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Derailments 18 Inch to 22 Inch Curves
If you are an experienced model railroader you be able to assist Mike with this problem he is having:
“I recently purchased an HO diesel loco with 6 (3 3) trucks. The unit keeps derailing as it goes across turnouts. The problem may relate to my having converted the original layout from 18 inch to 22 inch curves but left the original turnouts in place. If I replace the turnouts with #6’s (22 inch curves) do you think my derailments will be minimized?”
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4 Responses to Derailments 18 Inch to 22 Inch Curves
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Run the loco over the point – very slowly – and watch the wheels to see where they are lifting off the track, it might be something silly like a bit of disturbed ballast, or a bad join between pieces of track. A lot of modern loco’s don’t like the very sharp bends of older tracks, and the bogies don’t turn far enough, especially if there is an S turn in there.
Many modern loks have a 24″ minimum radius and your #6 should work. Therefore, Eric’s thoughts plus a NMRA guage should make the problem obvious. If as Eric mentioned with “S” bends, place a piece of straight track after the switch to add length for the lok to travel on such tight radius as would be used in a freight yard.
And don’t forget about the pizza cutter flanges that may lift the wheels off the track when going through the frogs and such.
Check the gauge on the wheel sets. Sometimes a slightly over gauge wheel set is forced by the check rail on the point to ride up on the frog and hence derail.