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7 Responses to Derailing Problems
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the issue with derailment is either the flanges on the wheels are the old type which are too large and thus when the wheels pass through the points the flanges ride up and cause the derailment or the back to back measurement is incorrect and again, when passing through the points the flanges are caused to ride up and out of the track. Worth checking
Can’t help with your problem I’m afraid, but I have the same issue with practically all my Dapol 00 gauge wagons. Also the couplings often don’t line up with Bachmann couplings. It seems to me that the wagons aren’t weighted enough. Extra weight has helped on some but not all. I won’t be buying any more Dapol rolling stock. Does anyone else have the same problem?
I’ve sometimes had this problem when the blade of the points don’t sit tightly up against the rail. Does the problem happen in both directions? Check the track for kinks etc. Can’t comment on wheel flanges as I don’t have any Dapol rolling stock.
Good Luck
Alan
My first HO train had tall flanges. Maybe a character of older equipment. But as I got into newer cars the cars that rode the ties instead of the rails was the older cars You could here the wheels going across each tie like rumble strips on a road. Just a few years ago I went through some of my old car stock and found my very first caboose from that early train. abd remembering what was happening before I looked at it closer and yes The Flangeswere doing just that. I changed out the trucks and wheels and it is now part of some of my 32 caboose parade trains on my you tube page of SHRINEHILLRAIL and look for the Caboose Parades. Quite a few were from older train sets but only a few had the tall flanges. I am now building my own homemade switches and now that I have been doing this the testing of each includes clearance through the points and the frog especially the frog where there is a lower level of the rail tha helps hod the wheel up crossing the gaps. Add the extra height of the flange then the wheel wants to raise going over them. Going slow sometimes you can get by with them but running fast will kick the wheel up away from the rail and may derail from NEWMAN ATKINSON
I have had similar problems over the years with derailments on points. Watch very carefully as the train goes over the points and see where the wheels lift. I have had to squeeze the wheels on the axle to reduce the back to back measurement on some of my stock to allow the guide rail to do its job. Also check where rails join the frog and moving point blades join the fixed rail, if the rail protrudes sideways it can catch the flange causing the derailment.
Get your self a back-to-back wheel gauge, making sure it is stamped for the gauge you are using (00, EM etc.). Then check the back-to-back measurement of the wheels ensuring the gauge is a tight fit. Once set to the required gauge your locos and rolling stock should now pass through points without problem. This will also work for early Triang locos. Markits make suitable gauges for all scales and should be available from good model shops and ebay. Hope this helps. (tried to attach jpg, but would not work).
If you have a HO/OO Track gauge have a look at the wheel spacing first checking at least 3 places on each axle to ensure they are in gauge. Also check the flange height for all wheels on the rolling hills stock.
If the wheels are correct then check the flange way of the points for clearance. Then ensure the check rails pull the wheel away from the point of the frog.
Also check the points blades are smooth when they meet the stock rails. A little careful work with a fine file is all that is usually required.
Hopefully that helps.