My new Proto 2000 E7’s derail on almost every curve? Can anyone help?
What radius curves do you have?
Check the level of your track. Is the outside rail lower than the inside rail in any spot? Do they derail at the same places every time? I have several P2K E7’s that run quite well through my 18" radius curves. Anything tighter and they’ll derail every time.
The tightest radius is 22". The front inside wheel on the front truck does not follow the curve of the track. I thought it might be the radius, but the engine is suppose to run on 18" curves. The enfine will go through curves in reverse.
It appears the truck is hitting the plastic step ladder that habgs below the body of the cab.
I’ve noticed that these locos have a lot of detail on the trucks and that some of it can get hung up on the ladders/steps. In a couple of cases I had to very carefully trim of these details just eb=nough to keep them from snagging said ladders/steps. A pair of fingernail clippers worked very well for this.
Many thanks. I’ll give it a try.
I have two proto RS 27’s that used to derail on curves as broad as 30" radius with the front truck the only one to derail on both of them. I removed the shell and found that the front pickup wires from the truck to the decoder board were going through holes in the frame that was too small to allow the wire to move when the front truck was supposed to swivel into the curves. I removed the wires and the truck and enlarged the holes so the wire was free to move when the trucks did. I also had to grind off some of the edge of the front weight to give the wires more room to move. The holes that the wires from the rear truck passed through were three times the size of the holes for the front truck and were not causing any problem.
Model a long, long, long, long tangent and you’ll turn into a very “happy camper!”
I will also look at this solution. These are brand new engines (right out of the box) that my father-in-law received as part of the Hiawatha series from Walthers. They look and sound great.
Blasphemy!
Now with all that end-of-locomotive overhang, will it pull/push cars without them derailing?
long wheelbase six axle locos hate vertical curves (humps and dips), run the loco very slowly around and watch the trucks carefully to see where the wheels are lifting, and shim track to level it out.
Have you checked the wheel gauge? Just a tiny bit too wide will also cause derailments on curves.
I’d go with the outside rail on the curve being low, even if it is by a hair. It doesn’t take much with three-axled trucks and a long frame above them.