What exactly does “Out of gauge” mean on loco’s and rolling stock??? I do have one loco that doesn’t want to run, seems the front wheels don’t want to stay on the tracks (Have only tried on straight sections), whereas the back wheels stay on. Are they "Out of gauge?? The other three locos run fine.
Thanks in advance to everyone for your help.
Real railroad “standard gauge” is 4’-8 1/2" between the rails, so the wheels and their flanges are designed to operate on that gauge. Our models similarly have a scaled down gauge and our wheels are designed to run on them. If the wheels are “out of gauge” - if they are too close to each other on the axle, or too far apart - they won’t sit on the track right and won’t run right. Same if the tracks are too close or too far apart.
The NMRA sets guidelines about gauge, wheel flanges etc. that companies making model products try to follow, but our models are so small compared to real trains that even a tiny error one way or the other can cause problems. You can get an NMRA track / wheel gauge directly from them, or from Walthers, or from your local hobby shop. Then you can check the wheels of your engines and cars, and the gauge of your track, and see if they are all correct.
Usually if the wheelsets are out of gauge it’s just a matter of sliding the wheel along the axle a little bit to correct it, although sometimes they can be a bit stubborn.
Stix is right on. Your first next purchase should be an NMRA track gauge. You may be able to get one at a local hobby store, but to get one. It is one of about five or six essential tools for the hobby.
Note, however, that tracking problems can be traced to more than just wheels that are out of gauge. Trucks may be prevented from swinging left, or right, or both, because of obstructions hanging down off the frame, due to plastic flashing left over from the moulding process, because the track, itself, is out of gauge, and so on. Trucks are sometimes twisted so that an axle doesn’t sit properly on the tracks. At turnouts, points rails may not sit tightly against their stock rails, or a frog may be too high, or the guard rails may be out of gauge.
Often as not, it isn’t a gauge problem or a truck problem, but it is due to the track sections not being level and securely held in place by roabed below them. If a track section can flex a bit at the joint, chances are excellent that the engine will not behave there, particularly on a curve.
-Crandell
99% of the issue of wheels ‘jumping’ the rails is due to bad guage; either the track or the wheel sets. NMRA track guage is the answer! learn to use it properly and you will be rewarded; its a small cost with huge dividends. the cost of the other ‘get my wheels in guage’ tools are minimal compared to the reliability and ‘fun’ factor.
i typicaly replace the wheels with a quality aftermarket source and have great results.