Hi everyone. I'm having problems with derailments. I've changed out my plastic wheels on my aristocraft hopper cars to metal wheels and they do add some weight which makes them run better but I still have issues with derailing. I have a USA SD 70 Mac which is a great runner and will run all day without derailing but it seems to push lighter rolling stock off the tracks. I also have a new Aristocraft SD 45 which I just purchased and it derails all the time..I feel I have my tracks ballasted properly and I have 10" radius curves, but the constant derailment takes all the fun out of running the trains. I've used split jaw brass joiners also which are great. I'm getting kind of discouraged here
DickB
Ps The couplers on the USA and Aristocraft products seems to be at different heights. Is this correct? The only way they will couple are to replace the knuckle couplers with the hook type.to run them between brands. Do I have to change out all the couplers or do I have to run USA and Aristocraft seperately. Thanks
The Home of Articulated Ugliness
Couplers
This is why Ka-dee is used by most!
Body mounts work best if you like long trains.
I use both the # 830 & # 831's.
Get the hight gauge , keeps every thing @ the" same hight."
Dickb
I agree with ralph but its not only dips in the track but slight twists i know this because it was my nightmare also. Allways put a long spirit level along the track and a small one across the rails this is where i found most of my derailments happend, and the weight of the train going over this section of track plus six wheal trucks really amplified this problem.
I hope this helps
Ces from down under
Mick
Chief Operating Officer
Northern Timber Company - Mt Beenak
Having resently rebuilt my RR, I had to go back and relevel a few sections to remove twists and dip's. Was it worth the time and effort, YES. I can now run 55 car trains with out a derailment. My track plan has a 270deg section of 9ft dia. with the rest of the main line cruves at 10 & 11.5 ft dia and a combination of 9,10 and 11.5 ft dia for the big loop. I do need to start slowly and stop even slower . I am running Aristo,B-Mann, and USA trains Plus 17 MDC hopper cars. I have found that running heavy to lite cars works best Most of my cars have been converted to Kaydee's. NOTE; Check all of your wheel sets for proper back-to-back gage. it's worth the extra time.
Dave
The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.
On the few USAT cars I have, I have replaced the couplers with the Standard Aristocraft couplers, I have no issues with uncoupling. Also check your track for level across the rails especially where the derailments are happening. Finally, make sure you clean any larger ballast pieces from between the rails. I have problems with RS3s and Uboats but not with SD45s. I don't know about the SD70.
Paul
Dick
I too, will have to join Ralph with the spirit level. Since you did not describe the general type locations I’ll add one more possibility. I was experiencing a large number of derailments when turning "out" or turning "in" at turnouts from/to passing sidings, or secondary lines into the mainline. Adding a six-inch straight before changing direction of the curve stopped 90% of my derailments. The other 10% were from dips (kinks, etc.) too small to be seen by eye. The level found them for me. Also have a good look at the "transition" points at the beginning and end of your ten-foot curves. If you have a rail joint at the beginning of the curve, it is possible there is an "invisible" kink in the joint. I had one joint "in transition" that constantly gave me fits during construction. I "recurved" part of one sectional curve, OK, I pulled the ties off and straightened the rails on half the curve, put the ties back on and trimmed the ends flush. Since then I have removed all the sectional track and replaced with "flex" and I make sure that no curve begins at a joint. Now all derailments can directly be blamed on me or my lack of proper "dog and chicken deposit" removal.
Coupler height; I use a mix and mash of coupler types, "hook and loop", "link and pin", and aristo couplers. Correct and consistent coupler height alignment is essential to operations.
Tom Trigg
Everyone on here has excellent suggestions. I also have had problems with my SD45's, or for that matter my RS-3's derailing and have found it's the twist in the track causing all the problems, not the dips. They can't handle the quick twist.If you have an 'S' curve, or even just going into a curve, the track tends to want to twist a bit, at least in my case. If you have a roadbed that the gravel has shifted, there might be a quick twist at that location.
If you get down at ground level and watch the wheels, I bet you will see the front axle leaving the rail from the twist, while all the other axles are still firmly in contact. In my case, the spot were the wheel came off was sometime many feet from where the engine derailed, usually caused by a switch. It's ok for your track to twist, but it's got to be a gradual twist and not a sudden one. If it's got to make a twist, them make sure it starts twisting gradually over a 1 or 2 foot section of track and life will be good.
I have changed out my USA SD-40-2 couplers to Aristo. It's very simple change.
Good luck Dick.
Regards,
Mark
M. Gilger - President and Chief Engineer MM&G web
Web Site: http://mmg-garden-rr.webs.com/
Howdy Dick; I moved to garden railroading after some forty five years in HO; in both home layouts and modular. When I started my garden railroad I developed a set of standards. There is more frustrating than derailments and electrical problems.
USA Trains metal wheels are standard on all my rolling stock. Metal wheels are heavy which lowers a cars center of gravity and they track better. They don’t collect dirt like plastic wheels.
Kadee couplers are standard on all my rolling stock. I check every piece of rolling stock with a Kadee gauge before going into service and anytime a piece of rolling stock causes a false uncoupling or derailment.
My track is a mix of Aristo and USA sectional track, I check that new track work lies on the ground (I use the floating system) without any forced/misaligned joints. As I ballast the track I check side to side level as Ralph stated and linear plane, my railroad side hills on a consistent 2.5% grade.
Aristo locomotives seem to be stiff and will derail on slight track irregularities. I have an Aristo RDC car and two U25b locos; they will derail where any of my seven USA locos will run without a glitch.
Have fun, Rob
To throw my hat into the ring:
I find the best way to solve problems is to break them down into the smallest "piece" and work on that one.
Given poor trackwork (no offense), the Aristo 3 axle diesels will derail sooner than the 3 axle USAT, because the USAT is basically a 2 axle truck with a 3rd "floppy" axle that acts like a pilot.
So my plan would be to attack the worst situation first, and maybe all other problems will go away, or at least be reduced.
Will the SD45 derail by itself? If so start by seeing if it will derail at the same place every time. That makes it easy. One trick I used recently was to remove the sideframes and watch the wheels, I was surprised to see the derailment actually occurred 20 feet sooner than I thought, i.e. it derailed but kept going, but when the derailed axle hit a switch, then it stopped.
By using this technique, you won't be "fooled". When you narrow it down to repeatable and a specific location, then you will find the problem will probably be obvious, dip or hump or crosslevel or bad gauge.
Regards, Greg
Visit my site: http://www.elmassian.com - lots of tips on locos, rolling stock and more.
Click here for Greg's web site
I don't mean to insult anyone's intelligence, but...if you are using a metal level, be sure that the power pack is turned off! '
SandyR
SandyR I don't mean to insult anyone's intelligence, but...if you are using a metal level, be sure that the power pack is turned off! ' SandyR
Sandy, mine is wood, and it is mounted on an old truck.
My 2 cent's, I was having trouble with my 10' dia section's where they meet switch's that had gaps for power distrubition. my cure was to add split jaw insulated jointer's. other spot's that HAD kink's I used Split Jaw OVER jointer clamp's . I also spent a hole-lot of time putting them littel screw's in ( aristo SS ). I also used a Telescoping mirror to check the far side of all my joints .
Hmmm..... maybe Dick B will come back and tell us what the progress is.
I would suggest breaking the problem down. If you can get the loco to derail by itself, it will help you isolate the problem(s) faster.
Anxiously awaiting progress report.
Sorry for not replying, I've ordered some Kadee couplers and steel wheels. Am also reballasting a couple of washouts. In the process of laying wood floor for my wife so the trains are temporairily on hold. Try to get back to uyou later this month. Thank you for all the good suggestions.
Dick B
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