. [:)] Old record was 55 cars.
Cuda Ken
Does it always happen in the same place, could it be track related? Is it speed related? Do the truck pivot freely? Are the trucks too loose and allow the car to lean too much? Are the wheelsets in guage? Is the radius of a curve too tight?
These are other things I would be looking at.
Cuda Ken,
Check to make sure the wheelsets themselves are in gauge. You can use your NMRA standards gauge for this. Usually you can just press the wheels gently back into gauge.
Also, remember that the key to smooth running is a two-part system. The wheels are one part, but the other equally critical part is the track. It must be level, joints must be smooth, and it must also be in gauge. If you’ve ballasted your track, you need to check if any ballast is stuck to the inside of the rails. Run your finger along the railhead (and slightly to the inside) and feel for any bumps, burrs, or obstructions.
If it is random, good luck figuring out this puzzle.
I’ll assume you have carefully gauged your wheels, and that the wheels are in alignment front-to-back in the truck with both axles pressed to the same side of the truck.
If it occurs at one or two spots, then it is a function of the track and trucks. Even then, the real culprit could be the couplers. Maybe the curve is sharp enough that the trucks turn to their extremes, but the couplers must part company at that point or pull the car out of the tracks.
I would look for something that is interfering with the smooth pivoting of the trucks if the curve is as wide as all others.
Also, maybe the coupler, if it is not a new replacement, is out of spec…worn enough that it no longer holds properly when under the most tension.
Dave, had that pretty much covered. Never found the problem with the turck? But I replaced the truck and now it is happy on the board? Guess trains can be as hard to figuer out as my wife! Seems $20.00 is to much for a engine but the rock on her finguer that cost me $3000.00 in 1973 is driffrent?
Oh well, what can you say and thanks for the answers.
CK Rail Road rolling on again.
Good one on the record there, Ken. Glad you got the problem resolved. Those tucks can be pesky critters at times.