Okay, so I have 4 tables going around my room, were the ends meet there is a gap, one is higher than the other, so when my train goes around it it derails....how could I fix this problem? ???
Thanks,
Alex
Get rid of the gap and the difference in height. That's basic benchwork. If for some reason you must have a difference in height between two tables, build a roadbed that fills in between the two elevations. Simple civil engineering,
Gene
See, it's a very small difference, but my passenger coach and engine keep derailing...if I got some extruded foam and laid it over all of the boards, would that work, because then I would think it would be just a slope..
Alex
Alex,
Sounds like the problem is that slope created by the difference is too sudden. Trains need gentle changes in direction for both curves and grades.
The abrupt change is lifting the wheels off the track, and it will be worse with long cars like passenger cars.
Sheldon
If your passenger trucks were built-bolt for bolt-like the prototype, with all of their equalization, then the trucks would have some give; but that is not the case, huh? They are SOLID; and therefore, one end is going to ride up into the atmosphere, while the other end teeter-totters on that back axle. If it has any side to side lateral motion, it will derail the car when the foward axle comes back down on the rails- and/or the train. Fun, huh? If you don't believe me, then watch that truck real close when it goes over that hump!
Word of advice-just an echo of all on this forum: Pay attention to your joinery, whether it be benchwork, and/or trackwork. Be meticulous! Use some forethought and planning. All the craftman kits and brass locos won't mean a tinkerer's hoot if they can't run for beans without derailing on lousy trackwork!.
I have a goodly number of sprung (equalized) trucks, and I wouldn't depend on the springs for EQ if my life depended on it! They are way too stiff. Good trucks, and they generally do the job; but still way too stiff to do justice to the situation you have at hand; at least for my peace of mind.
Rich
I'm going to get some 4" by 8" sheets of foam and put them over my plywood, so then it will only be a slight grade.
Alex
Alex, I don’t know why you can’t get the tables the same height. You should be able to shim up
one end of the table, or shim up the roadbed. I do not know what you are using to hold the tables
together. You can not have movement between tables. You can use c-clamps to hold them
together. Make sure that the joints in the track are straight. If you have a straight track on one
table and curve section meeting at the table joints, than you are just asking for trouble. What you
need to do is fix the problem and not just cover it up.
Woodlang Scenic makes a foam grade riser. That may help too - if all else fails..
I don't have roadbed yet, I don't even have all the track I need, and the tables arnt held together really. :-\
Rule #1. Benchwork must be solid.
Rule #2. Refer to Rule #1.
Gene
I thought rule #1 was 'obey all rules'
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My benchwork is solid....just uneven..
Uneven is not solid,
Gene
Well, it doesn't move...that's....solid.... :(
You've said that your benchwork is not held together. While each section may be solid, the fact that they are not a unified whole makes the entire thing unstable. Look at modular layouts, designed to be taken apart and put together. They have a means - normally C-clamps- to lock each module to its neighbors. You need the same thing.
Gene
Quote from: rains train on November 14, 2007, 11:25:24 PM
Well, it doesn't move...that's....solid.... :(
But the trains will move...horizontally ;)
raintrain;
Gene gave you some good advice. What's wrong with you? If you build or use halfassed ANYTHING in this area, it will fail!!! Pay attention to people who are experienced at this stuff! You'll fare better.
Rich
Quote from: Conrail Quality on November 15, 2007, 09:23:07 PM
But the trains will move...horizontally ;)
still better than vertically, though
You have been gave some good advice on track buliding. Take it from experience, if you don't have good, solid, level, smooth jointed track, you are going to have derail nightmares. I had to learn the hard way, as none of my trains would run without derailing. You can not have any sudden inclines or declines either. You have to make a gradual change in all grades. I tore up 150 feet of track and started over and finaly got a trouble free track, but only by making sure every piece was perfect. You can't even have a piece that is not secured without asking for trouble, especially in curves. If it wiggles the least bit, you got a derailment. I could never get the hang of track nails, with EZ track, as most of the time they would warp the rails beside of the nail. I hot glued all of mine in place and used grass and rocks to cover up the glue. I got 3 sets of rails now and can have 2 trains running on each rail for hours and have no problems!
Well, the people at K-10's (train store in my area) told me the foam would work, they've been working with trains for a long time :-\
Foam works. No question. Foam between platforms works, as long as the platforms are solidly fastened together.
You've got a lot of guys trying to help you. You know the joke about the guy praying to God to win the lottery and finally God says "Give Us a break. BUY A TICKET!" ?
Buy a ticket.
Gene
Okay, I'm going to fasten the legs together and get some foam, and hopefully it'll work! :)
The foam is working beautifully!
derail, a lot of guys gave you a lot of grief and could have been more gentle. The key to everything you do to run nice smooth trains is make that track work as smooth as you possibly can. Do what ever it takes and what ever method that works to get the roadbed smooth. I work on a club layout that did not have good bench work. It was solid but they did not have it very smooth. I have used everything from foam to drywall hot mud to cark stock to get the track smooth. Merry Christmas. Larry
How about some pictures. It may help us figure out what is going on better than what we understand now...
Its fine now guys, the foam is perfect! Makes the unlevelness into a grade..which the trains can go down without derailing!