Always Fixing Track?

[RobertInOntario]

I agree and have found the very same thing. I've tried to run my "worst" or most problematic diesels over the layout to purposely find the electrical problem areas. I thought my layout was really set to get ballasted and firmly attached, but just yesterday I found that one engine's front two wheels derailed passing over a particular rail joint. Since I knew the wheels were correctly gauged, I worked with the track to make sure the radius was constant and there was no narrowing of the rails. After a while working on it, that engine doesn't derail anymore. My "test" cars have always been the longer AutoRacks paired with a long engine with a short coupler. If they derail, I keep working on the track until the problem is fixed. It also seems to depend on the car/engine maker as well. I never have a problem running Kato passenger cars, but the Concor's will always find a problem spot and derail. It seems like the shorter cars/engines can easily hide a problem spot whereas the longer engines/cars magnify any little problem.

Thanks ... it looks like we can both relate! I also test the track by running my most quirky locos and coaches.

BTW, I have about 25 locos, and I can get most of these now to run well on the track. As mentioned, my older locos (whose electrical pick-up isn't as good as the new ones) are the most prone to either stall or hesitate at the frogs on the turnouts. Also, the older locos have much thicker flanges, so a few of them will either stall or literally jam at the frogs. It seems that their "pizza-cutter" wheels can't fit through the narrower and finer spacing of the frogs on the modern Peco turnouts.

So part of my problem is that I have layout where I'm trying to run both vintage as well as brand new stock. Overall, the layout is now working well but the large-flanged wheels and more limited pick up of the older locos are a problem. ... I inherited a large collection of older trains from my Dad and also like collecting vintage British locos from the 1960s.

Rob