Have you considered the possibility that you simply have a defective piece of track?  Maybe it wasn't originally defective, but you may have slightly twisted it so the rails are not the exact same height.  Try replacing it and see if you have this same problem before you do all of this other stuff that has been suggested.  If you have the same problem a second time, at least you have eliminated this issue, but it really sounds to me that this might be a real possibility as soon as I read that you were using flex-track at this location.

The problem could be in one of two locations...either where the wheels on the front truck derail or the location where the REAR wheels are located when the derailment happens.  These engines weigh enough to keep both trucks on the track and if the front truck is slipping off, the problem could easily be where the rear wheels are located when the derailment happens because it raises that front truck slightly...just enough to derail when you are going one way, but not the other way.  We are talking about an incline here.  It could be just a rise or a dip...that's all it takes.

This really sounds like a track issue to me.  When it comes to derailments, HO scale trains are really unforgiving (the engines and cars all have a straight, inflexible chassis and do not have independent front and rear suspensions) and the track has to be installed just right the first time or you are going to have to do it over...eventually.  Get it right the first time or you will have to do it over after endless frustration.  Trust me on that!  I know.

Does anybody make weights specifically for Con-Cor passenger cars...like, for example, Athearn does for its passenger cars?

If the answer is no, how much weight did you add to your 72' passenger cars?  I assume that you added them at each end.  If not, what did you do?

ABC: I have two additional questions:

(1) Were your Con-Cor passenger cars the 72' cars or the 83' cars?

(2) Do they come with the weights or do you have to add the weights like you have to with the IHC passenger cars?  

As an aside, I have had three brand new complete IHC car sets (8 cars each..RPO, baggage, diner, sleeper, vista dome, observation and 2 coaches)) for at least 2 years  that I have never used (except to open the boxes and look at them) and I am wondering if they are worth the risk and trouble of changing the couplers (after cutting off the horn hook couplers) and adding the weights or should I just sell them off while they are still brand new and untouched and get the Con-Cor passenger cars?  The car sets are UP, SP Golden State and California Zephyr.  I even have the weights that go with them (the weight for each car comes in about 24 pieces that have to be glued in both on the floor and under the carriage)...as well as the Kadee adaptors and couplers.

I don't want to work on them and then have them not work on my RR layout because they are longer then 72'.  I have a few Walthers  passenger cars that are the 83' length that didn't work out...and they had 6 wheel trucks.  I am seriously considering getting rid of the IHCs before I do anything with them..

That's why I am looking at the shorter 72' Con-Cor passenger cars.

Can anybody tell me anything about Con-Cor and the quality of their 72' HO scale streamliner passenger cars?  Is their quality comparable to Athearn?  Is the quality better or worse and in what respect?  What other manufacturer would they be comparable to?  Do they use 4 or 6 wheel trucks and how do they handle on curves?  How do they handle on Bachmann EZ-track?

Can Con-Cor knuckle couplers be replaced with Kadees?  Can I use #5s pr #14 whisker couplers...or do I need to use a longer coupler?

I am looking at their 72' SP Golden State streamliner passenger cars.  Anyone who has had any experience with 72' HO scale Con-Cor passenger cars (or who just knows anything about them), please fell free to chime in.

Passenger cars over this length that have 6 wheel trucks seem to cause me too many derailment problems.  My turn radiuses range from 18" (inside track), 22"-26" (middle track) to 30" (outside track).

Train World called me today.  They had everything that I ordered except for the baggage car, so I told them to backorder that one and send me the rest.

I was also able to get the parlor car from a place called Model Train Stuff (whom I have patronized with good results several times before) for $19.99.

I think that this turned out well.  I'm still looking for the RPO though.  Since the RPO isn't even listed as being unavailable by Walthers (or from any other vendor that I have checked), I'm beginning to wonder if they even have an RPO for the SP Lark Heavyweights.

ABC:  That's good ro know...I'll keep you posted on whether I am successful or not with Train World.

Thanks.

Doneldon:

Glad to hear something good from you about Train World and that you have patronized them before.  This is my first time trying them, so I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.  They have a HUGE listed stock of Walthers passenger cars in all RR names and both the streamlined cars and smooth side pullman cars list for an average price of $27.99 each.

Once you know the exact size screw you are looking for, you can also order them from Amazon.  Price and quantities are variable, but seem to be decent.  I had good experiences doing this and was able to stock up on a variety of sizes and quantities that I use all the time and have plenty of spares on hand. 

You just need to know the exact screw size you are looking for in advance.

A company like Accurail also sells a package of 100 screws, which is great for spares if that is the right size that you are looking for.  You can check their site for more info.

I keep them in one of those cases made by Stanley that contains a variety of small boxes and is contained in a carrying case with a handle and it works out great.  I have 2 or 3 of these cases containing all of my spare screws, nuts and small RR-related parts, such as couplers, etc.

ABC: Yes, I am referring to the two-tone grey paint scheme.  I believe that it is called the "Lark" scheme.  I have found a site called Train World in New York and I ordered 5 cars (baggage car, 2 coaches, the observation car and 46 seat diner), but now I am waiting to see if what they have listed is actually in stock.  It was all listed as being on hand, but we'll see. 

I did tell them to let me know via e-mail if they were going to have to backorder anything  (especially the observation car) and if they couldn't fill most of the order, I was going to cancel it.  The price of $34.99 each for the 5 heavyweight cars wasn't too bad.  I did find a couple of other shops where I could get certain cars (other than the ones that I ordered) for $14.99 to $19.99 and I am going to snap them up.

I still can't find the RPO, though.

Does anyone know of a good hobby shop that might carry Southern Pacific passenger cars made by Walthers (other than the "Daylight" paint scheme)?  I am looking for both the "Budd" streamlined passenger cars  and the heavyweight two tone grey cars.  Walthers is out of most of them.  I checked E-bay with little luck and Amazon was no good either.

"Gorilla Glue" from Home Depot works for me.  It's white like a wood glue and dries clear...and what is glued STAYS glued.  I have used it to glue down track, buildings and landscape...no complaints.

If something has to come up, just break the seal with a sharp knife.

It works on wood, plastic, glass...you name it...and it dries overnight.

Great story Jim!  Guys like you are both selfless and priceless.  You have helped me several times before and I suspect that you have helped many others as well.

I am glad to see that there are people out there who will take the time to engage these active minds of the young kids.  They are the future of model railroading...and everything else.

Well done.

Please extend my greetings and best wishes to him as well.

The sad news of the passing of Art Linkletter has a special meaning for me.

When I was a kid, I was one of 4 kids from my elementary school in South Central Los Angeles, California who appeared on Art Linkletter's "House Party" television show. It was a big deal back in those days (the mid-1950s) for 4 little Black kids to appear on a television show of that magnitude and we were the talk of the school. He gave me an Athearn HO scale electric train set which started my life long love affair with model railroading. I never forgot the experience. Nearly 20 years later when I was living on the East Coast, I met of one the women who also appeared with me when she was a little girl on that show and we talked for a long time that night about that experience. It brought back a lot of good memories.

Art Linkletter was a class act who made a tremendously positive impression on me. I know we all have to pass on one day, but I hate to see him go.

Art Linkletter put a lot of smiles on little kids faces...including mine..and made a lot of people laugh. I know that my experience was not unique and that a lot of other lucky llittle kids just like me who appeared on his program...of all colors...will never forget him.

In a way, it's kind of strange how one event can have a life-long effect...but that's the true story of how I got started in the World's Greatest Hobby.

There are many good things that people will say about Art Linkletter and I just wanted to say a few of them.

We lost one of the good guys today.

I posted some much better photos showing the details of the back drop in the last couple of days.