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Fleischmann Profi-Track and American Rolling Stock
Don who model in HO asks:
“I have a very large collection of Fleischmann profi track and turnouts. My layout is an around the room. My Walthers SD60 locomotives run without problems through all turnouts and track. My cars on the other hand derail almost everywhere even on some straight sections. I have inspected the track where the derailments occur and have discovered nothing out of the ordinary. I am getting frustrated. I have spend a great deal of money on the Fleischmann Profi. But I don’t want to spend all of my time fixing derailments. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am using Walthers rolling stock of various sizes with metal wheels and Walthers couplers. Thanks for your thoughts and help.”
4 Responses to Fleischmann Profi-Track and American Rolling Stock
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You say you have inspected the track. I assume that inspection included verifying that the rails are in gauge.
Now, if you haven’t done so, check the wheelsets on the cars to make sure they are also in gauge. Look at the wheels’ flanges, maybe some are too big (what were called pizza-cutter wheels) and replace any that are questionable. Next, weigh the cars and make sure they are within the NMRA weight standards. Lastly, check the couplers and make sure they are at the right height, are all the same, and that the trip pins aren’t too low.
…..and if all of that doesn’t work. I use my phone to video the sections where the incidents are occurring. Slow motion playback is great to see what’s going on too.
Very clever Mark!
Watch the train carefully on its way round your layout, make a note or put a marker at the exact point where derailments occur.
Then examine the track section (with a magnifying glass if needed) to see what is causing the problem, and examine how the wheels go over it.
Ballasted track may have lumps sticking up that cause derailments.
Rail joins can be out of alignment.
Turnouts can cause problems. Run the problem cars over the turnouts whilst watching the wheels closely.
The wheels on old rolling stock may have wider flanges, which can cause problems on newer track, which may have less flange clearance (depth of rails).