The 'Worlds Greatest Hobby' sure can be frustrating!

[BDC]

Finally got a package I had waited all month for, and the anticipation was better than the real thing. Two of the 6 items ordered were discontinued (although still shown on the website) and the MT 6-wheel trucks were the wrong color (silver vs. black). So, back they go. At least the MT boxcar was OK.

And, after the rant, here's the question. I ordered the Deluxe Innovations 2-hopper pack of the Atomic Power cars - the glow-in-the-dark ones. The cars are good, except for a little overspray, but the trucks are stinkers! The couplers won't center even with help from the 0-5-0 engine. Also, the entire weight of the car is riding on the front axles of each truck. By front, I mean the axles nearest the coupler. In fact, the rear axle will often lift off the rails, making the whole car very squirrelly. I'm not worried about the trucks because I was going to replace them with MT trucks anyways. Are all DI trucks like this? This is my first DI product and I was wondering whether I would need to replace the trucks on any other of their cars.

Sorry about the rant. Some days you catch the chicken, others you just get a handful of feathers.

BDC

 

[Drew1125]

Hi BDC!
Your post is kind of timely for me too, in that I'm having some truck related difficulties myself.
I've had this old Con-Cor 100 ton boom crane (N scale) for a couple of years, I guess, & had never really gotten it out of the box. (I got it at a swap meet for $5)
One project that has recently gone on my "to do" list is to put together a MOW work train for my K&I RR. This involves stripping, re-lettering, new trucks, couplers, etc...
I was unable to find any 6-wheel trucks toi fit the crane, so I'm forced to use the originals, with some new MT wheelsets. It had truck mounted couplers, which I trimmed off, & after painstakingly adding styrene to the underside of the car, add body-mount couplers. So far, so good.
Well, I get everything together, go to add the new wheels, only to discover that the sideframes on one of the trucks has gone out of gauge, & the center wheelset keeps falling out!
So before I hurl the thing at the nearest wall, I'm going to try some way to clamp the frame, & possibly bend it back into shape.
One thing this hobby has taught me though, is that the depths of frustration only serve to make your successes seem that much better.
So take heart in that BDC...We're all in this together!

 

[Tyson Rayles]

BDC it sounds like the frame might be warped (bowed up in the center). Take the body off (if possible) and lay it upside down on a level surface, if there is a space under the center of the car that is probably the problem.You should be able to bend it back in shape. Charlie I don't have a clue on your problem, never owned anything with 6 wheel trucks on it.