Hello all. I'm a newbie to this wonderful hobby so I seek your council. I have a problem with my new loco derailing at the turnouth areas of my layout. It seems to handle the 19" curves ok. I have the kato unitrack 3-103 set and Kato power supply. I really love the loco, but just to play with my new toy without frustration I unscrewed the 2 front wheels and now it runs perfect. Any suggestions on what to do would be grateful. Thanks
Hawk,
Pony trucks can be a bit finicky when running through turnouts. Things to try:
Check that the wheels are in gage (the right width) and spin fairly free. Sometimes the mechanism that holds the wheels in place can be a bit tight.
I like to adhere a little extra weight to the top of the pony truck. A penny is enough weight, but a bit bulky. I like to flatten a very small fishing sinker and adhere the sinker to the top of the pony truck. It's not visible and provides just enough weight to make the truck cooperate with the turnout.
On rare occasions, the factory has been known to install pony trucks upside down, which causes problems as well.
This is assuming no other rolling stock is getting stuck through the switch. If that's the case, then it's time to look at the turnout itself.
Regards,
Jonathan
Thanks Jonathan! I didn't think of that at all. I'll take your advise and add some weight on the pony truck area and see if that will do the trick. My rolling stock has no problem on the Kato turnouts. It really doesn't look that bad running without the pony truck and not to noticeable, but to the seasoned railroader, it would probably look a little bare on the front end. lol Thanks again!
Hawk
I've solved this problem the same way...By gluing a small bit of lead to the top side of the leading truck. Make sure it doesn't touch any part of the frame as this will only make the problem worse..!!
Gus
I had the same problem, and took the "pony truck" off. Now, I would like to try adding that weight y'all talked about, but I don't know which way is upside down. I didn't pay any attention when I took it off. Is the side where the axle is visible the bottom?
Quote from: rufuswhite@gmx.com on March 27, 2015, 12:30:07 PM
I had the same problem, and took the "pony truck" off. Now, I would like to try adding that weight y'all talked about, but I don't know which way is upside down. I didn't pay any attention when I took it off. Is the side where the axle is visible the bottom?
Look for the diagram on line. Under "Catalogs and Brochures" in the header above. It should be there somewhere.
Here, I found it:-
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/HO_260_DCC_sound_.pdf (http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/HO_260_DCC_sound_.pdf)
Cheers
Roger T.
Thanks, rogertra; that picture shows what I needed to see.
ok so I went out and bought two kinds of small shot sinkers at Big 5 sporting goods and used the smallest one first, thinking if it wasn't heavy enough I would resort to the larger one. I flattened the sinker with a pair of needle nose pliers and using the double sided tape that came with a package of square weights for rolling stock that I bought at a train hobby store, I cut off a very small piece. Then I loosened the pony screw, not taking it off, just loosening it enough to swivel it outward to the side and with tweezers I attached the sinker to the tape and then to the top of the pony truck and then screwed the truck back in place. SUCCESS! No more derailing issues! Thanks for the tips guys!
All good advice,and I too have had similar troubles with various Pony Truck Locos. However if you still have a pony truck derailment which these hints have not fixed,and if it is not just the turnouts,get your track gauge out and see if any parts of your track are tight,that is slightly out of gauge. I found this after I blamed a turnout for my 2.8.0 derailing ,where it was a small section of curved track before the turnout that was out of gauge. A bit of filing both rails and checking with the gauge,solved that problem. It's very pleasant when these locos glide through the turnouts (points). Years ago I actually sold a nice 2-6-0 that I could not weigh down ,that simply would not run through curved turnouts.My layout is only 10x5ft.with tight curves,18inch,better or worse,with several curved turnouts ,and many switching spurs(sidings),and happily no derailments now. At 84 years, I too am still learning and experimenting. Bachmann Forum has taught me a lot.
Good modelling.
Owen