Bachmann EZ crossover derailing

[Anonymous]

Half or my locos and rolling stock jump or derails in these crossovers, does anybody knows how to fix it ?

[rrinker]

Check for rough spots by running your fingernail over the rails. Look for flash int he flangeways of the frog and guardrails, and file if necessary. ALso check your wheels for proper gauge - I had a set of Kato covered hoppers that were bouncing over my Atlas Code 83 #6 switches, after a little investigation I found that it was not the fault of the switch, it was the Kato wheel being too narrow back to back. Most of my other rolling stock has been converted to Proto 2000 wheelsets and they all worked fine. Even some old deep flange Rivarossi passenger cars ran fine without bumping, so the Kato problem really was a puzzler . A check of all the old Athearn wheelsets the got removed from the old kits shows a good 1/4 to 1/3 of them have this problem. Also found some IHC wheelsets did the same - these are split design where the wheels press on to the axles and all the ones that bounced had the two pastic pieces pushed together as far as they go. Twist and pull a little to spread them a tiny bit and all is fine - but those plastic wheels will be replaced anyway.
Bottom line, check the wheels before condemming the switches! You might be surprised (and not pleasantly - guess that's why repalcement wheelsets is such a big business).

--Randy

[SpaceMouse]

You said to check the gauge of the wheels. What should I be looking for? I have a micrometer.

[rrinker]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

You said to check the gage of the wheels. What should I be looking for? I have a micrometer.

The numerical limits should be on the NMRA web site, but it's a lot easier to just get an NMRA gauge and use that. (and yes, I DO know how to use a micrometer, unlike a certain not to be named MR author in his column a year or so ago [:D])
Quick and dirty, roll the wheelset through the turnout, if it bumps up on the frog, pull it apart a tiny bit and check again, until it rolls smoothly through. Might not be accurate, but close enough to eliminate the annoyance until you check with an actual gauge. This of course only works on those wheelsets which are diesigned as 2 or 3 pieces and CAN be adjusted, some are one piece moldings and if they are out of gauge the only solution is replacement.

--Randy