That 022 switch is giving me trouble again

[Anonymous]

Problem Update:

I unscrewed all of the track sections in the area of the turnouts today & made sure everything was absolutely straight. Then I screwed everything back down. I'm now 99.9% sure that the two turnouts are absolutely straight.

When I run my 2-8-0 consolidation through the two switches in a counter clockwise direction on the inner loop (which is the opposite direction it was running in the past), the two pilot wheels always derail going from the 022 left hand turnout that was giving me problems to the 022 right hand turnout that has never given me problems.

When I looked closely at the frog area on the troublesome turnout, I noticed that the plastic part that leads to the frog's point from the straight through route is actually HIGHER than the metal rail that is adjacent to it. I think this is the cause of my derailments. Inspection of the other turnout in this pair shows a similar situation at its frog. The other two turnouts on the outter loop seem to have no problem at all.

Should i take out the Dremel tool & grind down the plastic? Or is there a better way? Or does this have nothing to do with my derailments?

Tony

[Anonymous]

Problem Update:

I unscrewed all of the track sections in the area of the turnouts today & made sure everything was absolutely straight. Then I screwed everything back down. I'm now 99.9% sure that the two turnouts are absolutely straight.

When I run my 2-8-0 consolidation through the two switches in a counter clockwise direction on the inner loop (which is the opposite direction it was running in the past), the two pilot wheels always derail going from the 022 left hand turnout that was giving me problems to the 022 right hand turnout that has never given me problems.

When I looked closely at the frog area on the troublesome turnout, I noticed that the plastic part that leads to the frog's point from the straight through route is actually HIGHER than the metal rail that is adjacent to it. I think this is the cause of my derailments. Inspection of the other turnout in this pair shows a similar situation at its frog. The other two turnouts on the outter loop seem to have no problem at all.

Should i take out the Dremel tool & grind down the plastic? Or is there a better way? Or does this have nothing to do with my derailments?

Tony

[lionelsoni]

Check for oversteer on the pilot truck. Two-wheel trucks are usually pivoted too far forward. When the front of the locomotive swings out on a curve, the pilot wheels actually try to steer too sharply in the direction of the turn. They can then easily derail on any irregularity in the trackwork, like a frog or guard rail. You may be able to observe whether this is happening on your locomotive just by looking at the pilot wheels on a curve.

The correct location for the pivot is about halfway between the pilot wheels and the midpoint of the flanged drivers. I successfully modified a 2026 Adriatic by screwing a metal extension to the pilot truck tongue and pivoting it around a screw tapped into a motor cross-piece. What will work on your locomotive, and whether to do it, you will have to decide.

[lionelsoni]

Check for oversteer on the pilot truck. Two-wheel trucks are usually pivoted too far forward. When the front of the locomotive swings out on a curve, the pilot wheels actually try to steer too sharply in the direction of the turn. They can then easily derail on any irregularity in the trackwork, like a frog or guard rail. You may be able to observe whether this is happening on your locomotive just by looking at the pilot wheels on a curve.

The correct location for the pivot is about halfway between the pilot wheels and the midpoint of the flanged drivers. I successfully modified a 2026 Adriatic by screwing a metal extension to the pilot truck tongue and pivoting it around a screw tapped into a motor cross-piece. What will work on your locomotive, and whether to do it, you will have to decide.