I have a basic Bachmann track setup with two turnouts. The problem I am having is on the switch tracks. My four axle locomotives run fine over the turnouts, however my six axle locomotives will run good for awhile and then will eventually cause a short and it will put my DCC command center in a standby mode and the train will stop. I want to point out that the trains do not derail over the switch tracks and they are traveling through the switch going straight as this is happening. I read other posts about wheel gauge and I am thinking this might be a good thing to explore because I bought one of my engines used so this could be an issue. I am a beginner at this. I would like to enjoy the larger engines on my layout instead of being limited. Any thoughts would help. Thanks
Checking the wheels with an NMRA wheel guage is a good start. Sometimes, particularly with larger engines, manufacturers make the wheelsets slightly narrow so they go around tight curves easier.
I have had problems with shorts as some engines pass over older Peco electrofrog turnouts. The gap at the frog is designed too narrow, and a wide drive wheel might bridge the gap and cause a short.
The solution is simple. Put a small drop of clear nail polish at that gap and let it dry. Don't use red polish because that would look silly. Or, get a Goth girlfriend and use her black polish.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Could it be the turnouts are not designed for dcc use? Dcc is pretty sensitve to the slightest potential contact.
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
Dabster1979, welcome to the forum!
Your first posts are moderated, so your posts may not appear immediately. After you post several times, that will chear up.
There are lots of experts that post here, so I hope you get some good answers.
For me, it was a case of what Mister Beasley said -- the wheels are contacting both rails, with the rails very close together at the gap.
For me, I used a small metal file and filed the gap a tiny bit larger. That took care of it. Nail polish does the same thing -- it stops the metal locomotive wheels from contacting both rails at the same time.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes.
York1 John
Thank you all for the attention you gave to my issue. I am going to purchase clear nail polish today and try that for a fix to the problem. I appreciate this forum. I look forward to gaining more knowledge in this hobby from others like yourselves. Thanks again.
Just here to report that the clear nail polish did work to keep the locomotive from shorting out my DCC system over the switch tracks. I did, however run into problems with train cars derailing over the switch tracks. I ended up using automobile weights for wheel wells to weigh down the train cars to keep them from derailing. So far so good. Thanks again.