My passenger train consists of a Spectrum PRR, K4, 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotive, (DCC & sound), pulling 5 Walthers Heavyweight PRR passenger cars, with interior lights installed. I like the appearance of the cars immensely but I’m having problems. I have code 83 flex track on my around-the-walls layout, minimum radius is 30 inches. Considering this generous radius, I have constant trouble with the cars derailing and uncoupling. Seems that the ends of the cars don’t articulate very well in the turns; the “diaphragms” interfere with each other. Also, the nuckle couplers don’t seem to be long enough. The trucks don’t turn far enough so I must notch the sills, as indicated in the instructions. Has anyone else had these problems and how did you solve them?
Two members of our HO scale club had the same problems a few years ago. One gave up and sold off the cars on e-Bay and the other just put them back in the boxes. Even the people at Walthers had no solution.
Hello “timber,”
See the coupler and diaphragm modifications explained in my book, The Model Railroader’s Guide to Passenger Equipment & Operations, pages 23 and 24. The changes shown there actually result in closer coupling, which is more prototypical, and diaphragms that will operate freely on 30-inch-radius curves. (Easements at the ends of the curves would help too, but that’s another matter altogether.)
Also, the screws on top of the Walthers trucks sideframes rub on the lighting contact strips (by design), and that restricts free movement of the trucks. Since the metal contact strips also act as springs for the original diaphragms, I remove them as part of my diaphragm modifications. I also replace the screws attaching the truck sideframes with countersunk flathead screws, for better appearance. If you want to light the cars, run flexible wires from the trucks to the interior.
Good luck with your heavyweight cars,
Andy
I have a similar train that I run on some 18" curves. My solution was to install Kaydee “SHELF” couplers. It still is not perfect and some would complain about the prototypical appearance, but I can run the train.
To me it’s amazing that manufacturer advertises a 24in radius and people can’t even get them to run on 30in. That’s what a luck of competition does to business. I hope Athern, BLI and Rapido offerings will improve the quality of products released. And the fact that Walthers did not improve much the tracking performance of it’s streamlined cars is in odds with their $70 price tags on latest passenger car releases.
What couplers are you using? I would suggest getting Kadees installed ASAP if you haven’t already. The plastic couplers that come with these heavyweights aren’t worth using for very long.
The other issue is your track. How well is it put down? No bumps? No kinks? Superelevated? And as Andy S. said, did you lay it down with transition curves?
Most importantly, have you checked your coupler heights with a height gauge? You can use the NMRA Gauge, but Kadee makes a nice one, and Micro Mark makes a “Go-No Go” height gauge that works pretty well, too. Once you’ve checked to make sure all your cars have Kadees set at the correct coupler height and you’ve eliminated any bad track bumps, 99% of your uncoupling problems should disappear.
As for your derailments…
If you want to try minimal work 1st before going with Andy’s option, try filing the heads of all the screws on all the derailing trucks that contact the under-floor wipers. When these are built, sometimes the screwdriver leaves burrs around the phillips slots and can cause derailments. Some quick filing will take care of that.
If they are still derailing, try bending the contact wipers up a smidge. A little less force on the truck screw head can make all the difference.
How loose are the trucks? Do they pivot freely? Do they sit square? Take a truck and put it on a sheet of glass. All 6 wheels should contact the glass and there should be no rocking when pushing down on a corner of the truck (like having a chair with one leg shorter than the others). You will have to try to straighten the truck out if it’s warped.
I dunno what to tell you about the rest. My own layout has 30" radius curves, and I’ve used Walthers heavyweights for years. I’ve never had
This is a commom problem with the heavyweights (in fact just about all of the walthers) passenger cars. They are built so close to scale that not many curves can handle them without derailing. There are two things to do to correct the problem.
First, install the long centershank Kadee couplers between the cars so the cars can swing out more in the curves and then you’ll have to take a hobby knife blade and shave the car side frames thin enough so that the trucks don’t hit the side of the car when it’s in a curve…chuck
Ladies and Gentlemen, please be advised that there is no such thing as R-T-R in this hobby. It is a misnomer. Every product requires some form of tinkering to get it to work well…every product.
David B
You can “buy my book” too for the low low price of $19.95 and I’ll explain it to you there as well [:D]
" careful now, Mrs. Simpson, diparaging the boot is a bootable offense."
grizlump
That is not generous for a full length passenger car. Remember that on the prototype 10 degrees is considered a really tight curve. 10 degrees is about 88" radius in HO scale. So when one takes a model that is scaled very close to the real thing this is what one must expect. This is also why most of the stuff we have is truly toy trains rather than scale models.
I notch the sills. I remove each truck from the bolster and check to make certain it is free of burrs. I lubricate and reassemble making certain the screw is not on too tight so the truck rests flat, and pivots both forward-back and side-to-side. But neither do I operate on conventional sized 30" radius curves. I run on broad 36" minimum corners. Having learned my lesson my next layout will be 44" min.
I run them on 24" radius. The only problems I had were screws catching on the lighting pickups (file down the heads) and some trucks being out of square. Loosen the truck screws, set on a sheet of glass, make sure all wheels are touching the glass and slowly tighten the screws. Some you may not be able to tighten as they will twist the truck out of square. I run them loose.
What everyone else said: [:P]
Toss the Walthers couplers, install Kadees.
File the Philips heads down on the top of the trucks or replace them with flatheads
Loosen the screws holding the truck to the underframe so that they pivot freely
Check the wheel gauges on the trucks
Lightly lube the axle points where they contact the truck frames (I use dry graphite)
I’ve got 34"-36" radius and have no trouble with my Walthers cars derailing–AFTER I’ve done the above. I’m still not sure about the advertised 24" radius that Walthers claims, though. Just seems wishful thinking on their part, to me.
David B. is right–they AREN’T RTR by a long shot!
Tom [:)]
SIMPLE SOLUTION - GET RAPIDO CARS!!!
Still not RTR. Their diaphragms need to be cleaned up to avoid binding (they have some burrs left over from the sprews that they were molded on). Some came with a warped underframe (no longer an issue) that needed to be fixed. I have had trucks that were way too tight out of the box…a simple backing off of the screw fixed the issue. They are also too light for their own good…IMHO.
David B
I can totally understand what you’ve said. I was almost ready to put them back in the box and get rid of them. However, the responses I’ve received have revived my interest in keeping them and follow through with the repair suggestions provided. Thanks much for you message.
Thanks much Andy for your message and info. I’ll check out the book as well as follow through with your suggestions and those of the other responses I received.
timber
Thanks much for your message and suggestion, I will follow through with your suggestion
I totally agree, thanks for your message
Thanks much Paul for all your information. I will followup on what you’ve suggested.