Problem at Crossing

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I have 2 Altas code 83 HO 90-degree crossings close together (not quite in series…a small bit of rail connecting them in one direction). My DCC BLI light mikado 2-8-2 seemed to have problems across these crossings, whether crossing both in series or either one in the cross directions. Not an electircal problem, rather the drivers tended to “walk” a bit across the crossings, jumping up a bit but not to the point of derailing. I noticed some problems with a few freight cars, but not as severe. I got my gauge out and it seems tight at the guardrails, not vertically but horizontally from the guardrail to the rail. I did some filing (of the plastic guardrails) and that seems to be correcting the problem. I haven’t checked the loco flange depth, in case that might be a 2nd aspect. Has anyone else dealt with this?

2

That’s telling me your wheel flanges are hitting the bottom of the flangeways of the crossings.

3

Could be:

  1. Flangeways are too shallow, wheel flanges are hitting the bottom of the flangeway and lifting the wheels up. Check the wheel flanges and the flangeway depth. Solution is to fill/mill the bottoms of the flangeways or to replace the wheels with ones with shaoolw flanges (the wheels should not be the problem).
  2. Gauge is too tight on the track or the wheels are out of gauge too wide and squeezing the wheel flanges causing the wheels to ride up. Since its happening with multiple cars, probably not the equipment. Check the track gauge. Solution regauge the wheels or file the gauge wider (last resort solution).
  3. Check gauge is too tight or the wheels have too tight of gauge causing the backs of the wheels to ride up on the guardrails. Since multiple cars having the problem, its probably not the cars. Check the check gauge. Solution is to regauge the wheels of file/mill the guardrails to make the flangeway wider.
    I use a 4" long piece of a hacksaw blade to mill flangeways. Gently slide the blade throught the flangeway to cut the flangeway wider or deeper. Its a lot thinner than a file.
4

I also had a problem with an Atlas 90 degree crossing and after trying different things I used a razor saw running it between the rail and the plastic flanges.

Bob

5

The rail may not be ‘level’ - Use a steel scale rule or a machinists square to check that rails are level as well. A fine cut mill file can be used to ‘level’ things.

Jim

6

Atlas crossings tend to be noisy and rough operationally as the insulation height makes for shallow flanges. If you keep filing down the plastic insulation between the rails to deepen the flange then that ought to take care of the problem.

I ended up replacing my 60-degree Atlas crossing for a Shinohara a few years back. Now I’m going to replace it with a Fast Track 60-degree crossing. No plastic insulation between the rail to deal with at all. [Y]

Tom