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Front Tender Wheels Derail
Leslie asks:
“I have an Athearn 4-8-4 DCC and the left front of the 4 tender wheels keep derailing. They are spring and swivel. Oiling made no difference. Thoughts?”
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HI, never had the problem but I suspect that the spring might have been strech for some reason and it will lift the buggie too much hence a derailment on the left side., Compare the 2 springs for lenght and pressure.
Try another two similar springs( a pair) likely similar to the one the right side.
Léo
From Québec, Canada
I have a DCC steam engine from Rapido that has the same problem. Except all the front wheels derail on any curve. The type of connector they use holds the front end of the tender up from having full weight on the wheels. I put a piece of lead to way it down. Not perfect but better.
Check that the derailing wheels, truck, and spring are installed in the right direction and not skewed. Also check the manual and the trackwork.
Listen to Miss Victoria and check the wheels with a NMRA Standards Gage to make sure they are set to the proper width.
I’ve have had similar problems with derailing, you tend to look at track first for an answer but the best investment you could make is a wheel guage, the wheels on my loco where a little bit tight and after adjusting them to run freely I didn’t have any problems this applied to running tender first and front bogie on another loco, couldn’t believe the difference it made.