I have a sd 60 that runs good when it is on the tracks but for some reason it will not track right it will not go over any #6 turnouts or even around my 24" raduis track. It will work about 50% of the time. I have heard that there is a fix for this but have not been able to find it out O by the way it is a Athearn! Any sugestions! Also I have checked the wheels with a guage for the proper width and I also have other six axle loco that work fine
The SD60 doesn’t like imperfections too much. Make sure the track and/or turnout isn’t twisted with the outside rail lower than the inside.
When I first got mine I had the same problem. The suggestion was one of the problems with a 22 inch curve. For the other 2 spots it just didn’t seem to want to track so what I did was hold the loco and rotate the trucks to work them in. I put them through the full motion of up/down , rocking left and right and turning to the full extents. After about 5 minutes each truck they loosened up some and the problem cleared.
Also remove the shell to make sure the trucks aren’t hanging up on any wiring.
I had the same problem with one I bought a while back. If I remember correctly the front truck was hitting on the back of the coupler box. I just rounded the backside of the box with a dremel tool to let the truck pivot freely. Also make sure your wheels are in gauge as that sounds like your problem with turnouts.
NS had one they were using as a yard switcher that had the same problem , everytime it came to this 1 switch it would jump the track . So your problem sounds very prototypical .
wheel guage too narrow. this is always my problem with n scale, i think you’re ho scale, but its worth checking anyway. push the engine slowly thru the switch and see which axel is riding up and widen it. just a thought…
Had the same problem, always at the same place on the layout. Shimmed up a rail at the turnout, and problem solved.
I can’t say that it’s the cause of your derailment problem but Athearn did have a run of bad power trucks on some of the Genesis line. Typically the locomotive would cut out and stall but I did have one of their RS3’s that would derail and the mere sight of a turnout. That particular locomotive had cracked axles and was repaired for free by Athearn along with the others I had sent back. Weather the cracked axles were a result of the same issues that plagued the rest of my Genesis fleet I can only assume so as Athearn replace all of the power trucks on all of my locomotives for free and even picked up the postage to send them out.
You have nothing to loose by giving them a call, they are a super bunch of people and definitely know the meaning of customer service. I am a loyal Athearn customer as a result of that customer service I only wish they made steam engines