I'm slowly getting my Athearn CNR passenger cars to run on my small 5.5x3.5' layout. As mentioned on other posts, this layout normally operates in "British mode" as it's essentially set up to depict SW England in the 1950s. However, I occasionally like to run my N. American stock on it, which I've been doing recently.
I think I've solved the coupler problems on these Athearn coaches (see <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=4214">viewtopic.php?f=17&t=4214</a><!-- l -->) by gradually identifying and replacing the problematic ones. Now, I'm slowly solving their derailment problems. Because the layout's curves are so tight (15"R), some of the 6-wheeled trucks derail in certain areas (mainly two areas) on the layout. I've tried swapping out wheel-sets and adjusting the track & that doesn't seem to help -- I think it's curious that most of the coaches/trucks pass through all areas of the track no problem, while others frequently detail.
Last night, I started to add some weights inside the two problematic coaches, right over the offending trucks. So far (and for most of the time!) this seems to be working. Do you think adding extra weight is the best way to solve this problem? I'm mainly asking b/c, in the past, I've had mixed results when adding weights to cars. Also, are there any other things I could do to solve this problem, such as replacing the entire trucks, assuming there is something wrong with them?
Thanks in advance,
If weight works, do it. Your layout is small and you have no grades, so the adverse affects of too much weight won't be felt. When I was much younger, I attempted to make Athearn 6-wheel trucks track better on poor track by taking out the center wheelset. That worked with marginal success.
Hi Rob
In my experience, the wheel sets on Athearn coaches are often out of gauge. If they are the insulated type, it is almost impossible to correct since onw wheel is fixed in place while the insulated one will slide. That means the "correction" will end up skewing the whole truck. But you said that you have tried swapping the wheelsets.
So all that to sat what was suggested above. If the weight works - you have your solution.
Andrew
nachoman Wrote:If weight works, do it. Your layout is small and you have no grades, so the adverse affects of too much weight won't be felt. When I was much younger, I attempted to make Athearn 6-wheel trucks track better on poor track by taking out the center wheelset. That worked with marginal success.
Thanks, Kevin -- I've already pulled out the centre wheel-set on the worst offender. So far it's working better! Rob
MasonJar Wrote:Hi Rob
In my experience, the wheel sets on Athearn coaches are often out of gauge. If they are the insulated type, it is almost impossible to correct since onw wheel is fixed in place while the insulated one will slide. That means the "correction" will end up skewing the whole truck. But you said that you have tried swapping the wheelsets.
So all that to sat what was suggested above. If the weight works - you have your solution.
Andrew
Thanks, Andrew. Yes I have swapped out several of the wheel-sets with new wheels bought at an LHS.
I thought I should also point out that, on the problematic trucks, you can actually see them rise and lift up off the rails as they pass through these two particular areas on the track. I thought that was interesting -- adding the weights stops this from happening, i.e. keeps them more firmly on the tracks.
Cheers, Rob
Two things to check on 6 wheel trucks:
Is the centre axle lower than the others, that is, does the truck rock about the centre axle? The easiest solution here is to replace the truck (!) or else find a way to open up the bearing hole.
Are the wheels in gauge? If they are, do they line up? If the gauge has been adjusted, it's possible for one wheelset to be offset compared to the others. This also can happen if the axles have been removed and not put back exactly as they started.
Adding weight may help -- there is a standard, but it as developed in the days of cast metal ends and wooden floors and roofs so it may be a bit heavy. Consistency is best.
I found a small scale in a disorganized store a few years ago.
In all my looong life "playing" with trains, I'd never had to re-gauge a wheel set.....Until I purchased a B'mann 2-8-4. The pilot truck kept jumping off the rails on the exit to the turnout leaving the yard. Literally thousands of wheel sets/trucks have gone through that track with nary a whimper. So I figured there was something wrong with that pilot truck (Brilliant..!!
). I took it off, and checked the gauge with my micrometer, and compared it to the gauge of another wheel set. Yup...It was a tad on the narrow side. I spread the wheels on the axle just a bit...and...It worked..!! So there is something to having a gauge around when checking track/tracking problems....
In your case, I suspect the track itself, and while additional weight might "cure" the symptoms, the cause will still be there....
Thanks -- I'll check these things, especially the middle wheels as well as the gauge.
Cheers,
I don't think weight ever really helps, i think it just hides problems. True, it is possible for a car to be underweight, and that would make it extra jumpy. However, there seems to be an obession with loading down cars with ridiculous amounts of weight. I feel that passenger cars and the long cars like autoracks suffer the most from the NMRA's "weight formula".
I notice that in my Walthers Comet commuter cars, additional weight causes drag on the wheels, holding my trains up. Meanwhile, at factory weight, they perform extremely well even on bad track, while being pushed at top speed, even through switches.
Green_Elite_Cab Wrote:I don't think weight ever really helps, i think it just hides problems. True, it is possible for a car to be underweight, and that would make it extra jumpy. However, there seems to be an obession with loading down cars with ridiculous amounts of weight. I feel that passenger cars and the long cars like autoracks suffer the most from the NMRA's "weight formula".
I notice that in my Walthers Comet commuter cars, additional weight causes drag on the wheels, holding my trains up. Meanwhile, at factory weight, they perform extremely well even on bad track, while being pushed at top speed, even through switches.
That's what I've been wondering -- I've become cynical of adding weight b/c of mixed results. However, in this case, it seems to be working.
Basically, when these trucks pass through a couple curves, you can actually see them lifting & rising up from the track almost as if there is a shape or angle problem (with the trucks or the track). I noticed that, if I pushed these cars through the offending curves while gently pushing down on the coaches, they would stay on the track.
This prompted me to add the weights to see if the same thing happened, and so far, it has, i.e. the trucks seem to be staying on the rails.
This is all trial and error!
Thx,
Rob: 15" curves may be at the design limit of those cars. If you have a spare piece of curved track, check if the wheels or truck run into anything at that radius.