Rolling stock wheel height

Charles Mark

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Dec 5, 2002
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I'm experiencing a problem with one car [so far] derailing at a switch most everytime going thru it. The pin seems to be high enough. Engines and other cars go thru without a problem. I'm using N Atlas code 80 track/switches.

Not knowing this but do they sell cars with low profile wheels and would this cause a problem? Before investigating further I thought I would ask.

Charles
 

mhdishere

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Feb 27, 2003
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I know there are fine-scale wheels for HO and O scale, don't know about N. They would have much finer flanges and treads than the "Standard" wheels. If there's no major visible difference between the wheels on the car that derails and you others then that's not the problem.

Here are some major causes of derailments caused by the car (since the other cars work OK I'll assume the problem isn't the track):

Wheelset out of gauge. Check the wheelset with your NMRA standards gauge. If you don't have one get one! If the wheelset is out of gauge replace it.

Wheelset is otherwise a problem. Maybe one wheel wobbles as it rolls. Remove each wheelset and roll it on a flat surface, if any wheel wobbles replace the wheelset.

Binding in the trucks or wheelsets. Check the truck and wheelset for flash (that thin plastic that seeps between the parts of the mold). Also make sure the trucks can turn freely, the screws aren't too tight. Also generally only one truck should be able to wobble, the other should turn but not wobble.

Make sure the truck or some other part of the car isn't hitting anything like a ladder on the car, or the switch machine or scenery.

Make sure the car is weighted properly, if it's too light it can derail.
 

60103

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Mar 25, 2002
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A very quick check (until you get the standards gauge) is to take the suspect car and a good car and just hold the wheel flanges together to compare them. If one is visibly wider than the other, there's a problem.