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Derailing At Turnouts

Started by eagle37, April 23, 2008, 07:21:54 PM

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rocknblues

#15
Gene, they are as delivered, so I will have to check the weight, also, I have been going through all the threads I can find, I may have to gauge the wheels? I will have to buy a gauge. I tried a heavy B Unit, its weighted like a loco but no motor, and it too derails following the loco. To me it seems like its hitting the frog head on, once in awhile, the B Unit (unweighted) will jump back on but all the wheels are not on the rail until it gets to the rerailer. I guess I have some troubleshooting ahead of me. Thank you for your help, any more suggestions, please let me know. - Rock     By the way, I too noticed the pivot pins are wobbly from loose rivets. I guess I will bring it back or send it in for a new one. I am thinking of picking up a #5 LH and see if thats any better. My treasurer will not be happy about that.
rock :)

Yampa Bob

Just buy your treasurer a new car or diamond, works every time. 

I still believe the best way to find problems with turnouts is with a test car. Actually you can test with just a loose truck with metal wheels.  Put you index finger in the middle of the truck and run it back and forth through the turnout.  You can feel the slightest imperfection.  Some turnouts have too long a flangeway opening, the only cure for that is to replace those in problem areas.

Personally I don't like metal frogs. If the plastic spacer wears down only slightly you will get a short.

Many of the layouts seen on the net have turnouts on a curve.  I have learned from experience not to do it.

I had a thread on how turnouts are designed on real railroads, but it's down due to needed clarification.  Guess I better get it back up again.  It was sort of a wasted effort as very few viewed it.   
I know what I wrote, I don't need a quote
Rule Number One: It's Our Railroad.  Rule Number Two: Refer to Rule Number One.

hgcHO

Bring that thread back up - "on real railroads'  = interesting reading maybe.

HGC

grumpy

Personally I go with Steam Gene .That is the problem I had with one of my turnouts . My solution was to make sure the turnout was firmly fastened to the base This took out the slight twist in the turnout.
Don

Yampa Bob

HGC
I am working on it. I have been researching and studying turnouts for over a year, and have come to the conclusion that most of them are poorly engineered.

For one thing the springs are very weak, so a train traveling with the points set in the wrong direction can still pass thru.  The only way to keep the points tight against the stock rails is to use manual throws with strong springs.  Wheel gauge is also very critical at turnouts.

I also think very few modelers run their trains at realistic speeds, and don't have their stock properly weighted. 

I'll save the rest for my article.

Bob
I know what I wrote, I don't need a quote
Rule Number One: It's Our Railroad.  Rule Number Two: Refer to Rule Number One.

Cody J

Im kind of new to model railroading. Im only 12 yrs. old and I just got my Bachmann HO Thunderbolt a couple weeks ago.  But anyway, I have no idea what a turnout is.  Is it like a switch or what because I know how to operate a switch my brother has a HO Bachmann.

Please Help

-Cody L. Jackson
CSX Mt. Storm Subdivision- Freemont, West Virginia

http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk49/trainsrock96/

RAM

A switch is what you turn on to turn on the lights.   Turnout is a railroad term for changing tracks.

Cody J

Ok I was a little confused. Thanks

-Cody Jackson
CSX Mt. Storm Subdivision- Freemont, West Virginia

http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk49/trainsrock96/

T-Lloyd

I have a train the consist of 9 open hoppers and there really light weight and when i back them into my yard (over some turnouts) they derail, should I add weights?

rocknblues

#24
Try it and see if it helps. Are the turnouts thrown into the correct position when backing into them? Try a few things, gently put weight on top of car without being hooked up to loco, push it through and see what happens. Make sure your track is laying flat and not binding. You will figure it out.
Does the very first one derail? Or do they derail after several cars have gone through it? Sometimes the turnouts have to be tweaked. You know a BFH and a crowbar. I had a LH turnout with derailments everytime, it was  straight from the box. I did some car tests without the body on the car, figured out where it was derailing, and why, tweaked it just a bit. It works beautiful, no derailment since, forward or backward, with different cars, and different locos.
rock :)

Yampa Bob

In a dictionary one definition of a switch is: "A device to transfer rolling stock from one track to another", in other words to "switch" tracks. 

Turnout or switch, another case of semantics, either term is acceptable.  I visited with MOW personnel in Wichita, they all referred to them as "switches". 
I know what I wrote, I don't need a quote
Rule Number One: It's Our Railroad.  Rule Number Two: Refer to Rule Number One.

SteamGene

T-Lloyd - I used to weigh my open hoppers to NMRA standards.  I don't anymore.  Because of their CG mine don't seem to need any extra weight.  Check your wheel gauge. 
Gene
Chief Brass Hat
Virginia Tidewater and Piedmont Railroad
"Only coal fired steam locomotives"

T-Lloyd

the main ones that derail are 5 the rock hopper i bought off ebay, the wheels arent that good even though they are metal,they are a bit oval like and its usually the cars in the middle that derail

SteamGene

Chief Brass Hat
Virginia Tidewater and Piedmont Railroad
"Only coal fired steam locomotives"