wobble

[Anonymous]

I am currently building a new HO layout- my first since dabbling in it with my father almost forty years ago. I've been doing a lot of reading and it's going quite well. I'm using Atlas code 100 flex track, which is laying down nicely, and Peco electrofrog turnouts that I've found to be very good quality. The track is soldered at each joint on the curves but not on the straight sections. I'm nailing the track with typical 1/2 inch nails at all the pre-drilled holes in the ties being careful not to drive them in too far. As I've gone along I've been testing the track with my inexpensive LifeLike engine and cars (horn & hook couplers). Recently I purchased a new Proto 2000 SW8 with knuckle couplers, and three Athearn 40' boxcars also with knuckle couplers. I plan to go exclusively with the knuckle couplers. As I tested with the inexpensive engine and cars all went quite well- forward, backward, fast, slow- all no problem. Then I hooked-up the SW8 and boxcars and started testing. I immediately started having problems with the boxcars derailing at the solder joints. I triple checked the joints, making corrections where I thought there might be the slightest thing out of whack. I checked the coupler heights- no problem. I did notice the cars wobble from side to side as they went over the joints. I've got an NMRA gauge and all seems to be fine. Another thing I did notice on the boxcars was that the wheels (metal) are not cast very well. Should I set them up with different wheels (the metal may not perform well with the Kadee #308 magnetic uncouplers I plan to use)? There's some minor pitting in the wheels but not enough that I would think it to be a problem- could it be? And the wheels don't seem to be cast sharp and crisp but rather kind of rounded on the flange. I thought my track was looking pretty good but what's causing the wobble? For the difference in price between the inexpensive LifeLike and the Athearn you'd think the Athearn would be the one to run the best. Any suggestions, comments, opinion, or answers would be appreciated.

Missngar

[Anonymous]

Er, most the athearn "kit" boxcars I have came with plastic wheels??? Minor pitting on new wheels, are you sure they are new? I never seen such a wheel problem on the cars I have, but back to your problem. I bet you soldered the inside of the track. Only solder on the outsides and use lots of flux and very little solder. The side to side motion is the wheels hitting an object (protusion), prob the flanges bottoming out and lifting due to solder. If that's the case get some braid and desolder the insides. FRED. .

[eastcoast]

QUOTE: Originally posted by flee307

Er, most the athearn "kit" boxcars I have came with plastic wheels??? Minor pitting on new wheels, are you sure they are new? I never seen such a wheel problem on the cars I have, but back to your problem. I bet you soldered the inside of the track. Only solder on the outsides and use lots of flux and very little solder. The side to side motion is the wheels hitting an object (protusion), prob the flanges bottoming out and lifting due to solder. If that's the case get some braid and desolder the insides. FRED. .

to add to this above comment ,may I say that if this problem persists, the damage to your equipment could escalate. While you are fixing and testing the tracks use an engine that can get "beat up" Other thing I stress is electrical safety and burns, sometimes solder can get unpredictable.
ken

[preceng]

Micro Mark (and probably others) make a Track inspection car. It is basically two trucks with a plexiglass top (like a flat car). I have found several issues using it.

www.micromark.com

[wp8thsub]

It sounds like the Athearn cars you're describing are from their "Ready to Roll" line, which come with metal wheelsets. I think these wheels (like many others in HO) are made with a sintering process, in which powdered metal is fused into the shape of the wheels in a mold. The process often leaves small voids (the pitting you describe) which shouldn't affect the rolling qualities of the wheels nor is it a mark of poor quality. Also, the rounded flanges you describe are perfectly OK, that matches the NMRA recommended practice and it's how prototype flanges are shaped.

I have a number of these Athearn cars and have had no wheelset related problems. The wheels work just as well as those from other manufacturers like Kadee, JayBee or Intermountain. Virtually any metal wheelsets in HO these days will be non-magnetic and not interfere with magnetic uncoupling ramps.

Since the wobbling you describe is only occurring at track joints I'd bet the problems are with your track. You may have some misalignment that isn't easily visible, excess solder, or metal burrs on the cut ends of some rails.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to those who have replied so far. The Athearn boxcars are indeed the "ready-to-roll" type and are brand new. I've tested the wheels against the Kadee #308 magnetic uncoupler and they are attracted to the magnet. We'll see in actual operation if it will affect the performance of the boxcars as the magnets are not installed yet. All the joints have been soldered on the outside of the rails and if there was any "spillage" it was carefully filed off. But I'll check the insides again to be sure. I've checked for burrs- none. If the track is mis-aligned it's got to be near microscopic- should the wheels be that sensitive? As I said earlier, I've put the NMRA gauge on the track too. Interesting info on how the wheels are made. I've seen the inspection car advertised- it may be time to get one. Would weighting the cars help? If there are more ideas or opinions out there I'd appreciate hearing from you. Very helpful, thanks to all. I'll keep working on it.

Missngar

[trollw]

Weighting the cars won't necessarily help the wobble issue but might help keep the car from derailing (jumping) as a result of the wobble. HOWEVER, the cars SHOULD be weighted so they comply with the NMRA guidelines on weight - not doing so will cause other problems as you continue to operate.

John

[wp8thsub]

"I've tested the wheels against the Kadee #308 magnetic uncoupler and they are attracted to the magnet."

Yikes! I haven't noticed this on my Athearn RTR cars since I don't use magnetic uncoupling. If Athearn's using magnetic wheels that's probably not too bright on their part given the number of modelers using magnets.

"If the track is mis-aligned it's got to be near microscopic- should the wheels be that sensitive?"

No way. If you've checked everything regarding the wheels and track thoroughly the problem could be elsewhere. One possible issue is overtightened truck screws, which I have seen on some manufacturers' ready to run equipment. The hobby press makes much out of the "3-point" suspension idea (one truck tightened so it's only able to rotate on the bolster and the other allowed to both rotate and rock) but I have much better luck if both trucks have at least a small margin for lateral motion.

Sometimes truck bolsters are too tight when a mounting screw expands the plastic body bolster as it's installed. If the truck bolster can't move side-to-side at all derailments are much more likely. Set the car on the track and watch if any lateral play is happening when you press down and rock the car. If you see the wheels lifting off the track when sideways pressure is applied you probably need to use a round jeweler's file and ream the truck bolster. I have a friend who was having non-stop derailment problems with an Athearn 5-unit spine car. We used the above procedure to check all of the bolsters and found several that needed to be filed out. End of derailments. I've also solved derailment problems with other cars this way, so it may be worth a try for what ails you.

[dehusman]

You might want to check the tightness of the truck screws. One should be tightened enough to permit only rotationabout the kingpin and the othere end should have alittle more slop in it so the truck and rock side to side slightly.

Have you checked the gauge of the wheels?

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Dave for your suggestions. I haven't gone the tightening rute yet but I've gauged everything about six times under bright lights (and using the cheater glasses too- I'm way over forty!) and all seems to be fine. Rob S. has some good suggestions that I haven't tried. I'll let you know after testing and adjusting. Many thanks.

missngar

[Rene Luethi]

Take a four wheel truck of good quality, that means: metal wheels and the
axles square to the side frame and with only barely noticeable side play.
You may remove a truck from one of your cars. Roll this truck gently over
the questioned place of your track and observe where the truck make irregular
things and why. Perhaps you will find a sag or an elevation which should
be corrected. If all seems to bee good give this truck a kick whit your
finger. If it stays on track; you got it. If the truck sails in the weeds,
notice the spot where it left the track, something wrong must be there. Good
luck.
Rene Lüthi

[Anonymous]

I'm sure you would already have noticed if there were a depression in the level of one of the rails. Perhaps one rail is sitting more snuggly against the ties than its opposite rail. That would cause a wobble.
Apart from being the Pollock of solder technique, I'm sticking to common or garden spiking - less irreversible. Should a turnout mechanism burn out, I can whip it out with minimum tears and replace it. Having to desolder the thing first would spoil my whole day.
Rene's expression "the truck sails in the weeds" deserves a prize for best figurative use of the English language!